The first popcorn store in the Netherlands
Good news for popcorn lovers in the Netherlands. On March 5th the first popcornstore in the Netherlands will we opened in Amsterdam. read more
Good news for popcorn lovers in the Netherlands. On March 5th the first popcornstore in the Netherlands will we opened in Amsterdam. read more
Some people may be disgusted by it, but the edible insects are becoming more popular. Currently you only see them as an exciting snack on exclusive parties, but they already are in the supermarket as well. This superfood pasta Bugsolutely consists of 20% cricket flour and also has loads of protein, calcium, iron and vitamins. Besides, cricket flour makes the pasta even tastier. read more
Credits: @dominiqueansel’s Instagram. Guest blog of Leonie van Spronsen, living and working in Paris, heard her colleagues complain about the long queues during the ‘Taste of Paris’ last week. Due to the start of the festival season last weekend with the ‘Taste of Holland’, Leonie blogs about the annoyance of queues. It is not too late to do something about them yet..
Over the past few years they have been popping up all over the world, these “foodie-festivals”we mean, they are either indoor or outdoor, focus on astonishing gastronomy or on variations of our favourite snacks. I personally feel that this is a great development, as the average foodie enjoys these more than a dance festival. But much to our dismay, queueing up has become a regular activity at all these “foodie-festivals”.
Every small but delicious bite you want to try is ruined by a spectacular waiting line. At ‘Taste of Paris’ the average waiting time was 30 to 45 minutes for basically every stand. But also last summer, while visiting ‘Rollende Keukens’we had to conclude that the festival has had its best days, the terrain gets way too busy these days and this takes the fun out of it for us and many others. Obviously these huge crowds are great for the organizers and illustrates the large demand for these types of events, but the negative effect of over-crowdedness will clearly affect your event and the future of your event quickly.
So how come this situation arises on these festivals? The fact that there are long lines at amateur festivals is to be expected, their organizers usually aren’t specialized in the logistics of F&B. Besides, true hospitality is usually not their main goal. But these “foodie-festivals” consists mostly of hospitality entrepreneurs am I right? How is then still possible that these festivals create such un-hospitable situations? Hospitality is their core business!
For the future of the “foodie-festival”it seems to be very important that we solve this ‘queueing up-situation’ because if not.. Will they still be as popular as they are or will people get sick of it soon?
You can either solve this or accept the lines and entertain your guests!
In regards to entertaing your queueing customers, festival entrepreneurs could take some inspiration from baker Dominique Ansel. With two lines a day in front of his bakery (early morning for the cronuts and at 4 PM for the milk cookie-shots) this is the man that can tell you a thing or two about lines and people in lines. He excels in entertaining his waiting customers, like last weekend when he personally handed out roses to ‘his line’ for Valentine’s Day at his bakery in New York City. But on any given day, him and his team hand out warm madeleines, hot chocolate milk, appel cider or lemonade if it’s hot out.
At the opening of his bakery in Japan they even went as far as doing social media challenges between the lines in New York and Tokyo. They arranged for breakdancers to entertain the crowd and when it got really sunny and hot, they sprayed their customers with water sprays to keep them cool.
You can check out our article about the opening of the Tokyo bakery on our website hospitalitytrends.eu.
So consider entertaining your guests while they wait and thus make sure your “foodie-festival” visitor keeps coming back for more. We would love to visit festivals without lines but if that’s too much to ask.. at least keep them entertained!
Credits: Yoepz Kip & Kreeft
Credits: Yoepz Kip & Kreeft
Credits: Yoepz Kip & Kreeft
Credits: Yoepz Kip & KreeftLobster and chicken as main ingredient, slightly different as the old fashioned Surf & Turf. Restaurant Yoepz Kip & Kreeft (Chicken & Lobster) from Utrecht (The Netherlands) will soon open a store in Amsterdam. read more
Buitenaanzicht 't Soldaatje VOC
Klaar voor ontvangst
Fotomuur
Aan tafel bij 't Soldaatje VOC
Het team van 't Soldaatje VOCSunday 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. read more
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? read more
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. read more
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. read more
Friet met kaviaar van Tante Nel
Friet met kaviaar van Tante Nel
Thrill Grill's friet. Credits: HOTSPOTHUNTER.COM
Frietje Nutella van Piet Friet
Frietje Nutella van Piet FrietOne 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 read more
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.
