Belgian-born chef Joost De Paepe creates restaurant-worthy experiences at home!
If the idea of dreaming up an elaborate menu, cooking for a group of friends, serving it and being an engaging host seems overwhelming, you’re not alone. Sometimes it’s best to leave it to the pros. That’s where chef Joost De Paepe comes in.
Hailing from the Flemish region of Belgium, De Paepe moved to Atlanta two years ago for his wife’s job. While in Europe, he completed culinary school and worked in restaurants in London, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, contributing to kitchens that garnered a total of three Michelin stars. A dozen years ago, he started his own catering business and hasn’t looked back, even with a transatlantic move.
While his bread and butter is private clients looking to host intimate dinner parties with elevated menus, he also specializes in cooking classes as team building activities for corporate groups. He has been known to create large-scale fine dining fetes, such as a recent one for 80 people at the residence of the Belgian consul in Buckhead.
The meticulous culinary pro, who has a host of regular clients around town, recently cooked for eight guests at the home of Simply Buckhead Publisher Joanne Hayes. The group of old and new friends was welcomed with glasses of Champagne and hors d’oeuvres passed in elegant serving vessels. A one-bite masterpiece of eggplant, ricotta and parmesan cheese was followed by a delicate dish of Asian-inspired sea bass ceviche accented with creamy avocado.
As someone who regularly writes about fine dining and chefs, I was impressed that chef De Paepe worked alone, assisted by a single server. The Hayes’ open concept kitchen was always in view of both the cocktail area and the dining room, and the chef maintained a calm, almost military-like precision as he plated each dish. Unsurprisingly, he had arrived hours in advance to make sure everything was prepped and ready for the guests’ arrival.
After whetting our appetites with starters, we settled into our seats at the dining table for a five-course meal. Our group was perhaps unusual in an age of ultra-specific dietary restrictions: No one had anything they requested to avoid when the chef asked. However, he was prepared for just about anything. “I always bring back-ups so that I can adjust every dish, just like at a restaurant,” he says, noting that proteins can be switched out and ingredients omitted as needed.
Both the size of the dishes and the pacing were just about perfect. That’s by design. “My cooking has a French base, but I make it more modern and lighter,” De Paepe says. “Even if you have multiple courses, at the end of the meal, it’s not too heavy.” Every dish was beautifully plated on serving ware brought by the chef, and several came with a tableside touch—think shaving truffles or pouring a sauce from a sculptural kettle. And each was no more than a few bites. While our meal featured fish as the main protein, De Paepe creates each menu according to the host’s preferences and, since everything is customized, can accommodate special requests or preferred ingredients.
De Paepe offers detailed suggestions and tasting notes so hosts can work with their favorite merchant to pair wines with each course. At our recent dinner, Hayes tapped local purveyor and sommelier Perinne Prieur, the owner of Perrine’s Wine Shop, to create pairings that further elevated each bite.
While our meal had the benefit of a spacious kitchen, De Paepe can work in much less ample environments. “As long as there’s an oven, a stove and a bit of space in the fridge, we can do almost anything,” he says.
As the guests enjoyed their final sips and lingered over conversations, the kitchen was already clean, looking as though no meal had been prepared. Joanne and her husband, Sonny, said goodnight to friends and went to bed without lifting a finger, proving that, with the right team, it’s possible to host a restaurant- quality meal at home without feeling stressed.
THE MENU
~ Norwegian gravlax with hijiki, dashi and Ossetra caviar ~
~ Open ravioli with king crab and leeks ~
~ Risotto with enoki mushrooms and shaved black truffle ~
~ Cod with green asparagus, shallot and red wine ~
~ Chocolate tartlet with red berries and lemon ~
JOOST DE PAEPE
470.530.2298
joostdepaepe.com
@joostdepaepe
Because each menu is unique, Chef De Paepe creates custom quotes for each in-home event.
