You can find the best terrace in Brabant in Reek. Catering business De Linde is number ten in the Terrace Top Hundred in the Netherlands. Owner Tom Van de Geijn is very proud: “There are about four hundred terraces with it. It was a mega surprise and I am also very proud of it.”
The list is compiled every year by Misset Horeca. In total there are fifteen Brabant terraces in the list. So the linden leads it.
On this Tuesday it is relatively quiet on the best terrace in Brabant, because the weather is not fully cooperating. Nevertheless, we find a group of cyclists from Twente, who have just enjoyed a cup of coffee and cake. They have no idea that they were on the best terrace in Brabant, but agree: “It was great, completely great,” says a man.
“The service was incredibly friendly and they have delicious cakes.” A lady from the cycling group agrees with the high listing of the Linde: “It was wonderful, I really enjoyed it. We didn’t know that this was the best terrace, had never heard of it. But tomorrow!”, She says laughing.
“We do our best, with genuine hospitality.”
For manager Tom van de Geijn, the high listing came as a complete surprise. On Monday he was with a part of his team at the prize -giving ceremony in Baarlo in Limburg last year: “We knew that we were in the top hundred. But if your name is not mentioned, then it is increasingly exciting.”
How do you achieve such a high listing? “We are very seriously busy with our profession and try to perform well every day. To do your best, with genuine hospitality. And there is a lot involved, because the jury is very strict,” says Tom.
The jury really pays attention to all kinds of details. “Whether your toilet is in order, whether your table is not wobbling, they are really very critical. Sincere hospitality and interest in the guest makes us think we have achieved this high score. We are very proud of our team. It is great that this is the reward.”
“The jury makes sure that the table is not wobbling.”
The Linde terrace is doing good business, says the manager. “We are a busy terrace and invest a lot in it. And that is bearing fruit, the guest knows how to find us well. We are on different cycling and walking routes, so the sun only needs to shine a little and we have filled our terrace well.”
It is of course also a boost for the staff. Waitster Jasmijn: This makes us even closer as a team. We have of course also worked very hard on it to earn that title. Everyone has been a bit sharper and we hope to stay that way. ”
According to Jasmijn, it is that staying sharp about details: “Plants on the table, clean cutlery, all drinks with the label forward, guests receive as quickly as possible. Everyone really does their best for this.”
Extra advertising does not really need De Linde as a good running catering business, but the high listing is a challenge for manager Tom: “There are always points for improvement. So I am also very curious about the jury’s reports. Because there is one Mystery Guest Been from the jury and he looked very critically at our case, what we do well and do less well. We discuss that internally. “
“And I am also going to do my best to end up even higher next year,” he continues. The challenge is to perform continuous. It is of course great that we end up so high in Reek, while there are also terraces in Burgundian cities such as Den Bosch, Eindhoven and Breda. ”