It’s Father’s Day weekend and, in honor of the occasion, we’ll be honoring some very cool, very inspiring Dads all month long. First up: Chef Kim Lambrechts.
The best table in town, Kim Lambrechts has said over and over, is in your home—especially when he’s calling the shots as owner and head chef of A Borrowed Chef.
Born in Belgium, Kim learned how important an amazing meal can be—his family’s own Sunday suppers took hours to prepare and even longer to enjoy, he recalls, as friends, family and neighbors would pull up a chair and grab a fork.
That European tradition has, since day one, been central to Kim’s culinary career. After training at Institute Technique Des Metiers De L’alimentation in Tournai, Belgium, Kim worked in a Michelin-star restaurant in Brussels and, later, at Manoir de St Aubert, earning the Special Award of Excellence from Master Chefs of Belgium Pierre Fonteyne, among other national and international recognitions.
After leaving Belgium, Kim worked in Abu Dhabi, Mauritius, D.C., Colorado, Rhode Island, Kude Hura in the Maldives and, more recently, Boston and Cambridge where he held executive positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Hotel @ MIT—now Le Meridien—as well as SPIRE Restaurant and The Bay Tower Room. Most recently, he was the chef and General Manager at Bristol Restaurant and Bar, at the 5-star Four Seasons Hotel Boston.
Now settled in the Boston suburbs with his family, we chatted with Kim about his culinary journey, his latest business venture A Borrowed Chef, and how his surroundings inspire his work.
What town do you currently live in—and where did you move from?
“We moved from Beacon Hill. We’re now in Winchester.”
When—and why—did you move to Winchester?
“We moved in 2016. We were running out of space, knew we wanted kids and it felt like the right time to make the move.”
Why Winchester? What was the most important factor in deciding where to call “home?”
“We already had a lot of friends in Winchester so we knew the area fairly well. We also knew it had a very family-friendly vibe, with great schools but, also, still very close to Boston. That was all really important in our decision-making.”
How has your community impacted your career, and inspired you?
“Once we got here I started my own private chef company, and I’ve made many connections in Winchester as a result. Everyone has been so supportive and I love that residents in Winchester are so interested in supporting local businesses—mine included.”
A Borrowed Chef, he adds, brings the sophistication of professional kitchens to area families who want to indulge and entertain—without the mess or the hassle.
What’s ONE thing you would tell families considering moving to Winchester?
“That it’s the right choice—this is the perfect family town.”
What would you tell aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch their business?
“Listen to your instincts, but be flexible in terms of adjusting continuously so you stay sharp. We all know that nothing lasts forever—you need to constantly reinvent yourself.”
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