A week ago it was a culinary ‘shock’ for the 4500 guests who had already made reservations for the event ‘Asparagus in the field.’ With a heavy heart, organizer Frank de Bot announced that the annual very popular pop-up restaurant, in the middle of the asparagus fields of Cromvoirt, will not take place this year. “There is a scarcity of everything, a lack of personnel and suppliers who are willing but unable to deliver. It’s a drama.”
Due to corona measures, the culinary event ‘Asparagus in the field’ was canceled in 2020 and 2021. “But, for the 2022 edition, all the signals were green again,” says Frank de Bot. “It was allowed again and in advance there was already enormous interest in coming to eat in the temporary pop-up restaurant. 4,500 people had already made reservations.”
“There is no way to get staff.”
“The bummer is the lack of everything,” says Frank de Bot. “There is no way to get staff. A German supplier of the most modern kitchen equipment, which the top chefs can try out during the event, was also unable to deliver. A supplier of the reservation system cannot manage it either. There is a lack of tents and a lack of catering equipment. There is a scarcity of everything.”
“The problems piled up in such a way that I had the feeling that the string around my neck was tightening a little bit more each time. It gave me sleepless nights and it’s not worth it to me. It is better not to do it than to organize it half or poorly: quality comes on foot and goes on horseback,” says De Bot in his variation on a Dutch proverb.
Frank de Bot emphasizes that there is nothing financially wrong with the event. “Absolutely not, we were already at 4500 reservations and there was no problem in that area,” he emphasizes. “The biggest problem is staff. During corona, tens of thousands of catering employees started working at the GGD, many self-employed people have also switched to construction.”
“On to next year with hopefully your beautiful event again.”
Between 2015 and 2019, asparagus in the field attracted thousands of lovers of ‘white gold’ to the equally white tents between the asparagus fields in Cromvoirt. “This year we would have 140 guests for lunch and 140 guests for dinner every day,” says Frank. He was inundated with especially understanding reactions to the decision that asparagus cannot be eaten in the field this year.
“Sad for everyone involved and looking forward to a great event. Keep your head up”, responds Robert Jan van Kampen on Facebook. “What a pity. Certainly a difficult but ultimately necessary decision to guarantee quality. On to next year with hopefully your beautiful event again”, Jeroen Krijbolder reacts. And there are dozens of responses.
“Which grower will receive the trophy this year.”
Incidentally, the Brabants Asperge Genootschap will announce the winner of the ‘tastiest asparagus in Brabant 2022’ on Monday (April 25). Because despite all the problems for catering entrepreneur Frank de Bot, the asparagus continues to grow on all fields.
“The test panel had a difficult task to award points from the many samples supplied to asparagus, but in the end a winner emerged,” according to the association. “Which grower will receive the trophy this year?”