Decan

The story

Decan: Modern French cuisine in Antwerp – Michelin Recommended 2026

From piano to the pass

Jan Decan started with dreams of becoming a baker. But music ran in his blood too. After a master’s degree in piano, he followed his heart into professional cooking, gaining experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and a renowned catering company before opening his own restaurant in Berchem, Antwerp. “The essence of cooking lies in nuance, like the silence that gives meaning to music,” he says.

That musical sensibility translates directly to his Modern French cuisine. Decan works with pure products and natural flavours, drawing on Franco-Belgian traditions but giving them a contemporary, surprising twist. “A dish is not a recipe, but a story. The ingredients are the notes, your memory is the melody,” he explains. The menu changes with the seasons – recent highlights include Axuria milk lamb, Belgian white asparagus, and strawberries with rhubarb.

A kitchen of clarity and balance

Jan Decan describes his cooking as calm, controlled, and precise. Every dish starts with a quality base ingredient – fish, meat, or a good vegetable – with a few accompaniments and a strong jus made from his own stocks. “That’s it,” he says. The result: flavours that surprise yet remain refined and balanced. The restaurant’s Michelin Recommended distinction in 2026 reflects this careful, honest approach.

A couple’s passion

Alongside Jan, his wife Evelien runs the front of house. After a career in business, she made the full switch to hospitality when Decan opened. Her love for wine has deepened ever since, with a particular fondness for Austrian Grüner Veltliner and Swiss Petite Arvine – wines that pair beautifully with the chef’s refined Modern French dishes. Together, they write a story they hope will last for many years.

Decan serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday, and dinner on Saturday evenings. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, with outdoor seating in warmer months.