1911-93
Lucien van Vyve, 82, died Oct. 18,1993 in Ostend, Belgium. He was the chef at the Opera House on Nantucket for 20 years.
He was born in Sotteghem, Belgium in 1911. From 1927 to 1933 he was a Belgian Merchant Marine. In 1934, he became a journalist writing for several Belgian publications. Between 1937-38 he covered the Spanish Civil War as a journalist.
In 1939, he moved to the United States and married Therese Donnard, who operated Le Bon Pinard, a New York City bistro. After Le Bon Pinard closed, they opened a new bistro on West 46th Street, where celebrities often dined. When his wife died in the 1950s, he moved to Nantucket and was the chef at the small, but exclusive restaurant, Opera House. He was remarried to Marie-Andree Thompson.
He stayed at the Opera House for 20 years. During the winters, he pursued his love of painting, and his work was exhibited in several galleries and art shows. In 1982, he retired from the Opera House and settled in Belgium with his wife. He wrote, painted and traveled to Europe and North Africa, returning a few times to the United States.