Culinary excellence in Belgium

The Hof Van Cleve is the best place to eat in Belgium according to the British magazine "Restaurant". The UK's leading publication for the catering sector dished out awards for the worlds top 50 restaurants on Monday night. Three Belgian premises made it onto the catalogue of culinary class.
The World's 50 Best Restaurants, first published in 2002 and now in its fifth year, was announced on Monday at the World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards Ceremony, held at the British Science Museum, in London's fashionable South Kensington.
Three Belgian restaurants made it into the exclusive club of the very best in gourmet indulgence.
The international panel of judges found Hof Van Cleve, in Kruishoutem (East Flanders), to be the ultimate high point of Belgian cuisine. Peter Goossens' establishment made it to 23rd place in the restaurateurs' premier league.
Bruges' renowned De Karmeliet more or less retained its place of high standing coming in 47th with Brussels' Comme chez Soi (photo above) close on its heels at number 49.
It's a tough job but someone's got to do it
Around 560 top chefs and journalists scoured the globe for the ultimate in dinning delight.
Relentlessly tasting, soaking up the atmosphere and challenging their highly tuned sense of taste and olfactory skills to the limit, the intrepid judges selected THE top 50 places to eat on the globe.
The absolute upper extremity of culinary delight is to be experienced at Ferran Adrià's El Bulli in Spain. This year's pinnacle of perfection has surpassed last year's title holder; Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck, just outside London's M25 ring road.
France and UK agree on something
The Brits seem to share their taste with the French as the very same three Belgian restaurants were awarded three stars each in the latest Michelin Guide.
This is the first time that the list includes three Belgian restaurants.
This year's list of the world's top 50 restaurants includes ten French, eight in the United States and six British establishments.
The Netherlands have to be content with just one; the Oud Sluis in Zeeland, although it commands a proud 19th position.