LOF Restaurant welcomes Paul de Groote as Chef de Cuisine

Zeeland chef brings 20 years of experience to Inter Scaldes*** 

LOF, the fine-dining restaurant at Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof, welcomes Paul de Groote as Chef de Cuisine. With the arrival of the chef from Zeeland, the Ghent restaurant gets a new face and recently introduced its first menu. With 20 years of experience under his belt at Inter Scaldes, where he was the right-hand man of three-star chef Jannis Brevet, Paul de Groote wants to return to the beauty of simplicity in the style of cooking and eating. Under his leadership is a young and driven team including 25-year-old Sommelier Thomas Naessens and 21-year-old Restaurant Manager Aniek van den Assem, who, according to de Groote, are the mood creators of the evening.

Marcel Reijnen, Hotel Manager Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof: "We welcome Paul de Groote to LOF Restaurant with great pleasure and confidence. The experienced chef cooks big in simplicity. He knows how to conjure up pure dishes with explosive flavour experiences. His maturity and down-to-earth character takes LOF's team and kitchen to the next level. Guests here experience fine-dining in a vibrant and young environment."

The chef from Zeeland spent 20 years in the kitchen with Jannis Brevet. Under the guidance of the well-known Michelin chef, he learned the art of simplicity as well as finding the most beautiful products. Now the two culinary colleagues are working together again, Brevet fulfilling an advisory role to de Groote in LOF. His first menu includes a preparation of organic foie gras with Sauternes, hazelnut and brioche bread and the Soto soup inspired by his Moluccan wife's family recipe. He says: "It starts with giving love and attention to the flavours of the pure product. Going back to the basics of cooking and looking for depth there." The naturally calm chef is close to the product and his surroundings. 

About Chef de Cuisine Paul de Groote

Paul de Groote was born in Oostburg in 1980. He once wanted to be a carpenter, but fell in love with the craft of cooking. After attending the Belgian chef training course at Ter Groene Poorte in Bruges, the chef started his career at Inter Scaldes at the age of 21. He applied at the last minute to Maartje Boudeling and immediately afterwards joined Jannis Brevet, where he experienced Jannis' first and last day in the kitchen. In the 20 years de Groote has been in the kitchen there, the Zeeland restaurant managed to add two stars, becoming one of only two restaurants in the Netherlands with three Michelin stars at the end of 2017. Paul de Groote draws his inspiration from everyday life, including the cooking skills of his Moluccan wife and his first cooking lessons as a child from his grandmother. He cooks big in simplicity and seeks depth in the original taste of the product. The chef lives with his family in Middelburg.

About LOF Restaurant and Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof in Ghent

The fine-dining restaurant is located in the former mansion of baron and poet Olivier de Reylof, now Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof. LOF Restaurant stands for fine dining in its purest form. The restaurant in the heart of Ghent welcomes its guests in a lively and casual setting. After a culinary evening at LOF, guests can stay overnight at the accompanying hotel, which has been awarded the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2023. 

About Pillows Hotels

The label's hotels and restaurants are located in the most beautiful locations in the Netherlands and Belgium, both in city centres and surrounded by beautiful nature. Since its launch in 2017, the following hotels and restaurants have opened: Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Ter Borch and Coperto Restobar in Zwolle (2017), Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof, restaurant LOF and Olivier Le Petit Bistro in Ghent (2018), Pillows City Hotel Brussels Centre in Brussels (2020), Luxury Boutique Hotel aan de IJssel and restaurant IJssel in Deventer (2021), Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park and Restaurant VanOost and Spring Brasserie (2022) and Restaurant Inter Scaldes in Kruiningen (2023). Pillows falls under International Hotel Management Group, subsidiary of Amerborgh, founded by Alex Mulder.