© RTL Infos
A Michelin star, a Young Chef of the Year award, and plenty of customers: Archibald and Rachel De Prince were surprised by their own success, one year after opening their restaurant in Echternach.
In just one year, Archibald and Rachel De Prince have turned their dream into a reality in Echternach. From opening their restaurant and hotel to earning a Michelin star and the title of Young Chef of the Year, the couple has made their mark on the Luxembourg gastronomic scene with inventive, local, and plant-based cuisine.
Barely a year after opening their establishment in Echternach, Archibald and his partner Rachel have already made a lasting impression. The Belgian chef was just named Young Chef of the Year by the Gault&Millau guide, a few months after securing his first Michelin star. For the couple, this rapid recognition came as quite a surprise.
Starting in April, "more and more people started calling for reservations", Archibald recalls. He acknowledges that in gastronomy, a Michelin star is "definitely a goal", but he and his partner expected it to take two or three years for them to achieve this. "To get it so quickly really surprised us", he admitted. Rachel added: "We're more than satisfied, but we're still having trouble believing it all, really… We welcome these awards with a great deal of gratitude."
'This establishment is our third baby'
Before becoming the charming hotel-restaurant guests know today, the place was called 'Vieux Moulin'. Archibald and Rachel saw it as an opportunity to bring a long-held dream to life. "When we arrived here, we looked at each other and immediately fell in love with the place. We tried to do everything we could to make it happen. It was, like any business, an obstacle course. The secret is not to overthink it", the couple says.
Archibald has shaped his cuisine over the years, first in the south of France, then alongside René Mathieu, where he served as second-in-command for eight years. In 2024, he won the prestigious Bocuse d'Or award in Belgium. These experiences helped him perfect his style and develop his own signature.
"My cuisine is very natural, plant-based, and as local as possible", he summarises. This approach is reflected in each of his dishes, as well as in the aromatic garden adjacent to the kitchen, which serves as a true culinary playground.
"One day, we might use one herb or flower, and the next day it might be something else, depending on the rain or the arrival of vegetables. The garden entrance is 2m from the kitchen. Here, we have lemon marigold to make an oil, green or red shiso for tempura appetizers that we pair with a flower ketchup, pineapple sage, sorrel, or verbena for our infusions… These are herbs that add flavour, they're not just there to look pretty on the plate", Archibald explains.
For ten years now, Archibald and Rachel have shared their life and their passion for the restaurant business. She handles service and reception, while he takes care of the kitchen and accounting. "What we're building is our life, as well as our professional life. We are both working towards the same goal. It's our third baby", they conclude with a smile.
