Stijn Havermans
Chef · Mastercook of Belgium
Stijn grew up in a family where good food and time spent together at the table always mattered. He was six when he saw a documentary about Paul Haeberlin and his Auberge de l'Ill. From then on, cooking and gastronomy were his passion.
He learned the trade at Stella Maris in Merksem, a school with a strongly classical training focused on à la carte cooking, and then specialised at Ter Duinen. For his internships he deliberately chose two very different kitchens: 't Fornuis with Johan Segers and Zilte with Viki Geunes.
At Au Vieux Port he spent four years working alongside chef Marc Rigouts. When Marc retired, Stijn took charge of the kitchen.
He describes his cooking as classic, seasonal and robust: a cuisine built on the product, with respect for the producers who supply us. He looks up to chefs with a solid classical foundation, such as Peter Goossens, Luc Broutard, Joseph Viola, Christian Denis and Karen Torosyan.
In 2026 Stijn was admitted to The Mastercooks of Belgium, with Bert Meewis and Viki Geunes as his sponsors. “A recognition of hard work, and a great honour to represent Belgian gastronomy.”
