LOF

The story

LOF Restaurant Ghent: Seasonal Fine Dining with Classical Roots

The Kitchen and Its Creator

Paul de Groote directs the seasonal fine dining kitchen at LOF Restaurant in Ghent, applying twenty-one years of rigorous training to every plate. He built his foundation at twenty-one under chef Jannis Brevet at Inter Scaldes, where he watched the establishment earn three Michelin stars over two decades. That technical groundwork now supports a lighter touch, where he pairs straightforward produce like kumquat, fennel, and sauerkraut to highlight natural sweetness. Inspiration arrives through daily routines and his wife’s home cooking habits rather than grand culinary theories.

Signature Plates and Seasonal Selections

The menu balances classical technique with quiet confidence, a balance that recently earned the restaurant a fourteen rating from Gault & Millau. Diners frequently order the North Sea crab paired with avocado and burrata, or the Anjou pigeon dressed with cashew and daidai ponzu. Richer options like the Wagyu A3 Kagoshima with codium algues sit alongside vegetarian choices such as salsify and polenta. Every dish follows the same principle of letting individual components enhance one another without competing for attention.

The Dining Room and Courtyard

Meals unfold across the ground floor of Pillows Hotel Reylof, where a young service team maintains an easygoing rhythm throughout the evening. The space avoids stiff formality, allowing guests to focus on conversation while tasting seasonal cuisine that prioritizes ingredient integrity over heavy sauces. Summer evenings move to the inner courtyard for LOF’s Garden, where tables sit beneath open sky until late August. The layout encourages a relaxed pace that matches the unhurried nature of the kitchen itself.