More than 1,500 takeaway menus were sold at Cachette today. “The number of orders pleasantly surprised us,” says Thijs Gelaude of Catering Cachette. “Everything is produced here on site and Willem is of course also a very commercial chef. He often appears on screen and that attracts people, even from far outside the region.”
Customers come not only from West and East Flanders, but even from Brussels. “Some people drive here specifically to pick up their menu and then return home to celebrate New Year’s Eve.” According to Cachette, the success of the takeaway menus also lies in the simplicity of the concept. “The menus have been put together in such a way that people at home have no extra worries and can fully enjoy themselves. Customers can opt for an extensive five-course menu, supplemented with various snacks.”
“We ordered the five-course menu with snacks to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home,” says customer Bart Noppe. “Just good food from here, with a glass of wine.” Marc Vermeulen also comes to pick up his order. “It’s a box with all kinds of snacks, a starter, a main course and a dessert. My wife ordered it, I can pick it up,” he laughs.
The menu is a combination of the styles of both Willem Hiele and Thijs Gelaude. “All sorts of delicious things from the sea and the polders,” explains star chef Willem Hiele. “River eel, oysters from our country, my bisque, lobster, and also some Eastern influences such as taboulé. It is a fresh mix, ideal to start the new year.” Willem Hiele himself stands behind the stove in his restaurant in Oudenburg on New Year’s Eve. “We receive 52 guests and serve our seasonal menu. We start the new year with nice music, a glass of champagne for everyone and good prospects.”