Which Belgian entrepreneur introduced Bel-Gem waffles at the 1964 New York World's Fair?

Maurice Vermersch introduced Bel-Gem waffles at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Vermersch came from Brussels and based his product on the Brussels waffle, a light, airy style with deep pockets. At the fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens, he served the waffles with whipped cream and strawberries, helping make the Belgian-style treat a major American sensation.

The name Bel-Gem was a practical marketing choice. Vermersch initially presented the product as Brussels waffles, but changed the name after noticing that many Americans did not recognize Brussels as Belgium’s capital. The new label made the waffle’s national association easier to understand.

The 1964 fair popularized Belgian waffles in the United States, but it was not their first American appearance. Walter Cleyman had served Belgian waffles at Seattle’s Century 21 Exposition in 1962. The New York fair therefore belongs to the story of widespread popularization, while Vermersch is specifically associated with the Bel-Gem version.