Dishes from the former Dutch overseas territories at ‘t Soldaatje VOC
18-2-2016
Sunday the 21st of February ‘’t Soldaatje VOC’ (The Soldier) in Voorhout (the Netherlands) will be opened, located in the middle of the ‘Bollenstreek’. This restaurant serves dishes that are inspired on countries that the Dutch visited as soldiers in the colonial times, from Suriname to Indonesia.
The digital menu is getting more popular
17-2-2016
It’s getting more popular nowadays to use a digital menu. This was also noted by Vision Multimedia, the company behind Vision Menu. Through crowdfunding they managed to raise enough money to grow both domestically and abroad. But why would you switch to a digital menu?
The KarTent: the disposable festival tent made of cardboard
17-2-2016
Every year one out of four festival visitors leaves their tent behind on several festival campsites all over the Netherlands. The amount of waste that this creates is bad for the environment. The solution is simple: from now on you can camp in a cardboard.
Do you create the ‘Ultimate Bite’ for Hellmann’s?
16-2-2016
Hospitality entrepreneurs in Belgium and the Netherlands are challenged by Hellmann’s to make ‘The Ultimate Bite’. The winner gets a commercial campaign for his/her own business, to the value of €5.000,=, at The Ultimate Bite live finale on the 23rd of May in the ‘Kookfabriek’ in Amsterdam. You can sign up till the 20th of March 2016 on UltimateBite.com.
Read more about the conditions in the rest of the article.
Fries with…
16-2-2016
One of the unique characteristics of fries is that you can endlessly combine them with different ingredients. Fries with caviar, Parmesan cheese, truffle mayonnaise, chocolate, Nutella and stews. In the Netherlands, fries are very popular. We eat them with mayonnaise or ketchup but also with ‘mayonnaise, curry sauce and chopped onions’, with hot peanut sauce or sometimes even with truffle mayonnaise but the fries noted below aren’t often on the menu! In response to an article in the Dutch AD newspaper about Tante Nel (aunt Nel), the haute friture shop in Rotterdam, we made a list of unique and weird combinations with fries. ^Bram Kosterink
Foodhall 88 – First pop-up food hall in Holland.
15-2-2016
Foodhall 88, the first pop-up food hall in the Netherlands will open the 18th of February in Tilburg. At this moment the lobby of building 88 at the Spoorzone (Railway zone) is still under construction but as from next Thursday you’re supposed to smell fish, meat and vegetables here. Foodhall 88 is open until late April.
Impression – Dorset’s culinary food plaza
12-2-2016
In November 2015 we wrote about Dorset’s culinary food plaza. A unique collaboration between AVIA and Willem Dankers. The food plaza has opened recently and we received beautiful pictures of it, special thanks to Marieke Dijkhof. The article about the food plaza is stated below.
Brew your own beer at Brouwerij Troost
12-2-2016
Great news, still some spots left for you! ‘Brouwerij Troost’ in Amsterdam is giving you the opportunity to brew your own beer. The registration for the second quarter in 2016 is now open.
Flavours & Grooves by DJ Martin Damen & François Geurds
11-2-2016
The restaurants of François Geurds always create a lot of rumour around their brand. Now this star chef has launched a CD with tasty music, the CD Flavours & Grooves. As the CD is hidden in the dessert at FG Restaurant and FG Food Labs, you have one more reason to eat there.
Taking your dog on a date this Valentine’s Day
11-2-2016
Taking your dog on a date this Valentine’s Day, this is possible at MicroChippy, a pop-up restaurant for 2 days in London. Canine charity Dogs Trust is bringing a 1950s style doggy diner to Clerkenwell on 13 and 14 February.
Bubblehouses, mobile homes and treehouses by Insolite by Logis
11-2-2016
The Fédération Internationale des Logis, the quality label of small European hotel–restaurants with 17 affiliated hotels in the Netherlands, reinforces the current hotel supply with two new brands: Maison by Logis and Isolite by Logis.
