dinner A new way of looking at event catering in Brussels and Belgium Hugo Slimbrouck Destination Services Specialist March 2012

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1 dinner A new way of looking at event catering in Brussels and Belgium Hugo Slimbrouck Destination Services Specialist March 2012

2 Belgium is a genuine paradise for gourmet lovers. Food and wine are important elements of the culture which Belgians happily share with visitors from abroad. You do not need to go to a 3 starred restaurant to really enjoy a delicious and original meal. There are of course the classics: mussels & frites, waffles, chocolates and beer. For fine dining in Belgium, just expect the unexpected and don't be surprised to meet people who have travelled for miles to join the experience! In terms of event catering the same quality rules apply, topped of with a gentle touch of creativity. Enjoy!

You do not need to go to a 3 starred restaurant to really enjoy a delicious and original meal.

3 Table 1 Is not it difficult at some events to find your table? Some people find it annoying that they are not at the head table or one of the head tables reserved for VIP s. The Table 1 concept consists of upgrading everyone to first class... Every one is a winner and joins at the main table. This concept is available at some of the larger historic venues. Location: Bruges Historic Halls, Palais d Egmont,

for VIP s. The Table 1 concept consists of upgrading everyone to first class.

4 A room with a view When visiting a city it is always nice to get an overview. At conferences and meetings an interesting position is to aim for the higher ground. This location offers this, overlooking the center of Brussels from the museum quarter. The venue was created by one of the top Belgian architects and offers a stunning view from the museam quarter towards the Grand Place. Location: Brussels Museum Quarter

This location offers this, overlooking the center of Brussels from the museum quarter.

5 A night at the museum You do not have to be Ben Stiller to spend a night at the museum and this is not the Smitsonian. Picture yourself amongst Breughel, Rubens, Magritte and Alechinsky master pieces from the 15t century till today at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. Or a herd of dinausaurs Location: several museums in the Museum Quarter such as BOZAR, MIM, Magritte, Museum of Natural History

Picture yourself amongst Breughel, Rubens, Magritte and Alechinsky master pieces from the 15t century

6 Walking Dinner Walking dinners can be organised in nearly every possible venue. Ovation Belgium feels that after a busy day you do not have to run after your food so instead we have the food run after you. Location: multiple historic and at trendy industrial venues

Ovation Belgium feels that after a busy day you do not have to run

7 Cabaret Evening Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome In the last couple of years, there has been an revival of high quality cabaret acts. When considering a cabaret act, it might help to recall some of the acts you may have seen on the various talent shows on TV recently. In fact, some of those acts are readily available! The cabaret evening is a seated dinner event with several short interludes. The choice is yours: acrobatic troupes, balancing acts, circus shows, dancers and burlesque performers are just a few of the choices you have. Location: Brussels downtown

In fact, some of those acts are readily available! The cabaret evening is a seated dinner event with several short interludes.

8 Surreal No other city in the world combines the strange and the bizarre in such close proximity. And we are not even speaking about European politics here The Royal Museum of Fine Arts at the Place Royal in Brussels had long had a few rooms dedicated to the works of the Belgian born Surrealist, Rene Magritte, but June of 2009, opened the new Magritte Museum next door. Watch out how surreal banqueting can become if you leave it in our hands Location: Magritte Museum

Brussels had long had a few rooms dedicated to the works of the Belgian born Surrealist, Rene Magritte, but June of

9 C est du Belge Belgium as seen by its neighbours.. We all have this stereotype thoughts about our neighbours so why don t we just make an event out of it: with Belgian food, Belgian music, Belgian artists, Belgian chocolates, Belgian designers and Belgian beers (or wines!) and waffles... And why not crack a joke about us? Location: Belle Vue Museum (Royal Palace Complex)

event out of it: with Belgian food, Belgian music, Belgian artists, Belgian chocolates,

10 Royalty The history of our kingdom goes back to 1830 that is where the story begins, the story of how a small country can be so surprising, a story about a piece of land called Belgium. For nearly 200 years, an everchanging country, a land of good and bad fortune, uprising and war, democracy and kings. Location: the Belvue museum is part of the Royal Palace complex and has a direct underground access to the remains of the palace of Charles V.

For nearly 200 years, an everchanging country, a land of good and bad fortune, uprising and war, democracy and

11 Comic Strip Capers With more than 700 comic strip authors, Belgium has more comic strip artists per square kilometer than any other country in the world! It is here that the comic strip has grown from a popular medium into an art in its own right. Nowhere else comics are so strongly rooted in reality and in people's imagination. Tintin, Spirou, Bob and Bobette, the Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Blake and Mortimer, Marsupilami, and many others form a perfect theme for event catering. Locations: Comic Strip Museum, Hergé Museum (LLN), MOOF and other smaller venues.

