Hélène Thiry and Yuri Vandam opened Merry in Liège in May 2022, but the story leading up to the opening of this exquisite restaurant started years before.

The dynamic duo met while studying at a hospitality school in Namur and began an exciting professional and personal adventure together that would change their lives.

They spent over two years in several Michelin-starred kitchens in Belgium, then left for Paris where they continued to hone their skills in the famous Clamato (Septime) and Dauphin (Chateaubriand).

The adventure continued as they flew to warmer climates and found themselves in Oceania and Southeast Asia for almost three years. This time gave them the chance to deepen their knowledge of foreign cuisine, discover unique products, and encounter new techniques.

It was during this period that the ‘Merry’ project began to take shape: the creation of a place embodying their own vision of cuisine and hospitality.

After two more years in Michelin-starred kitchens in Belgium – Couvert-Couvert and Humus et Hortense – they finally returned to Liège, and it’s a good thing they did, because their years of experience can now be tasted and enjoyed at their very own restaurant, Merry.

When you enter Merry, you are struck by the minimal decor, yet warm, casual, and inviting atmosphere. Seasonal and sustainable products are served on a four-course menu, with one dish changing weekly. The food is delicious, inventive, and surprising. You can feel the passion poured into every plate, and their wine pairings are equally electrifying. Living wines filled with energy, just like the cuisine.

Hélène and Yuri’s goal is to create a place where enthusiasm and joyful simplicity reign. A place “for us, like us” in their hometown, where they can express their love for products and their personal vision of gastronomy.

A round of applause from us at Raisin, Merry is a must-try!