The Vivino Wine Scanner
10-2-2016
Almost 14 million wine lovers around the world are using the Vivino Wine Scanner app on their mobile phone. The app is getting more popular in Holland as well, considering the 500.000 user who installed the app lately. Recently we spotted an article on Springwise about the app and although the app already has a huge amount of users, we thought it would be interesting to take a deeper look into how to use this as a consumer as well as a hospitality employee.
Brewery Oedipus is going to age beer in whiskey barrels of Jameson
10-2-2016
This week Brewery Oedipus starts with brewing a craft beer that will be aged in Jameson whiskey barrels. Hoppy and tangy Saison with smooth influences of Irish whiskey. The beer will be available in a limited edition as from April 2016.
For centuries beer and whiskey can be found on the bar alongside, but never before have the flavours been so intertwined as with the collaboration between the brewery Oedipus from Amsterdam and world famous Irish whiskey brand Jameson. The Netherlands is one of the first countries worldwide to start a collaboration with Jameson.
A virtual reality arcade, Escape Room plus!
9-2-2016
This weekend I read an article about ‘Project StarCade’ which will bring a virtual reality arcade to Los Angeles. It will be opening this spring at a yet undisclosed location. This location will be a pilot center before expanding to other locations in the US or in Europe. As we just wrote a whitepaper on Escape Rooms in the Netherlands, it’s intriguing to think about the developments….
We Design Food, eating at food designers during ART Rotterdam
9-2-2016
During ART Rotterdam (11 t / m 14 February) at the Van Nelle factory in Rotterdam a collective of leading Dutch food designers open a temporary dining-and-drinking atelier called We Design Food.
The chefs or food designers provide seasonal dishes. The other members provide a nice glass of wine or a super exciting cocktail. There are oysters and small snacks. There is bread and there is chocolate. You can also just grab a cup of coffee of the highest quality at We Design Food. The atelier is to be found in building 6, opposite the entrance of ART Rotterdam. The atelier is open every day from 10 o’clock.
Valentine’s day: Je t’aime wine
8-2-2016
Now available in Dutch stores, the La Tulipe ‘Je t’aime’ Merlot wine. Ilja Gort, a famous Dutch winemaker in the Bordeaux, developed a new etiquette for his Merlot wine, especially for Valentine’s day. On the etiquette a big heart with the words ‘Je t’aime’ on it. At the backside of the bottle it is possible to write the name of your loved one.
Ilja’s idea
The idea for this wine was to produce a limited edition of a soft red wine, especially for Valentine’s day. Own research by Ilja showed that woman within his own circle of girlfriends who love red wine, are not that fond of wines with rough tannins. Heavy, oaked wines didn’t suit the ladies taste as well. This is the reason why Ilja picked accessible , juicy red wines made from 100% Merlot grapes. The wine originates from the vineyards situated in the Languedoc, the same location as where the Slurp wines are produced.
The description of the ‘Je t’aime’ wine, by the maker
“The Tulipe winery loves to make wine from Merlot grapes. From the start Ilja Gort, founder and winemaker at Tulipe winery, fell in love with the Merlot grapes because of the juiciness, elegancy and seductive tasty flavour. No difficulties, just enjoyment. That is how wine is meant to be. This Merlot fits the profile. Drink it slightly chilled or warmer. Enjoy a glass of ‘Je t’aime’ but it also great to combine with a dinner. ‘Je t’aime’ handles it all. According to the etiquette the wine can be drunk at its best if you listen to Serge Gainsbourg while you’re having the wine in your mouth.”
About the Escape Rooms in the Netherlands
8-2-2016
Unfortunately this publication is only in Dutch….
STACH the new shop in shop formula situated in the Mercure hotel Amsterdam City
5-2-2016
The from origin in Amsterdam situated foodshop STACH, well known for their sustainable products and specialties from local suppliers, has opened a shop in shop formula in the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City.
