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Archibald De Prince, winner of the Bocuse d’Or Belgium and former sous-chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant La Distillerie, will be opening his own establishment in November. We visited the construction site.
As usual, Archibald De Prince arrives calmly and smiling, hands in his pockets. Amidst the lush vegetation and the sound of running water surrounding the estate, the 32-year-old chef reveals his plans for his future restaurant. More than that: his future hotel-restaurant.
A Hotel-Restaurant
On the right side of the road heading towards Echternach, just after the charming little chapel of Lauterborn Castle, stands a large building with a prominent sign on its roof: “Au Vieux Moulin.” “Soon, it will be gone. We’ll hang ‘Archibald De Prince’ instead,” comments the chef. For the past few weeks, Archibald and his wife Rachel De Prince have been busy with an ambitious project: transforming a one-hectare estate with nearly 1500 square meters of facilities to their taste. “And in November, we will open our hotel-restaurant with 9 rooms, including a suite and 3 duplex rooms,” the chef mentions.
Beautiful moments accompanied by birdsong
Upon our arrival, the courtyard of the lovely building is scattered with chairs, lamps, buffets, and armchairs… everywhere: “We just cleared out the attic! And there were a lot of furniture! We’ll reupholster some of the good quality ones,” announces the young man. The visit begins with the hotel rooms in the annex. “They are all in very good condition, some are duplex.” The rooms are indeed large and immaculate, all opening onto a small terrace bordering the greenery. Just opposite, a small stream brings a countryside ambiance. Next is the visit to the main building. Here, the hotel section — two rooms and a suite — is sealed off to avoid dust from the construction work. At the back, a terrace overlooking a beautiful pond surrounded by greenery is to be renovated for next summer. A perfect spot to enjoy the sound of birds and the dancing water.
“We’re Redoing the Entire Kitchen”
As for the kitchen, “I’m redoing everything. We’re changing everything,” explains the former sous-chef to René Mathieu at the ‘world’s best vegetable restaurant’ for over six years. “We’re also going to break down the wall to open the kitchen to the dining room.” A brand-new kitchen, along with the renovation of all the restaurant’s restrooms, creation of staff changing rooms, and planting of an herb garden just behind the building. The next room connects the restaurant and the hotel: “The ‘Echternach Lounge’ will be the breakfast room, but also a space that can be privatized for a meal.”
Sunlight and Greenery
We arrive at the door of the future “Archibald De Prince” restaurant. At the back of this deep room, a skylight from the large hall with fully glazed French doors provides natural light. With views of the courtyard, terrace, and greenery, the dining experience promises to be pleasant. “We will place five tables in this space and three tables for two at each window in the first part, in front of the open kitchen,” specifies the new owner. And of course, the entire decor of this high-potential place will be updated.
What to Expect on the Plates?
“I’m taking a bit of a vacation at the end of August. I’ll take several days to work on my menus,” details the chef, who is also the father of two young children. The culinary project will therefore be revealed later.
Until then, a significant challenge awaits Archibald De Prince and his wife Rachel. See you in the autumn for the “before and after”!