d'Eugénie à Emilie

The story

d'Eugénie à Émilie – Two Michelin Stars in Mons, Belgium

A Cuisine of Tradition

At d'Eugénie à Émilie in Baudour, chef Éric Fernez describes himself as an “artisan cuisinier.” His cooking is rooted in the classics: butter and cream are the foundation, products are fresh and cooked to order, and there is no sous-vide or reheating. “Le goût n’est pas dans la sophistication,” he says. That conviction has earned the restaurant two Michelin stars and a Gault & Millau score of 17.5/20 – recognition that rewards precision without pretence.

Fernez’s story began at age seven, in the kitchen of his grandmother Eugénie. The name of the restaurant – d’Eugénie à Émilie – traces that lineage. After early training and a first restaurant at 18, he opened this address in Baudour, where he has built a kitchen that respects the product above all. Daily deliveries from trusted suppliers dictate the menu; fish, crustaceans, game, and vegetables appear according to the market. Bread and desserts are made in-house.

Signature Dishes from the Source

Several dishes have become “intemporels” – timeless plates that return each season. The coq faisan (pheasant) is served in two preparations: the breast roasted and flambéed with a fine champagne sauce, the leg confit. It arrives with braised chicory from the Delzandre farm, a combination that Fernez has championed since the restaurant’s early days.

Another signature is the feuilleté céleri truffe – a puff pastry of celery and truffle. Fernez’s approach to truffle was shaped by meals at Lameloise and Romeyer, where he learned that truffle must be served hot to release its perfume. “A raw truffle served cold is poor in flavour,” he notes. The pastry traps the aroma, a technique he has refined over decades.

Lobster is prepared “à la ficelle,” inspired by the classic beef preparation. The crustacean is poached in a bouillon, then served with a mille-feuille of seasonal vegetables and a butter-whipped broth. Fernez shares detailed notes on sourcing – European lobster (the best) versus American – and on the precise cooking times that come with experience.

A Philosophy of Taste

Fernez writes regularly about his craft, sharing stories of his mentors – Pierre and Michel Troisgros, Alain Chapel, Fernand Point – and of the dishes that shaped him. His “Sole Fernand Point” pays homage to that lineage. The restaurant’s menus change with the seasons; a four-service menu begins at €135, while the Thursday “all-in” formula is €195. An extensive wine list evolves daily.

In the dining room, the atmosphere is one of quiet confidence. The kitchen’s credo – “dress to serve the taste, not the look” – translates into plates that are beautiful without being fussy. For those seeking classic French cuisine at its most sincere, d’Eugénie à Émilie offers a rare consistency born of nearly forty years at the stove.