Roast Chicken Bar, a hip chicken concept

17-12-2015

On Sunday, 13 December a new restaurant, the Roast Chicken Bar has opened in Haarlem (The Netherlands) on the Turfmarkt. A hip chicken concept with rotisserie chicken!

The initiators and owners of Roast Chicken Bar, Bas Lammersen and Michael Kras want to create a place where you can eat the best chicken of Haarlem and surroundings. The hen and her eggs are the highlights on the menu. The eggs are served in many ways, for example as ‘Egg Store Sliders’ (in a brioche bowl) with names like ‘The Hangover’ (egg with bacon and gorgonzola). And ‘The Eggsperience’ including an Avo & Egg combination which is really appealing! In addition there are some classics on the menu such as Egg Benedict and Florentine and snacks, salads and sides such as bio chips with homemade mayo. We think that the menu sounds good. When we are in Haarlem, we most certainly will visit the Roast Chicken Bar!

Hip chicken concept

In March 2015 our colleague Guido Verschoor wrote in his blog (unfortunately only in Dutch) that he expected a revival of chicken concepts in the coming months. Partly based on rotisserie chicken concepts in New York, such as Papa Poule, but also closer to home, Poule Poulette in Antwerp. This is what happening now, in a fairly rapid pace! Even in Haarlem they have a second chicken concept: De Kippenhal.

We wish Michael and Bas lots of fun in their new business and success of course! ^Marjolein

Mini Fashion Bar by Pimkie

14-8-2015

The Banks Hotel in Antwerp has the first Mini Fashion Bar from fashion brand Pimkie. Pimkie has adopted the mini-bar concept to bring its latest collection of clothing and accessories to the woman.

Mini Fashion Bar in Hotel Banks

The fashion brand aims at fashionistas who forgot to bring some garments. In their little ‘Mini Fashion Bar’ several items from the Pimkie collection are available, for example a raincoat, comfortable shoes and sunglasses. The collection is depending on the location, the weather and events. The Mini Fashion Bar is integrated in the closet of the hotel room, guests can fit and ask for other sizes via the dedicated fashion concierge. You can pay when checking out. There are plans for Mini Fashion Bars in hotels in Milan, Barcelona, Berlin and Paris.

We have already seen great initiatives of stores or brands teaming up with hotels, like for example Room Shopping at the Dylon hotel. Room Shopping is a co-creation by the hotel and www.9straatjesonline.com. Where guests have the opportunity to browse online through the range of 40 boutiques in the streets. We’re curious whether guests will appreciate and use this extra service of Pimkie and the hotels.

Papa Poule, the new rotisserie chicken hot spot in New York

12-3-2015

Rotisserie chicken served from the counter by Michelin starred chef Arman Arnal and team in New York.

The team behind the bakery Maman, with Michelin starred chef Arman Arnal (former chef at the Michelin starred restaurant ‘La Chassagnette’ in the south of France), Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall opened their new project Papa Poule in the beginning of February 2015. Papa Poule focuses on French rotisserie chicken that is only available for takeout and delivery.

Inspiration

Papa Poule had a lot of attention in the American press with their culinary (grill)chickens and Resto Poule & Poulette in Antwerp is also very popular. We wonder if we get a culinary revival of the chicken in the Netherlands as well?

The menu at Papa Poule

The menu includes a variety of flavoured rotisserie chickens, all massaged, marinated, and stuffed. The chicken will be finished with different sauces, including BBQ, honey mustard, béarnaise, chimichurri, and aioli. If a whole chicken is too much, you can also choose for a quarter or half a chicken to take away. There will also be a daily changing selection of sides, specials and desserts, like chicken potpie, potato gratin, sage-and-onion stuffing, Israeli couscous and profiteroles.

Location

Papa Poule is located at Lafayette street in New York. It is a small room with no seating. The restaurant is inspired by a typical French farmhouse. The kitchen is enclosed with chicken wire and the lamps are made from this material as well. Check their Facebook page for pictures.

Chicken restaurant Poule & Poulette

6-3-2015

Recently our colleague Guido Verschoor wrote a blog entitled ‘The one 2.0 after another….’ He ends his blog with the statement that he expects to see a revival of the (take away) chicken restaurants. By coincidence we were writing about Papa Poule in New York. A takeaway restaurant where chickens are grilled and prepared by top chefs. But the chicken is also popular closer to our home, Poule & Poulette is very successful in Antwerp.

