Wim Ballieu

Chef and entrepreneur Wim Ballieu’s restaurants focus on Flemish farm cooking 2.0. The five branches of his restaurant, Balls & Glory, serve a modern take on good old-fashioned meatballs. “I don’t just wallow in nostalgia,” says Wim. “Instead of serving meatballs and mash with mustard, I add spicy green curry or hot sauce made with Belgian peppers. Of course, we do also serve such classics as meatballs in tomato sauce.”

Artisanry and wealth

Wim was destined to become the “meatball king” from the start really. His parents ran a butcher’s shop and his grandparents had a traditional mixed farm where they raised pigs, but also grew vegetables, cereals and nuts. “When I moved to Ghent, I first experienced the city’s bustling energy. I launched a high-end catering company and cooked for well-known Parisian fashion brands. Back then, I looked down on my parents for their occupation. It has taken me ten years to realise what incredible wealth such artisanry harbours. By now, I am full of admiration for my parents’ work.” In his work as a chef, he collaborates closely with his parents’ butcher shop. “If I decide to serve wild boar meatballs, that means my dad is grinding boar meat all night. I always bounce my ideas off of him. He is my advisor and lodestar.”

From farm to table

When you enter any of Wim’s restaurants, you pass a gallery with portraits of farmers and suppliers. “I want to put them in the spotlight. They deserve acknowledgement.” His motto is “from stable to meatball”. His farm-to-table approach is comprehensive. “Our pigs are reared at a small farm in Munkzwalm in East Flanders. The pigs there lead stress-free lives and you can taste that in the meat.”

“As a chef, it is your duty to feed your customers healthy food,” says Wim.“I don’t want to serve them artificial colours or flavouring. That is why I do not sell commercial soft drinks, a somewhat controversial decision for a fast casual restaurant. We do make several alternatives ourselves. For example, we just came up with a ridiculously tasty fennel-grapefruit lemonade. It can take some work to convince people, though.

When I say that it tastes a bit like Schweppes Agrum, they become willing to give it a go (laughs).” In addition to meat, vegetables figure prominently on the menu. “I try to include increasing amounts of vegetables in our meatballs. For example, I replace the breadcrumbs with stewed onions and carrots, for an extra helping of vitamins.”

Combining innovation and culinary heritage

Soon, the menu will also note nutritional values for each item. “In America this is standard. It means people know what they’re eating. Belgian consumers aren’t really demanding this yet, but I want to help lead the way.”

Wim’s restaurants are not just for meat eaters to enjoy. “I won’t use meat analogues. I think the quality isn’t good enough. As with all my other dishes, I want my vegetarian food to be full of pure ingredients and pure flavours. Our vegan meatballs made from Belgian red beans and cauliflower are created in collaboration with Fumi, an innovative start-up. A spin-off of brewery AB InBev, they have developed a vegetable protein from the sediment that’s left behind after brewing. It allows us to make great-tasting vegan meatballs with a good texture.”

Ode to local, high-quality meatballs

Wim has mixed feelings about the fact that meatballs are so central to his concept, especially when he looks ahead to the future. “I think we’ll be moving towards eating less and less meat, making that somewhat problematic. Although I do believe our restaurants are future-proof. Meat will just become more of an exceptional, celebratory ingredient. I think it’s high time we all reduced our meat consumption to twice a week at most. In that case, it makes sense to go for high-quality, locally grown meat served at a restaurant. Balls & Glory fits that picture perfectly.”

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"As a chef, it is your duty to feed your customers healthy food,” says Wim.“I don’t want to serve them artificial colours or flavouring. That is why I do not sell commercial soft drinks, a somewhat controversial decision for a fast casual restaurant."