Nowhere else comics are so strongly rooted in reality and in people's imagination.

12 Atomic Kitchen Slow food and fast food, molecular cuisine and fusion, Chef s creativity galore in Brussels and Belgium. In one place however, the food experience is stripped down to it s very basics: atoms put together that taste, look and smell well and leave a long lasting impression of the newest trend of food pairing. Location: the Atomium

In one place however, the food experience is stripped down to it s very basics: atoms

13 European Summit It should not only be politicians who wine and dine in the Brussels palaces. Through our intimate relationships with institutional leaders and politicians, Ovation has access to some of the most private venues; so if you want to wine and dine like Sarko and Merkel let us know, we ll make it happen. Locations: European Parliament, Egmont Palace, the Solvay library, the Palais des Académies, the Royal Palace

of the most private venues; so if you want to wine and dine like Sarko and Merkel let us know, we ll make

14 Madame la Baronne Madame est servie. The count has come back from his hunting trip. Cocktails are being served in the library whilst the latest finishings are being adapted to the festive dinner table in the great banqueting hall. Time for you and your guests to take your places. For some reason, Belgium has so many châteaux with a multitude within a short drive from the capital city. Some Grand Locations: Chateau de la Hulpe, Chateau de la Rocq, Kasteel van

table in the great banqueting hall. Time for you and your guests to take your places.

15 Floral Antique Tourists have long marvelled at the beauty of Belgium's ancient monuments and castles.the province of Brabant is home to several of them, testimony to a glorious past, but the castle in the pretty village of Grand Bigard, home of the annual Spring Floral Show. Location: Groot-Bijgaarden near Brussels

the province of Brabant is home to several of them, testimony to a glorious

16 Toys for Boys At the Parc du Cinquantenaire, more than 250 vintage vehicles of various origin recount the history of automobile and illustrate the spectacular develeopment of cars over more than a century. What a wonderful setting for men and boys to enjoy dinner whilst dreaming away on a cross countryside drive. Location: Autoworld at the Cinquantenaire Complex

17 Harvard Lounge Top lawyers, bankers, economists and politicians meet in prestigious venues for top meetings. Brussels and other regional capital cities offer these locations. These venues are important for the long lasting memory that stays with participants to events of this sort. Very often, one remembers the stunning venue where the welcome reception or gala dinner took place. Location: Palais des Academies, Egmont Palace, Château Ste Anne,

These venues are important for the long lasting memory that stays with participants to events of this sort.

18 Summit Meeting Presidents and Prime Minister, MP s and MEP s, NATO and SHAPE, Unesco, United Nations and United Compact they all come to Brussels for summit meetings. With summit meetings come summit venues and Brussels has a wealth of this. Former palaces and grand hotels offer the perfect setting for your cocktails and gala dinner events. Locations: Belvue, Metropole, Plaza, Town Hall,

With summit meetings come summit venues and Brussels has a wealth of this.

19 Urban Jungle With Belgium s rich history in the Congo, some venues remind the visitor of the former Belgian colonies. But today the big city has become a jungle too. Locations: Africa Museum, Museum of Natural History with it s Dinosaur Collection, the Pavillion du Congo

But today the big city has become a jungle too.

20 Succulent & Sustainable Sustainable event management is important to us and many of our clients. To that effect, we offer old or transformed industrial heritage buildings as the venue for your event. To that effect Ovation has also adapted it s catering in association with some of Belgium s top catering companies. Some industrial locations: Tour & Taxi (Brussels), BN Electricity Central (Bruges), Eskimo Factory (Ghent), Hangar (Antwerp)

To that effect Ovation has also adapted it s catering in association with some of Belgium s top catering

21 Dine Around In this city that sits on Europe s linguistic and cultural divide, Brussels chefs combine a French flair for fine food with a German penchant for plentiful portions. Restaurants of all classes, character and ethnic background abound. Location: Ilot Sacré, Place Ste Cathérine, Sablon, Avenue Louise

Belgian Delights - Champagne, Chocolate & Beer

Belgian Delights - Champagne, Chocolate & Beer Enjoy a wonderful 2 or 3 Night Break to Belgium Staying in the picture-postcard Town of Leuven Just a stone s throw from Brussels stands the old Burgundian