Cover At home with Chef Emmanuel Stroobant and his daughters, Mia and Keira
At home with Chef Emmanuel Stroobant and his daughters, Mia and Keira
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Tatler+
To Chef Stroobant, there's nothing better than preparing a home-cooked meal for your loved ones. Here's how he turned his kitchen into the heart of the home and a space for creativity using V-Zug appliances
Culinary virtuoso; restaurant owner; yoga enthusiast...Emmanuel Stroobant wears many hats. But above all else, he is a family man–a loving husband and doting father to two daughters.
We were privy to this side of Chef Stroobant one fine Monday morning when he welcomed Tatler Singapore into his home. Yes, he helms some of Singapore’s most popular restaurants: Saint Pierre and Shoukouwa, which have two Michelin stars each. But as we spent the day together, it became clear to us: this is a chef who wears his heart—and his devotion to his family—on his apron.
Above Chef Stroobant imparting his knife skills to older daughter, Keira
Above Teasing a smile out of 11-year-old Mia
Chef Stroobant imparting his knife skills to older daughter, Keira
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Just as you’d expect, Chef Stroobant commands his kitchen at home effortlessly. For Tatler’s culinary demonstration, he enlists the help of two sous chefs: his daughters. He slips between chef and dad mode deftly; teaching older daughter Keira how to chop mushrooms, teasing a smile out of 11-year-old Mia, and whipping up a lasagna for dinner—all without breaking a sweat.
Most of it is down to his culinary prowess but Chef Stroobant is quick to give credit to his beautifully-appointed and functional kitchen. “As a chef, I prioritise flow before everything else,” he shares. “A kitchen can be beautiful, but functionality should always be placed ahead of good design.” So when it came to renovating his kitchen earlier this year, he had one name in mind: V-Zug.
Chef Stroobant first became acquainted with the Swiss luxury appliance brand when renovating Shoukouwa last December. “My first impression of V-Zug is that it is a high performance brand that emphasises on precision and quality,” he says. He quickly became a fan after learning about V-Zug’s concept of ‘simplexity’: melding innovative technology with a modest and minimalist design. “The beautifully modern aesthetic is exactly what I look for in my kitchen. The brand’s cutting-edge technologies and design ethos really resonated with me as a chef.”
Having been recently appointed as V-Zug’s Singapore brand ambassador, Chef Stroobant has had the privilege to test-drive their appliances. “V-Zug is the first in the market to offer a ten-year warranty. It shows the confidence the brand has in the durability of their products to offer a long warranty period and give homeowners peace of mind.”
Cooler V6000 Supreme
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It was thus a natural decision for Chef Stroobant to select V-Zug appliances for his home. Post-renovation, his kitchen is now a commodious, light-filled space complete with all the V-Zug appliances worthy of a Michelin-starred chef: the Cooler, Freezer, and WineCooler from V-Zug’s V6000 Supreme line, a four-zone Induction Hob with Integrated Downdraft, CombiSteamer V6000 45M PowerSteam, and the CombiSteamer V6000 90cm Grand.
“We entertain at home often and have ten people living under one roof. We’re constantly hungry!” Chef Stroobant says. “So I picked all the appliances according to my family’s needs. We needed big refrigeration and a large oven to cater to everyone. More importantly, we needed reliability, which we got with our V-Zug appliances. The cherry on the cake? They are just beautiful and easy to maintain.”
Above Chef Stroobant considers the CombiSteamer as an indispensable addition to his kitchen, thanks to its smart Climate Control Sensor and TwinHeat technology
Chef Stroobant considers the CombiSteamer as an indispensable addition to his kitchen, thanks to its smart Climate Control Sensor and TwinHeat technology
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He counts the CombiSteamer as an indispensable addition to his kitchen, thanks to its deep 90cm capacity which allows him to whip up large, communal-style dishes for the family and parties. “The smart Climate Control Sensor and TwinHeat technology make it easy for home chefs to achieve professional results in their own kitchens.”
He adds: “With V-Zug, it is possible to combine the efficiency of a professional kitchen with the look and feel of a home. Thanks to the CombiSteamer’s precise temperature control of one degree, we can achieve 'low temperature' recipes at home as we would at the restaurant. Otherwise, I would have never been able to get that degree of precision without using bulky professional kitchen equipment.”
Above Besides being the “heart and soul of the home”, the kitchen is also a space to foster Chef Stroobant's creativity
Above He says of his two daughters: “I have inculcated in Keira and Mia the importance of cooking as a life skill. They have watched me potter around the kitchen for years and now they are able to join me on cooking adventures.”
Besides being the “heart and soul of the home”, the kitchen is also a space to foster Chef Stroobant's creativity
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This beautiful new space has since become the focal point and designated hangout spot for the whole family: Dad, Mum, kids, in-laws, and schoolmates all included. More importantly, Chef Stroobant hopes it will cultivate and nurture his daughters’ love for cooking. “I have inculcated in Keira and Mia the importance of cooking as a life skill,” he says. “They have watched me potter around the kitchen for years and now they are able to join me on cooking adventures.”
Ultimately, Chef Stroobant considers the kitchen as the “heart and soul of the home”. But on a more personal note, it is also a space to foster creativity—where he can savour his breakfast each morning, gather inspiration, and no doubt, dream up new ideas for his next culinary masterpiece.
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