As if Belgium has not had to live in France's culinary shadow for long enough, it has (in the name of neighbourly relations) had to bury its anger at the alleged 'theft' of a national dish.
It seems the world's most popular potato dish, the French fry, came into being in a Belgian kitchen. It is an article of strict faith in the country that when the potato was imported to Europe, it was first cut into thin strips and deep-fried in Belgium.
Emotions run high but it seems the crisp potato fries eaten with everything from hamburgers to hotpot, should in justice be known as Belgian fries.
Still, the small nation has much to be proud of. The country, made up of scores of city-states, boasts 450 brews of beer, many still made in monasteries using centuries-old recipes.
Some of the dark brew is used with enthusiasm in the kitchen, as well as being swigged with fervour in bars, giving Belgium the distinction of having one of the highest beer consumptions on Earth.
So when chef Carl Vandekerckhove flew to Hong Kong to stage a Belgian food festival at the Regal Airport Hotel, he arrived with a consignment of seven beers, which ranged from a heavy, dark stout to a light golden wheat-based brew.
