About Els
Meet Els Vanbiervliet, the driving force behind Belle de Jour!
I grew up in Ostend, daughter of a fisherman who once sailed to Iceland. The scent of sea air, the rhythm of the tides, the taste of shrimp fresh from the net — these shaped me long before I ever picked up a knife. In 2007, I graduated with a Master in Fine Arts. Painting was — and still is — my first love. But in 2013, I opened Belle de Jour. A restaurant where creativity found a new canvas: the plate.
Meet the chef
At Belle de Jour, I cook the way I used to paint — with colour, intuition, and a deep sense of place. My dishes are rooted in the seasons, shaped by Flemish soil and North Sea winds, and brought to life with ingredients from trusted local producers. Expect delicate broths, fermented vegetables, fresh herbs, and playful textures. Everything is homemade. Our natural wines are carefully selected to complement, not compete. Belle de Jour is not a wine bar. It’s not fine dining either. It’s a place for people who care about flavour. About stories. About food that feeds more than just hunger. Welcome to Belle de Jour. Where art meets appetite.
Passionate about art