Foodshop STACH
STACH, the Amsterdam foodshop, with sustainable to-go products and specialties from local suppliers has opened a shop in shop formula in the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City. STACH is already owner of nine different shops, situated in Amsterdam, Utrecht & Overveen, the Netherlands. The new shop in the Mercure Hotel will be added to their portfolio.
Guests can choose in the new foodshop for local brewed beers, healthy bars, freshly baked biscuits, salades and take away meals. “Due to the changing needs of the customers it is important to develop concepts who meet these needs. STACH offers an unique and qualitative eat experience on an approachable level. STACH is thereby, just like Mercure, locally inspired, this makes the concept suitable for our promise; a unique experience inspired by the local environment”, says Ad Hoondert, the General Manager of the hotel.
Curious (hotel) guests
Within a short amount of time the foodshop had already a lot of guests who were curious about the concept. The fresh salads and especially Dutch products like ‘stroopwafels’ are very popular. “The appearance of STACH does give the hotel lobby a complete new impulse. It creates an cosy environment, a reason for guests to stay longer in our bar and lobby. Also guests who are not staying in our hotel and people living nearby are welcome to make use of the STACH products. It creates a link between us and the local environment of the hotel”, says Ad.
A scratch card for the beer lovers
4-2-2016
Inspiration for craft beer bars, pubs and beer lovers: a scratch card filled with the beers for sale at your bar. Time for your regular guests to taste the craft beers you offer!
The idea of a scratch card was created at Brooklyn’s Pop Chart Lab. This company has recently made a checklist of 99 different types of draft beer with the ultimate goal to have drunk all of the beers on the list ;-).
The scratch card is divided into the two main categories of beer: ales and lagers. These categories are being divided into subcategories such as bock beer, wheat beer and lagers. A real challenge for the die-hard beer lovers to scratch the card as fast as possible.
A scratch card in your bar
We spotted this scratch card at Dutch Cowgirls and although the guys at Brooklyn’s Pop Chart Lab are mainly focused on the guests with this card, we think it could also be used within the hospitality industry. As owner of a bar or pub you could check if you’re able to develop a scratch card consisting of the beers you have on sale. Combine a good price with, for example, a free specialty beer and you create a solid piece of customer loyalty. In fact, try to contact one of your suppliers to arrange this.
Another possibility is to take a look at Brooklyn’s Pop Chart website. Here you will find an extensive range of wall decorations, wood carvings and products. How about a large wooden sign engraved about the interesting world of whisky? Or an information poster for your staff about wine?
Pop Chart Lab
Patrick Mulligan and Ben Gibson work together since 2010 with one single goal in mind: to render all of human experience in chart form. On their website you will find different wall decorations, wood carvings and products that are designed in a visually powerful way.
Live ‘ice cooking’ with the Gelato Machine
4-2-2016
The Gelato Machine is an all in one ice machine. Suitable for preparing, conserving and presenting fresh Gelato (ice cream).
The Gelato Machine saves the ice cream makers a lot of operating and investing. First you needed a separated preparation kitchen, ice cream machine, freezing installation and refrigerator, but now you only need one device. The ice cream machine is fully digitally operated and pre-programmed so it easy to use.
Ice cream made in just 15 minutes
Suitable for preparing, conserving and presenting of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet ice. The Gelato Machine produces in about 15 minutes 2,5 kilos of one of the previously mentioned ice creams. When the ice cream has been prepared the machine automatically turns into the ‘saving mode’. It’s optional to use the Gelato Machine with the Movuz IceMobil, provided with a plate (IceTeppanyaki) of -30 degrees Celsius. This makes it possible to ‘stir fry’ the ice cream within seconds.
Theo Clevers – master ice cream maker, also works with the Gelato Machine
SVH master ice cream maker Theo Clevers uses the Gelato Machine. Horecatrends asked him why the machine is suitable for his ice cream shops: “In the ice cream world, the experience is also becoming more important. Costumers want to see, smell and taste how we prepare ice cream. The Gelato Machine gives us the opportunity to make ice cream at receptions and parties. It is an addition to the traditional ice cream cart. Live cooking, but with ice cream.”
