This Monday, 27 October, marked a major celebration of Luxembourgish gastronomy as Gault&Millau announced this year’s award winners and the release of the new Gault&Millau Luxembourg 2026 gastronomic guide.
The Alvisse Parc Hotel in Luxembourg hosted a vibrant evening where the crème de la crème of the local culinary scene gathered, eager to discover this year’s shining stars.
Chef of the Year and Young Chef of the Year
The prestigious title of Chef of the Year 2026 was awarded to Clovis Degrave, head chef of Grünewald Chef’s Table.
Named Young Chef of the Year by Gault&Millau Luxembourg in 2024 for his restaurant Chef’s Table, which had only opened a few weeks earlier, Degrave, then 34, joked: “I’m not that young anymore!” Two years later – and perhaps finally of age – the young chef has been crowned Chef of the Year 2026, a natural culmination for someone who has steadily climbed the steps of fine dining since arriving in Luxembourg’s southern kitchens in 2010. After stints at Brasserie Schuman and La Tour d’Argent in Paris, he settled with his partner Aline Bourscheid at Hostellerie du Grünewald in 2017. In September 2023, he opened his fine dining restaurant Grünewald Chef’s Table, earning the Gault&Millau 2024 title and, in spring 2025, his first Michelin star. In the meantime, the couple also launched Maison B, a contemporary brasserie in Bridel.
Although Degrave juggles several establishments, he has managed to stay on course as a talented chef, and 2025 marks the year of unanimous recognition from the leading gastronomic guides.
Archibald De Prince also shone on stage, taking home the Young Chef of the Year 2026 award for his eponymous restaurant in Echternach, which he runs with his wife Rachel since November 2025. In his first year at the helm of his own hotel-restaurant, the 33-year-old Bocuse d’Or Belgium 2023 winner quickly gained critical acclaim: a first Michelin star and the Gault&Millau Young Chef of the Year title.
Pastry, Discovery, Sommelier… the other 2026 winners
The Discovery of the Year award went to Le Lys, led by chef Kim De Dood. Located in the heart of Villa Pétrusse, the restaurant opened in June 2025 and offers refined gourmet cuisine in an elegant setting. A farmer’s son from a small Ösling village, De Dood returned to Luxembourg after years spent in some of the world’s top kitchens, including in Singapore. His sophisticated cuisine, which reinterprets Luxembourgish classics such as Kniddelen with finesse, blends rustic authenticity with elegance. Without a doubt, he is poised to become a leading figure in Luxembourg’s fine dining scene. Kim de Hood stated: “I’m very proud. For a restaurant that’s only been open for four months, being named Discovery of the Year is fantastic. We’re improving week by week – and receiving this recognition at my first appearance in Gault&Millau Luxembourg means a great deal to me.”
In the pastry category, Victoria Scharff, pastry chef at Léa Linster, was named Pastry Chef of the Year. After beginning her career in human resources, she switched paths, training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Following a stint as a commis at Le Place d’Armes in 2021, she gained further experience in Haute-Savoie and Megève, and later at the luxurious Airelles in Gordes and Domaine de Murtoli in Corsica. She joined the chef Louis Linster in September 2024 as sous pastry chef, before being promoted to head pastry chef of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant in April 2025. She stated: “I’m proud and moved, especially given my rather unusual career path. I changed profession in 2020 and began my journey at the Place d’Armes alongside Adeline Campestre, who was named Pastry Chef of the Year in 2022. To now follow in her footsteps is a real honour. It’s the result of many hours of hard work and a wonderful team experience – and nothing is more rewarding than knowing that our creations bring people joy.”
Mediterranean flavours were celebrated through the team of Nostos, a Greek restaurant in Bonnevoie, crowned Mediterranean Restaurant of the Year. Andreas Papas and Spiros Lazaris in the dining room, along with chef Rama Demetris, have brought a fresh breeze to Bonnevoie with refined Greek cuisine in a modern setting. The dishes are beautifully presented and masterfully prepared, complemented by warm, attentive service – one of KACHEN’s favourites of the year. Read our article about our experience here.