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. read more
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. read more
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.
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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. read more
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. read more
Approachable inspiration, trends and highlights from 2025 that can be easily applied to your own business in 2026. A whitepaper to scroll through when you read more
We’ve been enjoying glorious summer weather for a few weeks now, and the popular seasonal drinks are already known. Mocktails, cocktails, spritz variations, rosé, and read more
Saturday the new club Barkode at the Wagenstraat in Amsterdam opens its doors. The concrete, robust decoration, give the visitor the feeling that everything is allowed. No strict door policy, glamour or glitters. Everybody is welcome, even wearing regular jeans and sneakers. Co-owner Kim Loman says: “Its about time that the Berlin influences also appear in Amsterdam.”
Last weekend the most original hospitality entrepreneurs in The Hague were portrayed through a very special technique. Vodka brand Stolichnaya found the entrepreneurs behind. During the two-day exposition not the portraits only were revealed, but also the process of ‘vertical penplotter’ technique. The portraits can be admire at the locations. ‘The most orginal bar , deserve the most original vodka.’
A big annoyance of much online buyers, is to miss your order because you aren’t home. Delivery service Cardrops innovates to use the car of the customer as mailbox, and hopes to have the solution to this annoyance. The Cardrops software tracks the daily parking routine to deliver the order. With this new option, online buyers don’t have to wait at home or at a pick-up point.
It is not that common to gain direct feedback of your guests. Foodinc. Introduced a new guest satisfaction survey, called meView. MeView focuses on the total experience of the guests. The guest is able to write a review during dinner, by using the smartphone and QR code. The entrepreneur receives a direct report, which can be shared with the staff to focus on any possible improvements.
The Urban Cultivator Home is an all in one indoor home garden. You get 365 days of perfect growing conditions for all of your favorite herbs and veggies. Choose between the little kitchen version, or the big one on wheels. For everyone who loves fresh and healthy food.For a indoor garden at the restaurant, see this link.
Through the service So Wifi catering companies ask a like or check in for free wifi. The Coffee Company is a popular wifi working spot, the code on the receipt will give you access for one hour free wifi, after that you must order again. The company So Wifi has found another way for the companies to profit from the wifi they offer. When a customer wants to use internet, they arrive at the facebook page of the café or restaurant. The user has to like the page or check in before continuing.
Art Series hotels and Naked communications have created the ‘Overstay Checkout’. This service lets guests check out anytime until another guest arrives. If the room isn’t booked, guests can choose to checkout a few hours later, or even a few days later, for free! On the morning of departure, guests can call the reception to request Overstay Checkout, and they’ll be informed exactly for how long they can stay, depending on when the next guests are set to arrive. The Overstay Checkout is offered to guests of Art Series Hotels from December 16th untill January 13th 2013.
The Belgium town Bruges created a new website Visit Bruges, to attract more tourists. All the important tourist sites are clickable on the visual interactive website, like the Concert building, the Belfort and all other outdoor activities. The website is also available on the mobile smartphone.
Today the Week of the Belgium Fries starts. On the website you can do a test, and guess if these people can resist these fries. Can you resist the temptation?
UK department store Debenhams simplifies their coffee menu, in direct opposition to coffee shops like Starbucks. No low-fat soja milk caramel mocha frappuccino, but just a really really milky coffee or a chocolate flavoured coffee, available is a cup or a mug.
The Nightrestaurant is a recurrent yearly event and fights against food waste and aims to increase the awareness of the value of food. On November 29 the Nightrestaurant opens its doors for everyone to contribute to this imitative. You have a great idea to contribute? Let it know through the website.
