Butcher Luc & chef Dennis connect meat and gastronomy
“Behind every good chef there must be a good butcher and behind every good butcher there must be a good chef” - Luc
Luc de Laet (56) and his wife Peggy van Haver own De Laet en Van Haver. Together they run three butcher shops, two restaurants, and a wholesale business. They focus on gastronomy and butchers in Belgium and beyond.
I have a chef's diploma, so I've always loved cooking and preparing food. When I started a small butcher shop in Hove in 1992, I naturally sold classic dishes like beef stew and vol-au-vent alongside the meats. Customers loved the meals, but were also a bit embarrassed to buy them at the time. "Then the neighbor will think I'm lazy."
But times have changed. People want convenience. "Comfort food." "The butcher is no longer a butcher." We are caterers, but with meat as our core value. When you walk in here, the charcuterie shouldn't be missed. Voilà, then it's clear you're at the butcher shop. Although the roles of chef and butcher are becoming increasingly fused.
Under the motto "Behind every good chef must be a good butcher, and behind every good butcher is a good chef," we combined our butcher shop with a restaurant in 2009. Many chefs were amazed by The Butcher's Dining. "What's that butcher doing?" Soon, the question followed: "Can you supply that meat to my restaurant?" That's how our catering service was born.
"The butcher shop is my playground when it comes to ingredients. No limits, anything goes."
Dennis Broeckx (40) started as head chef at The Butcher's Dining in Hove at the beginning of 2024. He is known for the Michelin-starred restaurant L'épicerie du Cirque*, which closed its doors in 2023.
When Dennis posted online that he was looking for a new challenge, Luc responded immediately. He already knew him as a supplier, so there was immediate confidence in the partnership.
Luc's products speak for themselves. I don't have to do much to make them. As a chef, it's pure luxury to be able to work with the very best ingredients. The choice for The Butcher's Dining was easy. The butcher shop is my playground when it comes to ingredients. No limits, anything goes. When I'm looking for inspiration for our monthly menu specials, I just have to wander through the shop. And after four months, I'm still discovering new things. Before, I was more limited in that respect and dependent on suppliers. Now I can focus on cooking again. My creativity is soaring. Luc takes care of me, and I take care of him. We strengthen each other.
The store isn't competing with my restaurant. Guests can buy the same piece of meat, but it won't be prepared the same way. It challenges me as a chef to get to know and prepare every product. Sometimes people do their shopping here and then spontaneously stay for lunch. It's really nice!
Do you know what a spider web is?
Dennis: I like to tease Luc. "Give that to me, butchers can't do that," I say when something delicate needs to be done. He then laughs at me because I don't know the anatomy of a cow. He's right, we don't learn that in school. "Do you know what a spider is?" Luc asks. When I started here, I had no idea. In that knowledge, the butcher is more refined."
Luc: De Laet en Van Haver connects meat and gastronomy. We know our products like no other and think along with the chef. We prepare our meat with the very best spice mixes and marinades. We make these ourselves with high-quality single herbs from Verstegen. We even offer chefs semi-finished products, such as our marinated pork belly. The hospitality industry often doesn't have the staff, equipment, or space for 24-hour preparation. But they share our passion for quality and food.
And that spider head?
Luc: "The spider's head is found in pigs, but it's most common in cattle. It's located around the inside of the pubic bone. It looks like a spider's web because it's completely interwoven with fatty veins. A bit sinewy, but very tender and full of flavor."
A matter of education
Luc: Our restaurant is the calling card of our butcher shop, and the butcher shop is the calling card of the restaurant. Everything has to be perfect. One thing is second to none. We have to uphold our reputation and name—for 32 years now. That means consistent quality and the right people in the right place. The latter is a bit of a challenge these days. There are fewer and fewer comprehensive vocational training programs. You're a butcher, but you're not a charcutier.
You're a baker, but not a pastry chef. You're a chef specializing in fish, meat, or vegetables. We're looking for the complete package.
Dennis: It's hard work. In the restaurant, it's evening work, and in the butcher shop, it's an early start, always cold. You really have to have passion for our work. I feel and see that passion for the product immensely in Luc. He was at the farm until 11 p.m. last night, buying live cows himself. I see it as my mission to get people to eat every part of the animal, even the less attractive ones. Like the brains. There's more than just the private parts. My children eat everything, too. It's a matter of upbringing.
Butcher's Store Antwerp City Brewery is located in the former bottling plant of the De Koninck city brewery. The butcher shop boasts a well-stocked counter spanning a full 30 meters. The selection includes refined artisanal charcuterie, dry-aged beef, prepared meals, homemade products like pâté and tartare, tapas, (bread) salads, cheese, and many other delicacies. The focus is on meat from more than fifteen excellent European cattle breeds, each with a unique story.