Blum kitchen inspirations

44 Just like van Damme places great demands on his own cooking skills, Blum attaches great importance to practical kitchen solutions. The cooking pro spends a day testing fittings solutions for private households in the show kitchen provided by Van Hoecke, Blum's partner in Belgium. The gourmet chef already knows some of the products because his own kitchen at home is equipped with Blum fittings. For him, practical cabinet solutions are the "archi- tecture of kitchen interiors". And well-organised interiors are the basis of creativity, and consequently the basis of the five highlights that make each of his dishes so special. Roger van Damme has chosen to prepare a menu that is also served at his gourmet restaurant Het Gebaar. Toma- toes "à la moi", croque monsieur with Belotta ham and cheese, garnished with sour cream (that looks like a fried egg), tournedos served with croquettes of candied potato and last but not least the "celebration": a dessert of basil ice cream, yoghurt, blackcurrants, raspberries and strawberries. These dishes might sound sophisticated, but it is important to the star chef that they can be easily recreated, for example by the viewers of his TV show. Many of the ingredients he brings along are seasonal products. "Every season has a specific atmosphere and feel," says van Damme. The photo report on the following pages shows you how the gourmet chef brings out this atmosphere and feel in his dishes and what his five personal highlights were whilst cooking in the kitchen lab. Roger van Damme at Blum