Contemporary precision

In Marche-lez-Écaussinnes, Studio 97 has only been open for a few weeks. And yet, nothing here feels like a beginning.

Behind this almost clinical name lies a resolutely contemporary table, conceived as an atelier rather than a stage. Everything already seems in place: thought through, designed, assumed. Nothing is decorative by chance, nothing spills over, nothing is missing.
The plate comes before the discourse, technique serves the intention, each dish arrives with a quiet determination. As if the house had taken its time… even before existing.

This sense of maturity is all the more striking as it is carried by a young chef of just 28, whose background extends far beyond the village.
Déborah Milioto sharpened her eye and her craft in fine establishments close to home, but also much further afield: Essa in Brisbane, Australia; Paloma Plage in Corsica; and above all Cheval Blanc in Saint-Barth, where precision, discipline and consistency take on another dimension.
These experiences leave their mark: a discreet rigor, an openness to the world, and an ability to think a dish as a whole, to go straight to the essential without ever losing sight of flavour.

At Studio 97, this trajectory is never claimed, only read. It reveals itself in the control of tensions, in precise cooking, in a confident restraint that never overplays its hand. A cuisine that is already structured, yet still alive, curious and evolving. Just like its author.

The kitchen expresses itself through two entirely distinct menus – a rare approach – complemented by a fully-fledged lunch menu, more direct but never secondary. This choice sets out a clear intention from the outset: to offer different rhythms and interpretations without diluting the identity of the place.
Combinations are sometimes bold, products are respected but never frozen. Déborah moves forward, searches, refines. And fully embraces this phase of living construction.

What also stands out, especially for such a recent address, is this desire for coherence. Flavours converse, textures respond, seasonings reject both ease and immediate effect. A gastronomy that forces nothing, yet already says a great deal.

The dining room naturally extends this intention. Open kitchen, generous volumes, spacious tables: here, you breathe. Light walls interact with the dark wood of the furniture, while chairs with woven seats add an almost meditative softness. The space is expansive without ever feeling cold. In fine weather, the terrace will offer an additional breath of escape.

Service follows the same line. Professional, precise, never stiff, warm and approachable. One senses a team already aligned, serene, moving to the same tempo as the kitchen. The wine list, intelligently curated, supports the narrative with finesse, as do the non-alcoholic pairings, conceived as a true alternative rather than a mere add-on.

The overall execution is, quite simply, remarkable, even masterful. And for a restaurant that has only just opened, this is rare enough to deserve emphasis.
Creating, within the first few weeks, a place that is so readable, so calming and so coherent is today almost exceptional.

When leaving Studio 97, life may catch up with you again.
But for a moment, you breathed differently.

LD