The Grand Café, which by now is not so grand anymore, will finally reopen after countless attempts. As in investing, past results offer no guarantee for the future. One thing is certain: we’re not stepping in at the peak, and what once turned out to be a peak didn’t feel like one at the time, because it wasn’t that high at all.
After a long, calm, and fairly prosperous period (the “peak”), when Martien was cooking for us and Sanne and Maaike took care of the guests, an extremely turbulent period followed after their departure and Covid. The restaurant even went bankrupt, which now feels like a valuable experience because it triggered positive change. The chefs who started afterwards have since left as well. At the moment, things are running much better, but without chefs. (Anyone interested in the story behind the bankruptcy can read more in this blog.)
Because things weren’t working, we changed many aspects. This likely wouldn’t have happened if Martien and Maaike had stayed, because things were actually going quite well then. You could say their departure turned out to be a benefit: it made it very clear that the restaurant’s setup wasn’t right. It was far too large (though great for guests): cleaning 20 toilets, walking 40 meters to the freezer, mopping 450 square meters of floor, covering long distances to the terrace, no doors opening directly outside, and no small, cozy tables for two. It was special, but barely profitable.
Since then, we’ve experienced the opposite with the “Green Restaurant” in the hotel lobby. It’s compact, attractive, and intimate, allowing us to take good care of guests with a small team. With some smart adjustments, we can still accommodate quite a number of visitors.
More important than the building and its surroundings are the people. Jeroen van Rooij, with whom we’ve worked regularly since the long table dinner with Sergio Herman, will take charge of the restaurants, focusing mainly on creating a great guest experience. In the kitchen, the new chef, Rolf van Wijk, is raising the bar again.
During the day, when the shop is open, a closed restaurant is an eyesore. The lively atmosphere of an operating restaurant on the street is of great value to the building and the neighborhood. So we’re reopening—but for lunch only. On Friday evenings, we’ll serve a single menu at a low price. This keeps things simple while ensuring the street-level restaurant is open at the most important time of day. In the evening, the Green Restaurant upstairs remains “the place to be.” During the day, the upstairs restaurant—with its sun-filled terrace—is always open for drinks and bites. Many visitors note that both spaces have a distinctly non-Dutch atmosphere, something everyone can once again fully enjoy.
For more information and opening hours of the Grand Café, view this page.
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