Ruben Christiaens

At a Glance - Current role: chef at the Brussels restaurant. In service, that means moving between quiet concentration and sudden bursts of command, guiding the kitchen through the exacting demands of La Villa Lorraine by Yves Mattagne in Brussels, Belgium. - Career history: La Villa Lorraine by Yves Mattagne, Brussels, Belgium. The address has become both workplace and stage, where his cooking continues to take shape in public. - Craft note: his own words point to learning by figuring out how things work. That instinct gives his approach a practical, hands-on edge: the habit of observing, testing, refining, and repeating until a result feels settled.

Signature

Ruben's signature dishes include pea souffl and Cheese soufflé XO. They point to a kitchen drawn to lift, texture, and contrast: the delicacy of a souffl paired with the grounded savor of cheese, and the sharp punctuation of XO. Even in name alone, these dishes show technique doing the structural work beneath the flavor.

In Their Words “No diploma, I'd rather figure out how it works myself.” The line says as much about training as it does about temperament. Christiaens favors the evidence of practice over the authority of a certificate, learning the internal logic of a kitchen by doing the work, watching the reactions, and returning to the pass with a clearer sense of how each element behaves. “Hi, I'm Ruben Christiaens, 29 years old, and I'm the chef at La Villa Lorraine.” It is a plain introduction, but a firm one. It places him inside La Villa Lorraine by Yves Mattagne in Brussels, Belgium, and frames him as a working chef in motion, shaping identity through the daily realities of the restaurant. In that compact statement, there is directness of manner and the steadiness of someone who knows exactly where he stands.

Recognition

Ruben Christiaens has received Michelin Guide, Young Chef of the Year (2022).