Humus x Hortense

What Humus x Hortense does

Humus x Hortense is a single-location, plant-based fine dining restaurant in Ixelles, Brussels, operated under the legal entity hume bv (Belgian private limited company). Co-founded in 2015 by Nicolas Decloedt (Mastercook of Belgium, 25+ years plant-based practice) and Caroline Baerten (mixology innovator and artistic director), the restaurant pioneered the "botanical gastronomy" concept, condensing 20 years of botanical research into a tasting-menu format built on 170+ ingredients sourced from regenerative regional farms and structured around a proprietary 24-micro-seasons calendar. The kitchen uses traditional cool-climate preservation techniques to drive flavor development over time.

The product portfolio centers on four tiered tasting menus: Kronos (4-course lunch, €97), Degustation (6-course lunch, €127), Mycelium (6-course, €180/€212 with time-windowed seatings), and Kairos (8-course, €211/€245), complemented by botanical cocktail and wine pairings (small €48, full €75) and an all-inclusive Full Experience Menu at €245 for special events. Revenue is generated entirely through direct-to-consumer channels: in-restaurant dining, online reservations via Exploretock for 1-5 guests, email-inquiry private event privatization, and a gift-voucher e-commerce storefront (preset amounts €100-€400 or custom €60-€1,000, one-year validity).

Distribution is exclusively domestic (Brussels) through a single physical site plus the digital gift-voucher channel. Marketing is predominantly earned media — Michelin Guide, Gault & Millau, We're Smart, 50 Best Discovery, and press coverage — augmented by Instagram, Facebook, and email. Customers are affluent fine-dining enthusiasts, sustainability-conscious diners, and private-event hosts; no enterprise customers or B2B recurring contracts are disclosed. The company employs approximately 10 people across kitchen and front-of-house, with no external funding, subsidiaries, or parent ownership.

Name

Humus x Hortense

Legal name

hume bv

Website

https://humushortense.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Humus x Hortense is a Michelin-starred plant-based fine dining restaurant in Ixelles, Brussels, offering tiered botanical-gastronomy tasting menus (€97-€245) for affluent diners, sustainability-focused guests, and private-event hosts. The single-location business combines regenerative-farm sourcing, a 24-micro-seasons menu framework, and zero-waste botanical mixology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-based fine dining restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

akta.pro primary industry

Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cocktail Bars & Speakeasies (THAFAEAE)

Keywords

• Plant-based fine dining
• Botanical gastronomy
• Tasting menu restaurant
• Zero-waste mixology
• Regenerative farm cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

Jette

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tasting Menu Sales: Single tasting menu concept with multiple tiers (Kronos, Mycelium, Kairos) offered during lunch and dinner service. Lunch ranges from €97-€211, dinner from €155-€245. All prices per person.
2. Beverage Pairings: Optional botanical cocktail and wine pairings (small pairing €48, full pairing €75) and full experience menus with all drinks included at €245.
3. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers sold online in preset amounts (€100, €200, €250, €300, €400) or custom amounts from €60-€1000. Valid for 1 year, then 50% value for another year if expired.
4. Private Event Hosting: Restaurant privatization for exclusive dinners, business events, wedding parties, and photo shoots. Custom pricing handled via inquiry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Humus x Hortense is a plant-based fine dining restaurant that delivers a single, botanically driven tasting menu built from 170+ regional ingredients sourced from regenerative farms and expressed across 24 micro-seasons. Offerings run through tiered seatings — Kronos lunch, Mycelium early evening, and Kairos dinner — paired with optional botanical cocktail or wine pairings, complemented by zero-waste "liquid cuisine" mixology, handcrafted ceramic tableware, and a creative platform showcasing Belgian artisans. Online gift vouchers and full-restaurant privatization for private events extend the offering beyond the dining room.