Poule & Poulette

The four owners of the restaurant got a ‘Bronzen Palm’, a price for the best restaurant concept of Belgium, at the Hospitality Fair in Ghent. This happened when they were only open for four months, and of course they are very proud with this achievement!
Poule & Poulette is an original concept for a chicken restaurant. The restaurant is located in a small place of 35 square meters, with space for 35 people. The owners of the restaurant have designed their own table boxes. Everything at Poule & Poulette is based on chicken. The chicken is slowly grilled on a spit which takes around 75 till 90 minutes. The grill is the central part of the restaurant. They also serve chicken croquettes, salads with chicken, chicken soup and so on. They only work with Belgian chickens.

Expanding with shops

In Brasschaat (near Antwerp) Poule & Poulette have a shop and they will also open a shop in Antwerp this March. In the beginning of next year Poule & Poulette will go to the student area to open a shop. Takeaway chicken for a student price! Poule & Poulette want to open more shops and restaurants in the next couple of years.

Fucking Perfect

27-1-2015

The trailer of the film “Fucking Perfect’ about master chef Sergio Herman is released last week. The film runs in the Dutch cinemas as from 19 March.

Films about chefs

We have already seen a few great examples of films and documentaries with chefs in the leading role, like “The taste of the soul‘ about chefs Erik van Loo and Cees Helder and their restaurant Parkheuvel in Rotterdam (Cees Helder was the first Dutch chef to receive 3 Michelin stars in the Netherlands). Great examples are also the movie about El Bulli and the documentary about Michel Bras. All wonderful movies where the chef and his passion are playing the leading role. The chefs often give the viewer an insight into how they work, but also in their life and their passion for the products they work with. The trailer of ‘Fucking Perfect’ promises this as well.

Fucking Perfect is about ..

The film ‘Fucking Perfect’ follows Sergio Herman from March 2013 until the summer of 2014 and shows the enormous drive of the chef. The pursuit of perfection and the sacrifices he makes to reach his goal. The trailer promises an intimate and honest portrait of Sergio Herman with a peek into the kitchen, his private life and shows the choice he made to start making new dreams come true at the peak of his culinary career. In 2003 he closed his 3-star restaurant Oud Sluis, to start building a new ‘dream’ in Antwerp (Belgium), restaurant The Jane.

Communicating with your guests before the opening

16-12-2014

Nikie Houben, manager of the Terhills hotel in Maasmechelen is already busy tweeting about the hotel. Whilst the opening is planned for March 2015, she already inspires with her tweets.

Communicating with your guests before the opening

Recently we read a tweet from Nikie Houben who is the – Guest Loving – hotel manager of the Terhills Hotel. She tweets about preparations leading up to the opening of the new hotel by the ‘Different Hotels’ group. Mood Boards, products from suppliers, photos of the property, inspiring lyrics and so on. We often see that entrepreneurs / managers are so busy in the pre-opening process that they forget to communicate about it or outsource the communication to an agency. The beauty of communicating about the project you are working on, is the fact that it shows your commitment. The enthusiasm of Nikie is a great inspiring example, we really believe she is a guest loving hotel manager.

Quote of Nikie Houben

“At Terhills Hotel it’s all about the experience. A personal and friendly approach and contact is very important! So the sooner you get to know your guests the better. This way the Terhillls Team will also be able to respond to the taste and needs of its future guests. And isn’t it fun when you feel this on arrival?!”

Terhills Hotel

This new lifestyle experience Hotel is located in the former main building of a coal mine in Eisden, part of the city of Maasmechelen. The hotel offers a cocktail of fashion (located near Maasmechelen Village, Outlet Shopping), nature (National Park Hoge Kempen), comfort and culinary enjoyment. It includes 60 luxurious rooms including 7 suites, a cozy bar with lounge corners and a spa in the neoclassical baroque style building. Designers from Limburg county contributed to the realization, Simoni Architects from Hasselt has made modern and clean lines in the building and the interior is provided by Dôm Deco from Dilsen-Stokkem.

Different Hotels

The Terhills Hotel is part of this hotel group which originates in Belgian Limburg. The group has a total of 11 hotels in Limburg and Antwerp.