On Sunday November 25, tourist center Historium opens its doors in Brugge (Belgium). Seven themed rooms show the tourists how the city looks like centuries ago. The center features a grand beer café, called Duvelorium, which is created in association with brewery Duvel Moortgat and designed by Puresang. The interior consists of traditional materials combined with contemporary aspects. Duvelorium is opened every day of the week.
In the ski area Hochzillertal Kaltenbach in Austria, you can go to the top in style. This ‘skimousine’ is an exact copy of the new BMW 7, including the leather, state-of-the-art sound system and heated chaires, and available for 2 persons. Make a reservation in advance.
The best restaurant of the world, Restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, with chef Rene Redzepi, shares her secrets with the rest of the world. He shows movies of several preparations of dishes, like a grasshopper sauce and now a movie how to turn ordinary plums into a fermented goodness.
These decanters of Riedel are really special. Available in several shapes and sizes which makes the wine even more beautiful. These decanters have a real wow-effect in your restaurant or on table during a dinner.
Surprise your youngest guests with a decorative dessert table in a specific theme. In this case, the Dutch ‘Sinterklaas’ is applied. On the website of ‘Gewoon Marieke’ (blog) several tips, recipes and printables are given.
Order your drinks through twitter of facebook with the Social Drinking Machine. Scan the QR-code, choose and order your favorite drink, show your receive QR-code to the machine and watch how the machine automatically prepares your drink. Watch the movie for an explanation.
Zagat released her 2013 guide to New York Restaurants, and these are the best restaurants of New York:
1. Le Bernadin – Frans restaurant van Maguy Le Coze en chef Eric Ripert
2. Per Se – met uitzicht over Central Park / with a Central Park view
3. Bouley
4. Daniel – klassiek restaurant en keuken – classical restaurant and kitchen
5. Eleven Madison Park
6. Jean George – Volgens Zagat ‘art on a plate’ / According to Zagat ‘art on a plate’
7. La Grenouille – Franse keuken / French dining
8. MAS (Farmhouse) – met een nieuw-Amerikaanse keuken / New-American cuisine
9. Sushi Yasuda
10. Sushi Seki
(Photo: Restaurant MAS)
Unfortunately not yet produced, but this would be a nice present tip; this cool cocktail shaker. Making cocktails is also very easy in use. You fill up the components, connect the components and start shaking.
In Amsterdam, a second location of the espresso bar Screaming Beans opened her doors. This location is not only focusing on the best coffee and tea, but offers as well a wide range of the best wines, accompanied with excellent food. An enormous wine cabinet is the real eye catcher of this location, which separates the kitchen of the restaurant. Screaming Beans is opened all day, 7 days a week.
Marjolijn Kamphuis of Foodzy is explaining the 10 most important trends in the food and social media industry.
1. The Rise of Niche Social Networks
2. Second Screen Everywhere
3. Content is king
4. Location is customization
5. Be your own health coach
6. Smart devices everywhere
7. Social Media charm offensive
8. Don’t waste food and money
9. Subscribe to Curation
10.Gamification
Watch the complete presentation here.
On Saturday November 17, International Club The Hague will open her doors officially. This is an informal social club for expats, and the family and friends of these internationals in The Hague, located in the former city hall at the Javastraat. International Club The Hague features a restaurant, including a chef’s table, a bar, a wine cellar, tv room, smoker’s lounge, library and a children’s room. This is (still) an official wedding location as well. Watch a short movie here about the International Club, including an interview.
At Stravinsky Eten & Drinken in Hengelo (the Netherlands) you can reload yourself, but from now your phone as well. This charging station, developed by Mobiel Bijtanken.nl, offers a place for your phone. Very clever and very hospitable!
Dutch Star chef Peter Lute says ‘Come and taste the province Noord-Holland!’ and brings back the culinary history of this province. The coming months, 9 top chefs of this province are looking for historical recipes which will be transformed to contemporary dishes. Everybody can submit their recipe which are finally bundled in a cook book. You also make a chance to win a master class of one of the chefs by sending your recipe.
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