Bart Vandaele

Bart eats, breathes, and sleeps restaurants and food. With a rambunctious personality and flare for strong opinions, Bart loves to share his passions for Belgian cuisine, Belgian beer, and Belgian culture. He is the Executive Chef and Owner of Belga Café, a restaurant in Washington, DC specializing in Belgian food and beer, and the upcoming B Too. Bart began culinary school at age 12, externing at Michelin-starred Au Vigneron, and moving on to work at renowned Belgian restaurants including Piet Huysentruyt and Restaurant Scholteshof, which earned two Michelin stars during his tenure as Sous Chef. Bart moved to DC in 1997 to serve as Executive Chef to the Ambassador to the European Union, followed by the Dutch Embassy.Read More

Bart eats, breathes, and sleeps restaurants and food. With a rambunctious personality and flare for strong opinions, Bart loves to share his passions for Belgian cuisine, Belgian beer, and Belgian culture. He is the Executive Chef and Owner of Belga Café, a restaurant in Washington, DC specializing in Belgian food and beer, and the upcoming B Too. Bart began culinary school at age 12, externing at Michelin-starred Au Vigneron, and moving on to work at renowned Belgian restaurants including Piet Huysentruyt and Restaurant Scholteshof, which earned two Michelin stars during his tenure as Sous Chef. Bart moved to DC in 1997 to serve as Executive Chef to the Ambassador to the European Union, followed by the Dutch Embassy. In 2006, Bart won StarChef.com's “Rising Star Chef” award, and in 2007 he prepared the Belgian Beer Lover’s Degustation at the James Beard House. He was also knighted in the order of Leopold II in 2009. Bart’s cooking is a combination of rustic and refined, playful yet soulful.