Recruiting staff

Last year the nhow hotel in Rotterdam had some interesting pre-opening communication as well. The hotel opened in January 2014 and launched a recruitment party in 2013. Next to communicating with your guests you can start a conversation with potential suppliers and staff as well.

Young Flemish chefs party at Café d’Anvers

14-11-2014

A party by chefs for chefs & foodies to close off the young chef campaign by Flanders Promotion.

Young Flemish Chefs

Another edition of ‘Jong Keukengeweld’ (freely translated as ‘Young Kitchen Violence’) with young Flemish chefs took place in Flanders this year. This Saturday 15 November the promotion will finish and the chefs change their pots and pans for decks on Sunday to celebrate the end of the successful campaign. Nick Bril (The Jane) will be one of the Dj’s in Café D’Anvers, a club that will be transformed into a culinairy Walhalla for this occasion. The cocktails are made by the mixologists of The Jane, The Pharmacy and Jigger’s and there is a wide variety of craft beers. Next to that you can taste creations by Foodpairing.com (BE), De Kromme Watergang (NL), Cuchara (BE), Fleur de Sel (BE), Kazen van Tricht and much more.

Flanders Promotion

More than 7.000 youngsters from 18 to 30 years old enjoined the culinairy promotional campaign by Flanders Tourism. They could dine with discount at top restaurants where young talented chefs are part of the kitchen team. Next to the domestic promotion of Flanders Tourism, they aim for the international market as well. Chefs Dennis Broeckx and Seppe Nobels, both from Antwerp, went to Moscow to kick-off the international campaign.

The event reminds of the chefs-for-chefs lobster party at Bridges earlier this year, where chef Ron Blaauw transformed into DJ Ron Blaauw.

Packaging-free supermarket

19-9-2014

Many initiatives are designed to make supermarkets more sustainable: we have spotted the first dump supermarket in Amsterdam, there is a supermarket chain in Denmark selling local products and we have seen how supermarkets work together with restaurants to reduce their waste.

Bay & Buy

Wim van Dijk hopes to open a new concept through crowdfunding: the first packaging-free supermarket in the Netherlands ‘Bag & Buy’. In this store customers can pick their own products from containers, barrels and jars and can thereby determine the amount they need.

International developments

A comparable initiative can be found in several countries. In Germany packaging-free supermarket ‘Original Unverpackt‘ was funded by crowdfunding as well. The starting capital for this supermarket was collected in one day. Earlier this year ‘Robuust, the zero waste shop’ opened its doors in Antwerp and in France, Spain and Austria are a packaging-free grocery stores as well.
The crowdfunding for the supermarket ‘Bag & Buy’ in the Netherlands starts on 1 October. The crowdfunders also determine the location of this store: “Bag & Buy will open where there is the must enthusiasm” as said by Wim van Dijk. The initiator thinks he will need € 100.000,- to open the grocery store.

BbyB chocolate artists

9-4-2014

Bart Desmidt, owner and chef cook of the Belgian Michelin star restaurant Bartholomeus** makes with BbyB (Babelutte by Bartholomew) a statement towards the top of the Belgian chocolate makers. In 2010 he started with a combination of chocolate with the local product Babelutte, a creamy caramel. Along with chocolatier Jan Verleye he makes several surprising chocolate combinations like white chocolate with passion fruit and basil or dark chocolate with cherries and pistachio. They describe themselves as taste artists and their creations are available through the shops in Antwerp and Bruges or via the website BbyB.be.

Spacified: the marketplace for pop-up stores

1-4-2014

Online platform Spacified.com makes a match between temporary vacant spaces and designers, retailers and startups in Belgium and the Netherlands. The vacancy rate in retail spaces and offices increase and this brought founder Patrice Fleurquin the idea to develop a matchmaking service to bring both parties in contact. Spacified.com doesn’t only support starters, but also stimulates the creativity to set up an office, retail or event location. Recently Spacified.com and Voka ‘Chamber of Commerce Antwerp- Waasland, launched the POP-UP Guide. This guide gives visitors an overview of the newest, hottest pop-up stores in Belgium and the Netherlands. Currently, the guide only focuses on consumers, but can also provide cities and local authorities with information about the pop-up stores on longer-term. Spacified.com started a crowd funding project to extend the POP-UP Guide for five cities outside Belgium and the Netherlands.