The wish tree of ‘Lot & de Walvis’
3-2-2016
During the December month, restaurant ‘Lot & de Walvis’ (Lot and the Whale) in Leiden had a ‘wish tree’ instead of a Christmas tree. The guests of the restaurant could write down their wish and hang it into the tree. The wish that will be carried out by Lot is chosen through Social Media.
Utrecht
Everyone knows them; a ‘wish tree’. Especially when you visited Utrecht last December you couldn’t have missed it. The ‘wish trees of Utrecht’ were put down on five different squares in the city in which the people could hang their wishes. The trees on the squares were getting decorated with many different wishes and some wishes were granted. This idea came from entrepreneur Sidney Rubens in order to promote the Knuss Winterfest in an original way.
All about the wish tree of ‘Lot & de Walvis’
It is also possible to apply a wish tree on a smaller scale. Guests of ‘Lot & de Walvis’ could write down their wish and hang it in the tree situated in the restaurant. Besides that, they involved their community on Facebook in the final decision for the best wish and managed to achieve a relatively large audience. The message in which the people could vote was shared, liked and received a lot of attention. Also the message with the announcement of the winner was popular with 132 likes. The power of Social Media!
The Hospitality Group Leiden
‘Lot & de Walvis’ is a part of the Hospitality Group Leiden together with Van der Werff, La France, City Hall and The Bishop. The board consists of the brothers Richard and Wouter van Leeuwen and Rob van Wijnen. Wouter van Leeuwen and Rob van Wijnen are responsible for the hospitality companies in Leiden. Richard van Leeuwen focuses on the four Harbour Clubs based in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Scheveningen and on Ibiza.
Bram’s, Gourmet Frites
2-2-2016
On 11 February Bram Ladage is opening ‘Bram’s, Gourmet Frites.’ At this new, international formula fries are prepared on a high culinary level and will be sold from a remarkable, black shipping container. The pilot store is going to be at the ‘Kop van Zuid’ in Rotterdam.
Bram’s, Gourmet Frites is going international
This new, international formula is going to be a worldwide standard for quality fries, says Bram Ladage partner Rocco Ladage. They are starting in Rotterdam but there is more and more demand from abroad. At the new concept ‘Bram’s, Gourmet Frites’ it’s about traditional preparation. The real Dutch potatoes from the Hoeksche Waard are cut into thick fries and prepared right in front of the costumers. Because these fries are so thick they absorb less fat and they also use oil with ‘good’ fats.
Collaborating with Herman den Blijker
Together with Herman den Blijker, Bram Ladage developed five new stews: Pulled pork BBQ, Captain’s beef, Asian chicken stew, the vegetarian Truffle mushroom and Pumpkin veal stew. With these stews, fries will no longer be a ‘side dish’ but a full meal component.
About Bram Ladage
Bram Ladage is a family company that’s originally from Rotterdam. But apart from Rotterdam they are getting more well known in Europe as well. Besides the formula Bram Ladage itself they also exploit BroodExpress, Ezprezzo, Ladage Events, Ladagerie and The Wold. With Bram’s they are taking the first step to go abroad.
The container is ideal for a franchise business; it will be delivered on location, it’s fully furnished and as franchisee you can start working immediately.
Get inspired by.. Spoon & Stable
1-2-2016
Leonie van Spronsen, lives and works in Paris and is infected with the foodiebug, in this blog she writes about Spoon & Stable by chef Gavin Kaysen. In particular about his ‘after hours specials’.
Fall 2014 Gavin Kaysen, former pupil of Chef Daniel Boulud in New York (restaurant Daniel**), took the jump back to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he originally came from and opened his first, own restaurant: Spoon & Stable. Since then the casual fine dining restaurants have been a grand success, being noticed from coast to coast in the USA.
