i. Biography
The Climb
Classical training at Hotelschool Spermalie gave Nicolas Mylle a foundation in discipline, clean execution, rhythm, and the small details that register at the table before they are named. The value of that schooling sits less in a list of recipes than in a way of holding a station: ordered mise en place, consistent polish, and respect for the sequence of service. Since 2024, Restaurant Eyckerhof à Bornem has carried the working title Eyckerhof by Nicolas Mylle, with Nicolas Mylle as chef and owner. The change signals authorship without forcing rupture. The house style remains the frame; the added energy is younger and gradual. The cooking is measured against a simple standard: a plate thought through, executed cleanly, and served without excess effect.
Today
French cooking at Eyckerhof is built on excellent seasonal products while preserving the style of the house and adding a younger vision step by step. The register is clear: sauces are direct, pairings are legible, and the product is put forward rather than covered. In Nicolas Mylle’s hands, classicism is not static; it moves through season, texture, and the line between comfort and precision. Measured elegance remains part of the service language. The plate should arrive with a sense of recognition, not nostalgia. The craft lies in holding three positions at once: keep the house style intact, let a contemporary hand show where it belongs, and make the meal read as a conversation between inheritance and the present.
Signature
Nicolas's signature dishes include Planète, Cold sabayon, white chocolate, red fruit and popcorn, Wijting, Caramella, and Lobster with pasta and winter truffle. The range sets out a kitchen moving between sweet and savoury, noble product and familiar pleasure, sauce depth and plating precision. Planète carries the logic of a contained composition. Cold sabayon, white chocolate, red fruit and popcorn works through contrast: temperature, richness, acidity, and crunch. Wijting puts pressure on restraint, because a simple marine product leaves little cover for error. Caramella, described by Nicolas as a signature dish, depends first on memorability of form and name. Lobster with pasta and winter truffle sits in a richer register, where generosity has to remain disciplined by taste.
Recognition
A sweet reference point at Restaurant Eyckerhof de Bornem carries two names: sabayon froid, chocolat blanc, fruits rouges et popcorn, by the chefs Ferdy De Becker and Nicolas Mylle. On the savoury side, Wijting is part of the register; Caramella is described by Nicolas as a signature dish. The recognition sits in dishes that keep memory close while asking for contemporary sharpness in execution. The through-line is craft memory made usable. The first contact with the kitchen — pannenkoeken and wafels made with his mammie, his grootmoeder — is not treated as ornament. It connects to a French table where a classic must be raised to level, not used as an excuse for novelty. For Nicolas Mylle, present-tense flavour comes from demanding fidelity: seasonal product, controlled technique, and a classicism that still has work to do.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Nicolas
What is Nicolas Mylle's current role?
Nicolas Mylle is Chef and Owner of Restaurant Eyckerhof.
Where did Nicolas Mylle train or study?
Nicolas Mylle trained at Hotelschool Spermalie.
What is Nicolas Mylle known for?
Menu Terre et Mer, refined multi-course tasting menus, à la carte and lunch formulas, extensive wine list with suggested pairings, and seasonal ingredients such as hops shoots (De Hopscheuten).
