Maker · Vegetables
Fine Fleur
One greenhouse in Gits, one crop, the same head all year round. Koen Defevere and Saskia Vandewalle grow butterhead lettuce you can put on the plate with confidence.
The story
Who's behind it
Fine Fleur butterhead lettuce comes from Koen Defevere and Saskia Vandewalle in Gits, in the heart of West Flanders. Koen took over the family business and made a deliberate choice: not a broad vegetable package, but one crop done well. The lettuce grows under glass on approximately 7,500 square meters. Small enough to manage the two of them with, big enough to supply a kitchen year-round.
Fine Fleur itself is not a business name but the quality brand of REO Veiling in Roeselare. Under that label sit authentic, seasonal regional products from family businesses that co-wrote the specifications themselves. The rule is simple: harvested at the right moment, delivered the same day.
What really makes the difference
The difference lies in rhythm and in hand work. The lettuce is planted in strips, with a few days between each batch. That way there's always a head at just the right point and nothing needs to be forced ahead or back. For summer and winter Koen uses different varieties. A winter head takes up to three months to grow, a summer variety goes faster. The result is that structure, flavor and color stay close together year-round.
Harvesting is done by hand. The outer leaves are carefully removed so the inner head stays nice and tight. The heads go six or twelve to a crate with a lid, so they don't get crushed on the way to the kitchen. Not machine-speed, but a product that arrives as intended.
How to set yourself apart with this
Lettuce is the easiest place to let a plate slip and the easiest place to keep it sharp. A head that arrives firm and fresh gives you crisp hearts, whole leaves to work with and longer shelf life in your mise en place. You notice that in the pan and your guest notices it on the plate.
Feel free to add the origin. Hand-harvested butterhead from Gits tells a more concrete story than lettuce without a name, and it costs you nothing extra in flavor or work. Ask about the summer or winter variety depending on the season, then you'll get the head that's at its best that month.
Chef’s tip
Peel the outer leaves just before service. The inner head stays tight and crisp right through service. Dress at the last minute, just before plating, so the leaf doesn't wilt.
How to use it
Ideas for your menu
Crisp head with classic vinaigrette and fine herbs
Grilled lettuce hearts with anchovies and lemon
Leaf lettuce as a fresh base under smoked fish or poultry
Wraps of whole lettuce leaves as a light bread replacement
For your menu
“Butterhead lettuce from Fine Fleur, hand-harvested in Gits (West Flanders)”
Products from Fine Fleur
What we carry from this maker
Sla krop
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Taste it in your own kitchen
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