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Sang Hoon Degeimbre

L’air du temps

Sang Hoon Degeimbre was born in South Korea and adopted by a Belgian family. He began his adult life by embarking on pharmacy studies. Quickly, the young man realized that he was on the wrong track and enroled in a hotel school in Namur, followed by a school of butchery, before becoming a sommelier.

In 2000, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre and his wife, Carine, finally decided to become their own bosses by opening their first restaurant, L’Air du Temps in Noville-sur-Mehaigne

« I am a Korean born, a Belgian man and a citizen of the world. »

Sensitivity to the seasons, zero waste, searching for cooking methods that require less energy

Sang Hoon Degeimbre elevates the best of what nature has to offer by giving it the full respect it deserves: sensitivity to the seasons, zero waste, searching for cooking methods that require less energy, reduced use of water, etc. The quest for the perfect balance plays out in the kitchens of L’air du temps, both in terms of the flavours and the garden.

But he is not only a chef, he’s also a producer. His restaurant L’air du temps is surrounded by 5 hectares of land. Half of which is cultivated and produces 90% of the supplies of vegetables, fruits and herbs required by the restaurant. Special kind of work that forms and shapes the philosophy and creativity of the chef and his team and responds to the vagaries of nature, the weather and the harvests.

Creativity and unique dishes

His creativity and his fine and unique dishes have made Sang Hoon Degeimbre a special ambassador of Belgian gastronomy all over the world.

“Listening and adapting to nature is what sustainable means to us, as our kitchen garden demonstrates. It provides 95% of our vegetables. We are deeply interested in lacto-fermentation to the extent that it has become emblematic of our cuisine today. We are devoted to flavour, to reducing food waste and to healthy food.”

“If cooking is a passion, it cannot exist unless it is shared”