Julien's return!

Hello Burger Fans,

You may have heard him (he speaks loudly), seen (We were live on Facebook), or even glimpsed (he sneaked through the streets of Liège)... Our friend Julien Lapraille was with us this Monday to present a preview of his new Burger, designed and produced in close collaboration with The Huggy's Bar.

Julien Lapraille et les cuisiniers du Huggy's Bar

The year 2015 had brought its share of surprises, and with them, our friend who came straight from the province of Luxembourg. So called for the creation of a Burger of the Month, His Gourmet Burger with old-fashioned mustard and wild garlic with a secret sauce made an impression. So... Well we're asking for more!

Spontaneous and funny, it was in a good-natured atmosphere that the talented chef (again) came to brief our kitchen teams on his new creation: a rock'n'roll burger, with sweet and spicy aromas, composed of a multi-grain bread, a big patty, a big patty, a slice of Herve cheese, a slice of Herve cheese, a pineapple compote, apples and pears with Espelette pepper and fried onions. Do you see this:

For the curious, here is the interview of this meeting that is as improbable as it is relevant...

What motivated you to work together again?

thomas : Last year, we had a lot of fun, there was a great atmosphere between the teams and Julien. From a customer point of view, this collaboration was appreciated for its exclusive nature, people appreciated discovering a new concept.

Julien : I always walk by feeling, that's what guided me for the first association. Following the first successful experience, the second edition was logical!

Julien, did your first experience with Huggy's Bar lead you to work differently?

Completely! For the first Burger, I was a bit scattered, 12 spices in the sauce, it was very complex for cooks who have to put out 200 plates! This time, I was more realistic based on the “constraints” of the restaurant. Then I based it on the season: for summer, I wanted a fresh and light burger. But as always, I stayed in the Liège region: apples, Herve cheese... It's essential for me.

What defines a gourmet burger?

Julien : It should be different from the other things you see: it's rare to see fruit in a burger, for example. I don't want to completely get out of the concept, I wanted to stay on beef mince, even if many other combinations were possible: duck, lamb... Here, I put the emphasis on the sauce, for an association that is still unknown.

thomas : Just because you're a gourmet doesn't mean you need luxury products. The gastronomic side makes it possible to push the research and mastery of foods, with more refined products, more original combinations.

Julien, last year you told us you wanted to find a location to open your restaurant. What is the situation today?

I found it! I fell in love with a piece of land in the small village of Léglise (province of Luxembourg), it was important for me to stay in this region, where my roots are. We are still at the very first stage: 4 walls and 2 courts, but it is a good start and I hope to be able to open in two years.

We see you a lot on RTL... Does that mean you're putting your other projects aside?

It's a huge chance to work for RTL, but I always cook and I insist on that! I am far from spending all my time on TV... I am a home cook on average 3 times a week and sometimes, and up to 6 evenings a week! As for the programs, some are shot in one day, they are not live, so it allows me to free myself for my culinary performances. It's 7 days a week, but it's all a question of organization!

Thomas, it seems that the collaboration with Julien is going quite well... What can we hope for the future?

thomas : This new partnership allowed us to refine our way of working, to adapt to our environment and our chefs... For the future, we can even think of something other than the Burger: maybe a dessert, a starter... Or a cocktail who knows! 😉

Julien : As long as it stays consistent, I am open to everything, I am not very square. I keep my goals in mind, but when I like a project, I go for it!