Product overview

Humus x Hortense is a plant-based botanical gastronomy restaurant offering a portfolio of tiered tasting menu experiences. The core offerings include the Kairos Menu (8 courses, €245), Mycelium Menu (6 courses, €212), and standard Tasting Menu (€155/180), with a lunch-exclusive Kronos Menu (4 courses, €97). The restaurant also offers online Gift Vouchers and special Full Experience Menus for anniversary events. All menus emphasize botanical research, 24 micro-seasons, and ingredients sourced from regenerative farms, with botanical cocktails as pairings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kronos Lunch Menu 4-course plant-based tasting lunch served on Fridays and Saturdays at €97 per person, including botanical cocktails and wine arrangement or homemade non-alcoholic drinks; designed for daytime dining guests.
• Mycelium Menu 6-course tasting menu available in lunch (€180) and dinner (€212) formats with 3 pairing drinks and water; lunch tier exclusive for arrivals between 5:30 and 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Kairos Menu Flagship 8-course tasting dinner with 5 pairing drinks and water, priced at €245 per person; available for guests arriving at 7pm or later and exclusively on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays/eves.
• Full Experience Menu Special 8-course menu at €245 per person including all drinks, held in the presence of producers and farmers as part of the restaurant's 10th anniversary dinner series.
• Botanical Pairings (Small and Full) Optional cocktail and wine pairings — Small Pairing at €48 per person and Full Pairing at €75 per person — available as add-ons to any tasting menu; all drinks included variants are also offered within the Full Experience Menu at €245.
• Gift Voucher Online gift voucher sold in preset amounts of €100, €200, €250, €300, and €400 or custom amounts from €60 to €1,000; valid for 1 year, redeemable at 50% value for another year if expired.
• Private Event Hosting / Restaurant Privatization Full restaurant privatization for exclusive dinners, business events, wedding parties, and photo shoots, with custom pricing handled via email inquiry to the bookings team.

Quantifiable outcome

• 170+ different regional ingredients in tasting menu
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Le Monde des Mille CouleurscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWild farm partnership providing freshly harvested plants and precious delicacies for the tasting menu. Critical supply chain partner enabling the restaurant's farm-to-table philosophy and micro-season concept.
• Soilmates MovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability initiative partnership. Restaurant participates in the soilmates movement aligned with its regenerative agriculture and ethical food system mission.
• Antoine Van Loocke and Valerie SlabbinckminorOthersBelgian artisans providing knives and silverware for the restaurant's table settings. Part of the creative platform showcasing Belgian craftsmanship.
• Ann DemeulemeesterminorOthersRenowned Belgian designer providing silver forks and glassware. Partnership aligns with artistic direction to highlight Belgian design tradition.
• Alain BerteauminorOthersBelgian designer creating wooden chairs in Belgian oak for the restaurant interior.
• Glenn SestigminorOthersBelgian designer responsible for bathroom design, contributing to the overall aesthetic vision.
• Maison VervloetminorOthersProvider of bespoke handles throughout the restaurant, crafted to specification.
• Ana Maria GomézminorOthersArtisan providing hand-knitted scarves, adding to the Belgian craftsmanship showcase.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eleven Madison Park: NYC three-Michelin-star restaurant that converted to an entirely plant-based tasting menu under chef Daniel Humm. Closest global comparable on scale and ambition for plant-based fine dining at Michelin-star level.
• The Jane: Antwerp-based Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant set in a former church, with a chef-led tasting menu and creative plating. Comparable Belgian fine-dining operator with international culinary reputation.
• L'Arpège: Paris three-Michelin-star restaurant of Alain Passard, renowned for its vegetable- and garden-driven cuisine. Concept-level peer given the similar elevation of botanical and seasonal produce as the centerpiece of fine dining.
• Crossroads Kitchen: Los Angeles plant-based fine-dining restaurant by chef Tal Ronnen. Comparable on plant-forward positioning and premium tasting-menu format, though operating at higher volume and in a very different geography.
• Restaurant Bon Bon: Brussels-based Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant with chef-driven cuisine and intimate service. Comparable on city, single-location fine-dining model, and Michelin positioning within the same local market.
• De Nieuwe Winkel: Michelin-starred plant-based fine-dining restaurant in Nijmegen, Netherlands, led by chef Emile van der Staak. Operates a similar single-tasting-menu, vegetable-forward concept in the Benelux region and is the most direct regional comparable to Humus x Hortense.

Broad incumbents

• Bruneau: Brussels Michelin-starred brasserie-restaurant with a long-standing reputation for Belgian fine dining. Comparable Brussels Michelin-listed operator serving as a broader-market fine-dining incumbent.
• Hof van Cleve: Historic three-Michelin-star restaurant in Kruishoutem associated with Flemish fine dining. Broader-incumbent comparable in the Belgian Michelin landscape, though traditionally not plant-based.
• Restaurant Bozar: Brussels-based Michelin-starred restaurant with tasting-menu and à la carte service in the Bozar cultural center. Comparable Brussels fine-dining operator with multidisciplinary positioning and a focus on Belgian gastronomy.
• Hertog Jan: Three-Michelin-star Belgian fine-dining institution in Bruges led by chef Gert De Mangeleer. Comparable as a leading Belgian Michelin-starred experience, though more established and broader in concept.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/humusxhortense
• Instagraminstagram.com/humushortense
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humus-x-hortense

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humus x Hortense