The story
Va et Vient brings a personal vision to Modern French cooking in Kortrijk. Chef Matthias Speybrouck trained with some of Belgium’s most respected chefs – Piet Huysentruyt at Le Lutin Gourmand, Sergio Herman at Oud Sluis, and Kobe Desramaults at In de Wulf and De Vitrine – and has forged a style he calls "Rough and Refined." The kitchen focuses on precise technique and bold, natural flavours, with a strong farm-to-table ethos.
The location itself sets the tone: a historic building on the Handboogstraat, steps from the Grote Markt and the Broeltorens, overlooking the lowered banks of the Leie. Inside, the atmosphere balances heritage and contemporary design, making it a fitting setting for the restaurant’s Michelin Recommended recognition.
The menu changes regularly, but the current offerings show the kitchen’s range. A small menu (€89) and a large menu (€105) run alongside a carte blanche (weekdays only, 3 or 4 courses for €64 or €79). Signature dishes include white asparagus with ricotta and lava salt, catch of the day with mousseron and parmesan, and Zeeland mussel with fennel, whey, and tomato confit. A signature extra – calf sweetbread with Cevenne onion and St. Bernardus beer – adds depth.
Chef Speybrouck is also a member of the NorthSeaChefs, a non-commercial organisation that promotes responsible use of lesser-known fish and bycatch from Belgian and Dutch fishermen. His personal favourite is the vlaswijting (a local whiting), and this commitment to sustainable sourcing runs through the kitchen.
Va et Vient serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday, and dinner on Saturday. Outdoor seating is available in warmer months, and the restaurant’s position in the historic centre makes it easy to reach. The atmosphere is refined but unpretentious – a place where the cooking speaks clearly, without unnecessary fuss. It’s a quiet but confident addition to Belgium’s Modern French dining scene.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
There are so many comings and goings between the dining room and the kitchen at Va et Vient! On one side of this cozy industrial-chic spot with floor-to-ceiling windows, diners are treated to a view of the banks of the River Lys, while the other offers a glimpse into the kitchen, where chef Matthias Speybrouck (who trained under none other than Piet Huysentruyt, Sergio Herman and even Kobe Desramaults) sends his brigade into the dining room to serve a natural, yet refined menu. That night, it featured: a light and airy fish brandade with a zhuzh of leek oil; a bite-sized morsel of the chef’s pâté – a nod to Café Paté (an amusing annual competition he launched with his chef buddy Felix from Het Vliegend Tapijts); extremely tender haddock fillet snuggled under a sheet of nori, with parsnip mousseline, herring roe and a drizzle of fromage blanc sprinkled with fennel pollen; a beautiful slice of Menapian pork pampered for 14 hours sous-vide before getting a grilling, pimped out with sweet potato puree, tender bok choi, and a bold hoisin sauce; for dessert, a crunchy shortbread tartlet topped with pistachio cream, buried under a sorrel and lemongrass granita, followed by a chocolate mousse hidden under a crispy hazelnut feuilletine and a quenelle of sunchoke ice cream, with a fleur de sel and cocoa crumble border. //Alba Nebbioli
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