Le Coq aux Champs

The story

Le Coq aux Champs – Tinlot, Belgium: Michelin-Starred French Cuisine by Christophe Pauly

The philosophy

“La simplicité est la sophistication suprême.” At Le Coq aux Champs in Soheit-Tinlot, this motto guides everything. Chef Christophe Pauly and his wife Catherine opened the restaurant in 2003, and from the start their aim was clarity: “assiettes claires et justes, faites de beaux produits modestes ou rares.” Naturals, simplicity, sharing, and pleasure are the pillars of the kitchen.

The chef

Christophe Pauly’s training reads like a who’s who of European gastronomy. He began at Daniel Van Lint’s Pré Mondain, where he learned rigour and discipline. Then came Éric Martin at Château de Lavaux-Saint-Anne, followed by a stint at the three-Michelin-starred Maison Troisgros in Roanne under Michel Troisgros. From there he moved to René Mathieu’s “Le Capucin Gourmand” as sous-chef, mastering new techniques. In 2003, he and Catherine took over Le Coq aux Champs. A Michelin star followed in 2005, and in 2021 Gault&Millau named him Chef of the Year with a rare 17.5/20.

The cuisine

The menu is a living document, changing with the seasons, the sea, and the land. Pauly works closely with local artisans across the Condroz region and beyond, sourcing the finest ingredients he can find. The cooking is pure, stripped of unnecessary fuss. Guests can choose from several “haltes gourmandes” – a series of courses designed as a shared experience. Signature dishes include Guilvinec langoustines with cucumber, sour cream, smoked eel, and Osciètre caviar. Other highlights might be line-caught Galician cod in an essence of Aurélien Ricaud tomatoes, or aged Jersey beef from Ferme de la Belle Rose.

The atmosphere

Catherine and Christophe imagine their restaurant as “a timeless bubble, alive, spontaneous and warm.” The dining room is a place where every detail is meant to please, and the team’s passion is evident in every plate. The result is an elegant yet comfortable setting where the focus stays on the food and the moment.