Other than super fresh food, beautiful presentations and a great atmosphere there is something else that sets this restaurant apart; their ‘after hours special’.
This genius gimmick is what we would love every fine dining restaurant to do. Every day the restaurant features a ‘fancy fast food’-like dish that is only available at the bar and not before 22h30. This can be a creative bowl of ramen (Japanese noodle soup), duck-confit tacos, freshly made corn tortillas and basically any crazy/yum/exciting dish they can come up with.
Why is this special at Spoon & Stable so great?
There are so many reasons, first it makes your food accessible for many more people than it is now, without having to lower your dining room prices. Secondly the bar of your restaurant will be much more exciting, shooting up beverage sales. Third it gives your team a little bit of freedom to experiment a bit outside of the box. Gives them the opportunity to create and test all their crazy ideas. And last but certainly not least, it could help greatly in eliminating food waste.
Personally, I’m 25, live in Paris and infected with the foodiebug. I would love if some of the great Parisian chefs would open their minds to this idea. Imagine yourself, at a random Tuesday night, 22h30, having a cocktail and grabbing a grilled cheese reimagined by Alain Ducasse.. could it get any better?
Check out this video to get to know chef Gavin Kaysen. He spoke at the Terroir Talks in October 2015. It gives a clear insight in 17 minutes….
Quake pop-up breakfast vending machine
28-1-2016
At the beginning of December Quaker Oats placed a pop-up vending machine at the train station of Antwerp, where travellers could order a free breakfast. This breakfast was prepared by two ‘robots’. We consider this a great example on how to pop-up and present your company in a positive way. Why don’t restaurants or deli’s use a pop-up location to present their food to the public?
About the Quaker pop-up breakfast vending machine
Most people are very busy nowadays and skip breakfast regularly. Quaker Oats wants to do something about this and chose the train station of Antwerp to place the Quaker pop-up breakfast vending machine, Just as a metaphor of our busy lifestyle. The goal of this campaign? Have people acknowledge how important it is to start your day with a breakfast. And with Quaker this can be done very easy, quick and healthy!
Different recipes
By-passers were able to choose from two different recipes. These recipes changed every day and were created by well-known Belgium breakfast eaters. If the choice was made, you pushed the button and the two people dressed as robots prepared your breakfast, for free!
Inspiration
As we mentioned before, this is a nice way to present your product. Offering it for free always works of course, but for most hospitality companies this won’t always be easy to finance. But such a great pop-up location on a prominent spot might be worth considering, it will bring positive attention to your restaurant or lunchroom somewhere else in the city.
Colourful Pantone cocktails
27-1-2016
Tealeaves and Pantone are developing a new concept together: #PaletteForYourPalate. Ten different kinds of tea cocktails in Pantone colours!
Colourful Pantone cocktails
Tealeaves collaborates with Pantone to develop the new project #PaletteForYourPalate. With ten different flavours of tea cocktails as the result. They have names such as ‘The Bold and the Blue’, ‘The Pink Monsoon’, and ‘Dreams of Sunset’. Merging expertise which results in a unique product, tea and Pantone colours. Their goal is to show how big the impact of colour on products can be. These tea cocktails aren’t just tasteful and aromatic but also a ‘feast for the eyes’.
Tealeaves x Pantone approached over 30 different mixologists and world-class chefs from across North America to come up with cocktails that followed the aforementioned themes. For over 20 years Tealeaves has been recognized as the leading luxury tea blender of choice for luxurious hotels and restaurants worldwide. Tealeaves understands that ‘the first taste is with the eyes’.
Tealeaves x Pantone reached out to Nike and nail polish manufacturer OPI, to get inspired by their way of using colour. Both manufacturers understand what colour can do with a product.
The project Tealeaves x Pantone: #PaletteForYourPalate has an online exhibition where you can check out the cocktails.
Pantone hotel & café
In previous articles we wrote about experiments of Pantone. For example the Pantone Café in Monaco and Pantone Hotel in Brussels.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan 
