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ence was not easy . “ It was a very tough time , I was four to five years younger than most of the other staff and I was a Belgian in France . There was a lot of pressure working in a Michelin restaurant and it was scary to know that the owner of the restaurant depended on you . I worked very long hours . It required total dedication .” Following a three-year stint as a sous chef in France , he returned to Brussels to work with Yves Mattagne at The Sea Grill , a two-star Michelin restaurant , eventually leaving that position for work in the United States as the Executive Chef to the Ambassador of the European Commission .
Frederik ’ s work for the ambassador included small dinner parties and larger diplomatic events , with long periods of quiet monotony in between . He admittedly missed the high intensity and stress of the restaurant life but within weeks was hired for independent catering jobs and restaurant design consulting work . He opened two restaurants in Peru then launched three successful restaurants — Azure , Menu MBK and the much-acclaimed Table , listed by Bon Appetit as one of the 50 best restaurants in America when it opened in 2013 . In the time since these restaurants closed , de Pue has kept busy opening ten properties for other clients , catering premier events in Washington and working as a private chef . In the meantime , he says , he has long had his eye on launching a restaurant in Annapolis .
In 2015 he purchased number 17 Annapolis Street , a small bungalow that formerly housed The Giant Peach , a children ’ s boutique that anchored West Annapolis . A neighborhood seemingly stuck between the success it enjoyed decades ago as a bustling commercial area and its more recent reputation as a sleepy outpost of historic downtown Annapolis , West Annapolis might seem an unlikely location for an internationally trained chef with Michelin stars to his name . Frederik says that when he opened Table in the Shaw neighborhood of D . C ., people looked at him like something might be wrong . In the few years since , Table became a favorite of Michelle Obama and Shaw became one of the hottest residential and commercial areas in DC . People travel there from all over the city and the suburbs . Frederik chuckles at any skepticism that in casual , crab-heavy Annapolis people will support an authentically gourmet , chef-driven dining experience outside of the downtown area . “ You don ’ t have to be on Main Street to be successful ,” he says . “ After looking at the waterfront area , I settled in West Annapolis because I love the street , I love this building and I think this area has great potential for future growth .” With the opening of first Bean Rush , then Rutabaga , Sun Spa , the J . Melvin Group and then Evelyn ’ s , West Annapolis is coming out of its cocoon . I tell Frederik that it will be interesting to see what happens along the street as longtime offices convert to residences or other commerce and as empty buildings find new uses . He just raises his eyebrows and grins again .
me the pressure is just people liking what we do . I see how many line up at other places in town , that ’ s a sign there are lots of people , and I want those people to come here and have that first meal and to say ‘ that was awesome I want to come here again ’. Flamant might be a little more expensive or more upscale than other places in town — this won ’ t be burgers and fries — but I think people in Annapolis are ready for this ”. – Frederik De Pue
GREENBOOK | SUMMER 2017 19