Buenos Aires – If you’re in the food world, especially in the restaurant end of it, you tend to hear murmurs about this chef or that in that world. The murmurs are usually in the line of “I had the most amazing…” or “X may not be famous, but he’s the best…”. Falling into that category is chef Roger Souvereyns, a Belgian chef who, while not completely unfamous, is not exactly a household name, let alone one that most foodies would even recognize. His inn, in the Belgian countryside, is a gorgeous affair, with a spectacular maze garden. But more importantly is his food – while I’ve never eaten there myself, over the years I’ve heard whispers and sighs as friends who have, have returned to extol the virtues of his presentation, his flavors, his flair, his creativity.
Every now and again I search for one of his books, they’re difficult to find affairs. A couple of weeks ago I found a listing online for a first edition of his Look Into the Spoon. This is a stunningly photographed book, with equally intriguing recipes, and interspersed with the fascinating history of… the spoon. Souveyreyns is an inveterate antiques collector, and his spoon collection is his pride and joy. It makes for a great read, and if you should ever find yourself a copy, it’s worth getting. Mine required long distance negotiation with Simon of Chevin Books in England to convince him that sending a package to the wilds of South America was not akin to tossing the book into the fireplace. I’m delighted that he relented, as this book is ridiculously difficult to find for one that was published a mere ten years ago. I also grabbed another book from his collection, more on that after I’ve had a chance to peruse it.
