Even when we’re not traveling we’re always looking for new and exciting experiences. So when we were asked to have a taste of what ‘Vrienden van de smaak‘ is all about, we didn’t have to think twice. Don’t really know how to translate ‘vrienden van de smaak’, I guess it would be something like ‘friends of the taste’, but anyway: this event is all about great foods and drinks, unique locations and making friends.
Just imagine: a beach at sunset, a mystic monastery, a romantic castle garden, deep mysterious caves or a blooming orchard. The beautiful setting is dominated by a long dinner-table. There’s a (famous) top-chef preparing the most gorgeous dishes, plenty of fine wines and strangers becoming new best friends.
The dinners take place during summer, and since the location is always on a special place with a different chef preparing the menu, every dinner is unique. This culinary event is the Belgian equivalent of ‘Outstanding in the Field‘ in the US and ‘Buitengewoon in het land‘ in Holland.
A new round of dinners has just started, and to give you an idea, here are some pictures from our experience of the event in De Panne, a small Belgian town by the sea. Our posh beach picnic came with a short guided tour through some of the historical areas of De Panne, a perfect start to a wonderful evening.
Great way to start a dinner. Move over gin-tonic, here’s Campari-tonic! Our guide/fisherman When wearing new shoes and they hurt: just go barefoot! Taking a guided tour and admiring the typical houses The square Leopold I Esplanade Okay, enough sightseeing. When can we eat? The statue of King Leopold I Yummie! Of course we had to take a selfie! It’s getting darker… …and colder. Dinner’s finished Time to go home
Would you take part in a dinner like this? What’s the strangest/most unusual place you ever had dinner? Let us know!
27 comments
Wat een leuk idee om dit samen met je collega’s te doen. Dit jaar deden wij onze teambuilding in Haspengouw (http://www.dekerckhem.com), ook een aanrader!
What a great idea having dinner on the beach watching the sunset. That looks like a fun evening.
How cool is that from 1 to 10! Sounds worth making a trip for. When’s the next one? I would love to come!
How nice is this.Great food by the beach and nice sea blowing breezy with a glass of wine. What more to ask for?
Bathing Beauties on Butler’s Wharf
Campari!! I could drink bottles of that! I would love to do a dinner like that how do you get involved?
That’s the longest table I’ve ever seen on a beach, maybe even anywhere!
A very good idea. Interestingly, although I know that Belgium has a coast, I never quite pictured or imagined it. Not sure why. I also like the house Nina describes as her favorite. Good taste. 🙂
What an awesome idea for a beach picnic! It’s not everyday that you see a picnic like this and what awesome surroundings to sit down and enjoy your meal. That fisherman looks like a real character as well!
Wow! I would most definitely take part in a dinner like this!! I just looked at the website for the American version (even though I live on the other side of the world). It seems rather pricey but totally worth it!
My weirdest dinner? I don’t know… Never had an unusual one :/
This looks awesome – good setting, good people and good food – dont need much more 😉 sign me up!
I love this, I have heard about the one in France before and we Brits love a street party (but only on a big occasion like a royal wedding). It looks fab – as does the aperol spritz! Personally I love a picnic even without the seating, always a good call travelling with cutlery, plates, glasses and a bottle opener as there are so many nice places to picnic and it won’t break the bank either!
That’s quite some picnic – I’ve never done anything like that!
Awesome! Can anyone just turn up to those feasts? That looks like an amazing experience!
You just need to make a reservation through their website, that’s it. 🙂
Sounds so nice! I’d love to have a nice dinner on a beach like that.
That is so cool! Need some on a beach near me! 🙂
wow that picnic looks excellent! Very posh indeed. I want a campari tonic
Great idea! No wonder strangers became friends after so many bottles of Campari 🙂
Never heard of this dinner but it sounds like a great experience. The best unusual dinner I ever had was Thanksgiving in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Will never forget it. 🙂
Waauw, great way to celebrate Thanksgiving! 🙂
What fun! I would love to do something like this.
So cool! How do you end up at one of these? Is there a waiting list? I would love to take part in these. Having an expertly prepared meal and some cocktails in a nice setting sounds about right to me.
Hi Dave. No, there’s no waiting list, you just have to make a reservation through their website. But: they only organize these kind of dinners in Belgium (and US and Holland, these are different organizations but they offer the same thing).
Looks great. My strangest dinner was in a small village in Kenya. We had fried fish from Victoria Lake and it was the best fish I have ever tasted.
Sounds like a great experience Bente! 🙂
This looks awesome! What a cool idea – I’d love to try!
This looks like a great idea! Will remember it, thanks.