Ghent’s largest open-air restaurant opens again tonight: here are 7 reasons to go to Gent Smaak (Ghent)

1. 65 exhibitors

The twelfth edition of Gent Smaak will take place from 8 to 12 May. There are 65 exhibitors spread over the Korenmarkt, Little Turkey, Goudenleeuwplein, city hall and Poeljemarkt. Boker Tov, Soul Kitchen, Gwenola and Heritage, among others, will have a stand.

2. Workshops

You can move from stand to stand, but you can also participate in workshops during Gent Smaak. There is an outdoor cooking workshop, a workshop on coffee with Charlène De Buysere of Way Coffee, on Korean cooking with Ae Jin Huys of Mokja, on chocolate with Ellen Taerwe of Holy Cow Chocolate, on kombucha and fermentation and on Italian cooking with Sarah. Puozzo. You can register via the website.

3. For children

Children can have fun on the Goudenleeuwplein throughout the festival. There they can make edible marbles, experiment with tea, follow a culinary quest and more.

On Saturday, children between nine and fourteen years old can experience what it is like to run a restaurant themselves. They can work in the kitchen or the hall themselves, under the guidance of five child-friendly chefs from Ghent. Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters can come and taste at the end.

4. For young people

New this year is the youth lunch for young people and young adults under the age of thirty. They can register for a five-course menu for 65 euros, provided by Karel De Clercq from Komparto. This in the context of Ghent Youth Capital. A sneak peek: participants will be spoiled with, among other things, an aperitif of their choice, grilled sucrine with béarnaise, and beef tenderloin with port sauce.

5. For moms

Since the last day of the festival coincides with Mother’s Day, the organizers have specially provided a Mother’s Day lunch. If you would like to spoil your mother with something other than flowers or chocolate, you can participate in this lunch together.

6. Chef’s Island

The city hall is again renamed ‘Chef’s Island’. Nine Ghent chefs will serve gastronomic dishes there for five days, this year with vegetables in the leading role.

7. Ghent tunes

Typical Ghent music is played every day between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. On Wednesday evenings and Thursday evenings, DJ Lieven Batjoens provides atmospheric music. DJ Markee takes over that task on Friday evening and Saturday evening.

Practical

Entrance to Gent Smaak is free. You can pay at the stands in three ways: via Payconiq, bank card, or with a card that you can load with cash.

The festival starts on Wednesday, May 8 at 5 p.m. and runs until midnight that day. On Thursday, May 9, the festival runs from 11 a.m. to midnight, on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 from noon to midnight and on Sunday, May 12 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Website: www.gentsmaak.be