With temperatures above thirty degrees for the third day in a row, the first regional heat wave in our country is a fact. The measuring station at Woensdrecht Air Base was the national first. About four kilometers from the airbase, at café Non Plus Ultra, it is even a bit hotter. “It is standard five degrees warmer here!”
When chef Gijs Verbraeken gets too hot for a moment, he flees to the freezer room to replenish the stock. Very often the cook does not use the escape route. “The blow you feel as soon as you step back into the kitchen is also not pleasant. But it is nice that it is possible.”
“Start earlier, drink a lot and take breaks.”
Owner Kees Palinckx is full of energy to help where necessary. “You have to start earlier on hot days, drink a lot and take a break. Then there is peace. And I make sure that I am there to guard that peace for everyone and to assist where necessary.”
The fact that it is five degrees warmer in the kitchen is not too bad, given that various deep fryers are in full operation and the grill is constantly on. “We have extraction that removes the hot air, but the fresh supply is outside air that is now also warm,” explains owner Kees.
“A lot of moisture and salt.”
The terrace is well stocked on this warm day. “The men mainly order beer and the ladies drink rosé on such days,” Kees confirms the cliché image. “But water is also ordered a lot and non-alcoholic beer is also becoming increasingly popular. In terms of food, the meal salad is going very well.” Kees himself is a lover of soup when it is hot. “It contains moisture and salt.”
The visitors are all sheltered under an awning on the terrace. “With this breeze in the shade and a beer, this is fun,” says a guest as he raises his pint. The ladies are not complaining either. “No, we don’t want a rain dance. Let it wash over you. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
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