Seppe Nobels Accused of Exploiting Refugees for Profit
Celebrity Flemish chef Seppe Nobels (44), widely celebrated for his award-winning social enterprise restaurants employing refugees and people with dementia, is facing explosive allegations that his charitable projects were a front for personal enrichment. A months-long investigation by the newspaper De Morgen, published on July 4, 2026, alleges that Nobels exploited vulnerable asylum seekers as cheap labor, diverted non-profit funds to his private company, and concealed a severe alcohol and cocaine addiction.
The Investigation
Crime journalist Joris van der Aa spent months examining Nobels’ operations, speaking with former employees, project partners, and examining financial records. The investigation centers on the Instroom restaurant project in Antwerp and the associated non-profit organization (vzw) UnitedWe, which were presented as social enterprises giving refugees work experience in the culinary sector.
Allegations of Exploitation and Financial Misconduct
According to the investigation, Nobels used refugees and asylum seekers as unpaid or underpaid labor through the Instroom project. Staff and volunteers from the vzw were allegedly deployed for catering jobs, with revenues flowing directly to Nobels’ private company Nobelsdining rather than the non-profit. The vzw also reportedly paid Nobels a monthly fee.
“Seppe has lost sight of the original social goal of our project,” said Nico Dockx, a former project partner, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws. “It hasn’t been about helping refugees or newcomers for a long time. That’s nothing more than a nice story he tells everywhere. For him, it’s about money to maintain his expensive lifestyle.”
Employees allegedly received little or no pay, with the justification that “the work at those events was part of the vzw work.”
Partnership with Gatam Ended
The vzw Gatam, which originally partnered with Nobels on the Instroom project, ended their collaboration in 2024. Chris Bryssinckx of Gatam told VRT NWS that Instroom had become “more of a personality cult around Seppe Nobels.” Bryssinckx stated that participants were used for work on Nobels’ private properties, and that financial returns from external catering jobs did not flow back to the project.
“During the collaboration, we repeatedly found that participants and students were deployed in activities that, in our opinion, had insufficient connection with the social objectives of the project,” Bryssinckx said. Gatam has since continued the restaurant concept independently under the name Samenloop.
Addiction Treatment Funded by Charity
Perhaps the most damaging allegation is that the vzw UnitedWe covered the costs of Nobels’ addiction treatment. The chef is reported to be addicted to alcohol and cocaine. He allegedly checked into an expensive rehabilitation clinic in Thailand in the summer of 2025, costing approximately EUR 15,000 per month. While his family was supposed to pay, the vzw ultimately covered the costs, according to the investigation.
Nobels’ name also surfaced during the trial of an Antwerp drug dealer, with messages where he allegedly ordered “bloemkolen” (cauliflower) or “witte kool” (white cabbage) as code words for drugs.
False Sustainability Claims
Nobels built his public image on sustainability, earning a Green Michelin Star for his use of local, organic ingredients. However, former employees have debunked these claims. One former worker stated: “Very occasionally we ordered organic products, but usually we just bought our ingredients from wholesalers Vawi, Sligro, or Aldi.”
Confrontation with Ex-Employee
When De Morgen sent Nobels 30 questions for comment, he did not respond. Instead, he went to the home of a former employee with Albanian trainees and allegedly tried to force entry. Police intervened and filed a report for trespassing (huisvredebreuk), which has been forwarded to the public prosecutor’s office.
Nobels’ Response
Through his lawyer, Nobels has formally denied all allegations, calling the reports a “character assassination operation” (beschadigingsoperatie). In a statement to VRT NWS, he said: “We stand fully behind our project and our realization, which we have achieved with great passion and enthusiasm. Apparently people want to take down Seppe Nobels and his entourage privately and publicly. We deeply regret this.”
Broader Implications
The scandal has significant implications for Nobels’ career and reputation. The celebrated chef, who was named Commander in the Crown Order in 2024 and won an International Emmy Award for his TV show ‘Restaurant Misverstand,’ now faces potential criminal investigation for fraud and abuse of the non-profit structure.
The future of the Instroom project is uncertain, and the Michelin Guide may review the Green Michelin Star awarded to Nobels given the disputed sustainability claims. The case has also raised broader questions about oversight of vzw (non-profit) structures in Belgium and how social enterprises use charitable designations.
What’s Next
Legal authorities have not yet announced whether a formal investigation will be opened. Nobels has indicated through his lawyer that he may pursue legal action against De Morgen. The story continues to develop, with further evidence and responses expected to emerge in the coming days.
Reporting contributed by Het Laatste Nieuws, De Morgen, VRT NWS, and RTV.