The story
Commotie began as two temporary pop-ups in Kortrijk and Gent before finding a permanent home on the edge of Gent in 2020, surrounded by greenery and quiet. Chef Thomas Gellynck and sommelier Lara De Vlieger run the kitchen and dining room together, translating their shared vision into a restaurant built around nature and seasonality. The name itself – meaning commotion, movement, sensory perception – hints at the experience they aim to create.
Open fire is the heart of the kitchen. Ingredients come from the restaurant’s own garden, from local farmers, and from foraging; fermentation plays a central role. The approach is farm-to-table with a zero‑waste philosophy, and every dish is treated with respect for the product and the process. The result is cooking that feels both grounded and surprising, with depth and intensity that reflects the landscape around Gent.
The interior, designed with architect Merijn Degraeve, is minimalist and Japanese‑inspired: raw textures, soft natural light, and the glow of an open fire. The atmosphere is meant to feel like coming over for dinner at someone’s home – warm, unpretentious, but refined. It is a setting that lets the food and the company take centre stage.
Commotie’s focused, honest cooking has earned a Michelin Recommended award for 2026, a nod to the clarity and integrity of what Thomas and Lara are doing on the edge of the city.
A single tasting menu (€155) guides the evening, with a lunch menu (€115) available on Fridays. A signature dish with Imperial Heritage Caviar can be added (€35). Drink pairings are built around low‑intervention wines, homemade cocktails, and non‑alcoholic infusions from the garden – all chosen to match the kitchen’s seasonal logic. Private dining, catering, and events are also possible on the property.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Got a kink for food and a fetish for highway stops? Then, listen up: come get a lashing’s full at Commotie! Located along the N70, chef Thomas Gellynck and sommelier Lara De Vlieger’s plush villa is a Magritian dream for fire-loving aesthetes, with its captivating kitchen show staged around the roaring flames. The unforgettable surprise menu featured: a fresh and punchy Zeeland flat oyster shaken up with sour cream and soy sauce pearls; a trompe-l’oeil of smoky cabbage stuffed with pas-de-rouge cheese – enough to render Cédric Grolet, the star pastry chef at Le Meurice, speechless; a joyful orgy of pâté, ragout and beet juice, with a lustful cured egg yolk also getting in on the action; sublime monkfish cured in charcoal butter and a huge bunch of dill, moistened with a creamy fish bone broth, met grilled asparagus and a fermented jus; scrumptious herby mashed potatoes with lardo di Colonnata, pushing the vice even further with a buttermilk foam and Imperial Heritage Belgian caviar, chased by a shot of Dada Chapel vodka and nutmeg; zero-waste lamb kebab with pickled cime di rapa and shallots on a mini yogurt flatbread – and a hearty dusting of grated dried lamb’s heart as an added bonus; lamb chop dry-aged for two weeks, adorned with wild garlic béarnaise, salsify and olive powder; before a Conference pear tartare served with a comforting oatmeal ice cream. Sounds a bit pretentious, right? Wrong! The disco-house playlist and sincerely attentive staff quickly loosen you up – the important thing is that you get your kicks! // Rosa Poulsard
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