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Domaine de Lébioles 1/5, 4900 Spa (Creppe)
Domaine de Lébioles 1/5, 4900 Spa (Creppe)
Le Manoir de Lébioles is about to start a new chapter at its prestigious gourmet restaurant, by welcoming chef Michaël Albert to the kitchen.
His remarkable career built on rigour, passion and excellence heralds a new gastronomic era imbued with meaning and focused on precision.
Michaël Albert began his career in the heart of Brussels, in the Sablon district, at the restaurant L’Écailler du Palais Royal. There, he rubbed shoulders with some of the greats, notably Attilio Basso, an iconic chef with two Michelin stars and the last to retain both stars throughout his career.
Learning in a school of exacting standards, his bold career has been steeped in tradition.
He continued his apprenticeship at Coq en Pâtes, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, before taking on the role of sous-chef at the Michelin-starred Le Pain et le Vin, Chaussée d’Alsemberg, Uccle. His talent did not go unnoticed: in admiration, Attilio Basso picked up the phone to offer him an unparalleled experience in England.
This was an unprecedented opportunity: Pierre Romeijer, a monument to Belgian gastronomy, gave him a letter of recommendation. He arrived in London, in an affluent neighbourhood, under the guidance of chef Pascal Proyart, originally from Brittany, at a five-star Luxury Collection hotel. There, his culinary identity took shape. He even travelled to Norway to select the finest seafood and promote its excellence across the Channel.
Back in Belgium, he joined Traiteur Loriers, the official court caterer. There, he orchestrated top-flight services for the nobility, leading families and diplomatic delegations. This role reinforced his vision of cuisine as a vehicle for elegance, and refinement, passing on treasured know-how.
But it was at ‘Rouge Tomate’, an innovative concept which emerged from his collaboration with Chloé De Smet, that he became fully aware of the connection between cooking and health.
Assisted by dieticians, he committed to an ambitious quality charter. This period marked a return to the basics: restoring a product’s finesse and understanding its history, nutritional values and rightful place on the plate.
This ethical and sensory vision was further refined under the guidance of Yves Mattagne, a leading figure in Belgian haute cuisine.
Ten years ago, he settled in Liège. There, he worked at L’Héliport, a Michelin-starred establishment, where he developed a scientific approach to gastronomy, combining technical precision with his culinary sense. He then joined the caterer Goosse as chef, before moving on to the Alpes Hôtel. In 2013, he joined Mat Traiteur in Faymonville.
In 2019, the Belgian Embassy in Doha, Qatar, called him back to orchestrate the prestigious Belgium King’s Day, where he served 750 guests in a showcase of Belgian diplomacy and culture. This major assignment illustrates the international recognition of his expertise.
More recently, he has worked as a self-employed chef managing catering events, where he has demonstrated his keen sense of organisation, streamlining flows, optimising management and structuring teams with rigour and efficiency.
Since before his career, Michaël Albert has been driven by a culture rooted deeply in the land and sea. The son of an industrialist father with a passion for world products and culinary traditions, he has inherited a keen taste for spices, searching for new flavours with absolute respect for the product. This connection to local produce creates an active approach: meeting producers and tasting produce in the field, being touched by their enthusiasm. This is how he came up with an astonishing fir bud pickle, among other creations, as a veritable link between nature and gastronomy.
Today, Michaël Albert will cater for the Manoir de Lébioles by drawing from this heritage, demonstrating his high standards and keen sensitivity. At the crossroads of traditional savoir-faire and modern inspiration, he promises a cuisine that is sincere, inspired and resolutely focused on excellence.
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