Experience

ANTWERP | Loodswezen to house Smaakhaven or Taste Haven, a Flemish Culinary Centre

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Toerisme Vlaanderen or Tourism Flanders is investing 38 million euros for a Flemish Culinary Centre at Antwerp‘s Loodswezen. It will be named Smaakhaven or Taste Haven. 

“Gastronomy is an essential part of our Flemish culture”, the announcement says. “We want to support, strengthen and share this in the Smaakhaven. Based on those three pillars, elaborated in eight concepts, the Smaakhaven will continue to take shape in the coming years.

The Smaakhaven is be the showcase of culinary Flanders. “An open house where all those passionate about food come together to strengthen our culinary tradition, innovation and reputation and share it with the world. Visitors from Belgium and from abroad, local residents and food professionals will be able to discover unique flavors and innovative, sustainable products and ideas from all over Flanders.”

Eight building blocks

  1. The Taste Machine. De Smaakmachine will be the beating culinary heart of Smaakhaven, a world-class central kitchen where chefs and students create, learn and experiment together.
  2. The Taste Table. Afterwards we join the Smaaktafel, the guest table where the chefs and students present their creations to an international audience.
  3. The Taste Studio. De Smaakstudio provides tasteful audiovisual content. For example, the influence of Smaakhaven extends far beyond the national borders. With a strong digital story, we put our Flemish masters of taste on the international map.
  4. The Taste Bar. Of course, gastronomy is not just about food. In the Smaakbar taste masters and visitors can taste the enormous diversity of regional drinks, beers and wines.
  5. The Taste Shop. De Smaakzaak will be the showcase of culinary Flanders, with thousands of unique flavors and products from every region. Taste lovers receive the necessary explanation and background about the products and can immediately purchase them.
  6. The Taste Demo. Prefer to sample first? Which can! In the Smaakdemo, producers and promoters get the chance to put their product in the spotlight and have it tasted. A demonstration is also possible here, in order to highlight the numerous innovations from our food and agro industry.
  7. Taste works. With the Smaakwerken, the Smaakhaven offers an inspiring multifunctional workspace where everyone with a passion for taste and other creative people can go. This will be the perfect environment for fresh ideas and collaborations.
  8. The Taste Hall. Finally, outside the main building you will find the Smaakhal, a multipurpose open space where small culinary events can be set up.

“With this powerful mix of interpretations, the Smaakhaven will strengthen culinary Flanders and put it on the map at home and abroad”, Tourism Flanders says. 

Flag of Flanders.

Motivation

Tourism Flanders  is supporting the repurposing of the iconic 19th-century Loodswezen site on the Antwerp Scheldt Quays. 

“Together with the culinary sector, we have thought about a new destination for the building. In the meantime, the decision has been made: in a few years the Smaakhaven will be here, a culinary center that will become the home base of gastronomic Flanders.”

“The broad outlines have already been drawn up and the plans will be made concrete in the coming years. The Smaakhaven will be an open house where Flemish culinary entrepreneurs can demonstrate their knowledge and innovation. You will be able to follow workshops, cooking classes and tastings. The establishment as a culinary center will create many possibilities, such as the recording of cooking programs and the organization of gastronomic events. In addition, you will also be able to buy Flemish quality products. For culinary entrepreneurs it will be an inspiring place where they can set up new initiatives together. In short: the Smaakhaven will be the showcase of culinary Flanders.”

Implications

The investment is a commitment lasting until 2030. But this 38 million gift from Flanders means other congress tourism investments will not receive Flemish subsidies anymore. Support for congress tourism has been cut from 84 to 38 million euros. 

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