The title of H!p of the Year went to First Floor, located above Scott’s in the Grund. The place features a pub-inspired décor and globally inspired sharing plates, served alongside perfectly crafted cocktails or one of the many whiskies on offer. Unfortunately, the team was not present to receive the prize in person.
Le Q dans le Beurre, run by chef Jérémmy Parjouet in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie, received the Terroir Restaurant award, recognising its authentic approach to traditional cuisine and local produce. Parjouet’s menu showcases Luxembourgish products in hearty, authentic dishes such as country terrines, black pudding, boeuf bourguignon and blanquette de veau. Guests can also enjoy local beef, served as rib-eye or hanger steak, with unlimited fries and salad to share in large bowls – terroir dining at its most convivial.
Rodolphe Chevalier, co-owner of the emblematic wine bar Vinoteca in Luxembourg City and the Bellamy bar, was named Sommelier of the Year 2026. After winning the award, he stated: “I’m very pleased and proud. I’ve been a sommelier for many years, and winning this award means a lot. Our Vinoteca has been around for 17 years – we’re well established, with a fine wine list and loyal customers.”
As for service, a key element of the dining experience, the title of Host of the Year went to Hugo Vaugenot of Fields, the restaurant opened in January by chef René Mathieu (formerly of La Distillerie), which received a Michelin star and the country’s only Green Star in spring 2025.
La Perle Noire, located above the restaurant La Lorraine, was named Bar of the Year. Inspired by 1920s speakeasies with a maritime twist, owner Louis Scholtès focus on premium, sea-inspired cocktails, prepared by the barman Ayrton Mongenie, accompanied by oysters and delicate small plates. Within just a few months, La Perle Noire has established itself as a new benchmark in Luxembourg’s bar scene. Louis Scholtès stated: “We’re very happy. We’ve only been open for two months and already achieved excellent results. This award came quickly, but it’s above all the result of long-term, dedicated work.”
New entries in the 2026 Guide
In addition to the award winners, the ceremony also highlighted the new establishments discovered by the Gault&Millau teams.
11 new restaurants have joined the 2026 guide:
- Archibald De Prince (Echternach)
- La Cristallerie (Luxembourg)
- Fields by René Mathieu (Luxembourg-Findel)
- Le Lys (Luxembourg)
- Le Q dans le Beurre (Luxembourg-Bonnevoie)
- Le Rendez-Vous (Luxembourg-Bonnevoie)
- L’Orgue (Lintgen)
- Laotse (Moutfort)
- Maison B (Bridel)
- Nostos (Luxembourg-Bonnevoie)
- Sensa (Wäiswampach)
In the bar section, La Perle Noire (Luxembourg), Le Trianon at the Hôtel Cravat (Luxembourg), and La Wäinstuff (Dudelange) made notable debuts.
Finally, Chocolaterie RG (Dudelange) joined the Belux chocolatier guide.
New Gault&Millau ratings
3 toques
Three notable advancements this year: Chef of the Year Clovis Degrave received a new rating of 15.5 for his restaurant Grünewald Chef’s Table, while OiO by Leonardo de Paoli and Equilibrium by Baptiste Heugens now have a score of 15. De Paoli stated: “I’m very proud. Achieving 15 points is a big step – it places us among the country’s top restaurants. We remain focused on our ingredients and the quality of what we serve – that’s our guiding principle.”
4 toques
One restaurant joined Luxembourg’s prestigious four-toque circle: Fields by René Mathieu, is now rating 17, joining Ma Langue Sourit (18.5), Léa Linster (17.5), Fani (17) and Mosconi (17).
Congratulations to all the award winners and to every restaurant in Luxembourg’s vibrant culinary scene, whose dedication continues to make the country’s gastronomy shine.
