People often forget that Belgium is the true home of surrealism. Belgians don’t need complex theories to embrace the unexpected — it just comes naturally. And no one embodies that playful, offbeat spirit quite like Mallory Gabsi, the most Belgian of all the “French” chefs.
We meet him at his jewel box of a restaurant tucked behind the Arc de Triomphe at the top end of the Champs-Elysées in Paris — just a few tables, an open kitchen and a space that feels both elegant and intimate. His philosophy is controlled chaos: emotion and instinct guided by structure. His puff pastry amuse-bouches demand careful precision. And yet he describes them with a wink: “Pâte à airbag — like little cushions you want to rest your head on.”
Gabsi is spontaneous, imaginative and unfiltered. Born in 1996, Malou (as he’s known) grew up with the flavors of his Tunisian grandfather’s couscous and his Belgian grandmother’s home cooking. He found his calling early.
After stints in MICHELIN-Starred kitchens like Sea Grill and Hertog Jan, he broke through as a finalist on Top Chef in 2020. Just three years later, his eponymous restaurant earned a MICHELIN Star, along with the Young Chef Award. His cooking, like his personality, plays with contrast and whimsy. Even a traditional Belgian dish like eel in green sauce has appeared in seven different iterations on his menu. Gabsi is a master of reinvention — and you get the sense he’s just getting started.
If you were a color?
Turquoise. It was my grandmother Kiki’s favorite color — she passed away in 2018 — and it’s stayed with me ever since. I used to always wear a turquoise bracelet. It’s also a stone that brings positive energy. At one point, I even wanted to name my restaurant Turquoise. If you look closely, you’ll still find hints of it in the decor — on the windows, a pillar, even in the restroom tiles.If you were an animal?
A lion — like my son. I’ve always loved big cats, and we named our son Aslan, which means “lion” in Turkish. We liked the sound of it, and it also happens to echo Léon, which was my grandfather’s name. I find lions deeply powerful and full of presence.If you were a plant?
Gentian. I only recently discovered it. Its roots grow deep — sometimes two or three meters — and they instinctively reach toward warmth, often hugging rocks for heat. I love that image. I’m also drawn to plants like verbena or tagetes, which bring a touch of brightness and freshness.If you were a historical figure or hero?
Jacques Brel. I love the way he thinks, the way he speaks — so honest and unfiltered. There’s a long interview he gave in Knokke-le-Zoute that lasts over two hours. At one point he says, “Talent doesn’t exist.” I completely agree. Talent is just consistent effort. His worldview is simple, raw and human.
If you were a beach?
A beach in the north of Zanzibar, where I once took my brother and mom. It was the first vacation that I was able to offer them. It’s one of my happiest memories: white sand, coral reefs and dazzling fish.If you were a river?
The Lesse [in the Walloon region of Belgium]. Between the ages of 15 and 20, I’d kayak down it with 20 or so friends. We’d pack a picnic, bring buckets for a mini barbecue, grill some fish and stop off for fries with mayo — because of course there are fry shacks on the river. Total joy.If you were a street?
Rue des Acacias, where my restaurant is located. So much has happened in that little stretch of road over the past three years — it’s become part of my life story. I feel like I belong to the neighborhood now. We even worked with the mayor to add more green space. Soon it won’t feel like Paris anymore. And across the street, there’s a butcher who worked with Guy Savoy for 25 years. That’s the kind of place it is.
If you were a book?
The Art of War by Sun Tzu. It’s ancient — maybe 5,000 years old — and it’s all about communication, defense and psychology. I only read it recently, but it’s helped me structure my thinking and manage teams. I never studied management formally; I learned on the job. This book gave me a framework I didn’t know I needed.If you were a dish?
You’re tugging at my heartstrings here. I come from a Tunisian family — my grandfather and father are both Tunisian, though I was born in Belgium. Sunday couscous at my grandfather’s house was sacred. One big dish in the middle of the table, everyone sharing. That joy of communal eating really shaped me. Also mloukhia, a Tunisian stew made from a green leaf in the spinach family — corète potagère in French. It’s rich, earthy and full of flavor.If you were a kitchen utensil?
The whisk. I love how it brings air and lightness, especially in sauces and mousselines. It creates those delicate bubbles that collapse on your tongue. If I had to choose two, I’d add the spoon. Essential for tasting. br>
If you were a culinary technique?
Anything souffléed. Sugar, bread, pastry — anything that puffs up. It never stops fascinating me. There’s something comforting about it when it works. I call my amuse-bouches “little pillows of comfort.” They look like something you just want to rest your head on.If you were a country?
Lebanon. For over a decade, I spent nearly every vacation there. My dad lived there. You can ski in the morning and swim in the sea by afternoon, all while staring up at the mountains. It’s surreal. And the food — don’t get me started. One day, someone offered me a cheese sandwich. I took a bite and said, “This is amazing!” They told me it was actually brain, sliced super thin. Unforgettable.If you were a life-changing encounter?
[Long pause.] Meeting my son the day he was born — or as I like to say, the day he came out. The further I go in life, the more I realize how wild it is to become a parent. Right now, he says “doudou,” “papa,” and “babé” — that’s me. He lays his head on my shoulder and cuddles. I can’t get enough. It’s hands down the most beautiful encounter of my life.Hero Image: © Mary Quincy / The MICHELIN Guide
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