Ukiyo

The story

Ukiyo in Stekene: French and Japanese Culinary Fusion

The Chefs and the Kitchen

Ukiyo in Stekene delivers a refined French and Japanese kitchen built around seasonal local produce. Brothers Timothy and Bodi de Munck designed the omakase progression to shift between five and seven courses each evening. This structure replaces static menus with daily chef decisions while maintaining rigorous plating standards. The Franco-Japanese style avoids heavy sauces, relying instead on clean cuts and precise heat management.

Tasting Format and Pairings

Diners follow the kitchen’s sequential layout rather than selecting individual plates from a written card. Every dish highlights locally sourced ingredients prepared through searing, curing, or gentle poaching. The sommelier team matches each course with carefully chosen sake bottles and unconventional natural wines. Visitors often extend their stay at the dedicated cocktail lounge, where staff prepare the Peach and Yuzu gin fizz or offer complex non-alcoholic botanical mixes.

Architecture and Interior Design

The main dining hall sits inside a recently renovated parish building that retains its original stone foundations. Modern lighting fixtures and polished timber tables provide a calm environment for extended meals. Floor-to-ceiling glazing connects the interior to the reconstructed garden courtyard, shifting the room’s mood throughout the day. Evening service flows seamlessly into the adjacent bar area, where patrons gather for post-dinner conversation.