Blum kitchen inspirations

www.blum.com/makingof 43 Roger van Damme conjures up artistic compositions of sweet temptations: fine chocolate, creamy desserts, candied fruit and "Ischoklad". His creations are both fascinating and surprising all at once. A liquid that turns solid, a solid that turns fluffy, a dash of red here, a golden highlight there - nothing is left to chance. You hardly dare touch the awesome arrangement on your plate. But that would be a shame, for every bite melts in your mouth. So delicious and tantalising that you want more. Intensive aromas placed at specific points on the plate make every morsel taste different. The idea is to heighten the guests' awareness and ensure that they savour every mouthful. Roger van Damme started off as Chef Patissier. Today, he is the Chef de Cuisine of Het Gebaar, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Antwerp. He won the title Gault Millau "Chef of the Year" in 2010. He often gets new ideas from outside his own four walls. Many of his creations, for example, are inspired by his activities as a flower arranger. Roger van Damme is revered worldwide. Some of this popularity is due to his own TV shows (broadcast more than 80 times a year) which give viewers the chance to recreate his masterpieces. The Belgian star chef is creative and experimental - and yet he also has a tidy and accurate approach to work. For van Damme, tidiness is spelt with a capital "T". This applies to every kitchen, and to hobby cooks and profes- sionals. If you watch him preparing a dessert, you immedi- ately see that it's far more than just a hobby. Nevertheless, he accepted our team's invitation and left his professional kitchen to spend a day in a kitchen designed for a private household: Roger van Damme at Blum. Beautifully executed, with loving attention to detail. The best things come in 5s  | kitchen inspirations