He worked for Volvo Trucks for ten years, now Ikbal (35) has his own chip shop: “I make Juliens on request” (Ghent)

He worked on trucks at Volvo Trucks for ten years. Until he apprenticed with a childhood friend in Antwerp, who taught him everything about making fries. Three years later, Ikbal Cavdarli (35) starts his own chip shop, near where he grew up.

“It has already been very busy here,” says Ikbal Cavdarli proudly about his brand new chip shop on Heernisplein, on the border of the Dampoortwijk and Sint-Amandsberg. “I grew up here,” says the Ghent resident of Turkish descent. “I now live in Oostakker with my wife and two children, but this neighborhood is still in my heart.”

Cavdarli worked for Volvo Trucks for ten years, until he started working in the chip shop of a childhood friend in Antwerp. When a building owned by his brother became available, he decided to take the plunge and open his own chip shop. “You shouldn’t start a pita bar here, there are already enough of them in the street. While there are hardly any chip shops in the area. The nearest is the Dampoort chip shop, but that is already some distance away.”

Cavdarli thought of names such as chip shop ‘t Pleintje or ‘t Hoekske, but chose La Patata, the same name as the chip shop in Antwerp of his childhood friend. He also took over the menu of the chip shop in Antwerp, with some minor adjustments. (Read more below the photo)

“In Antwerp, warm curry sauce is doing very well, given the many Dutch people. I also put it on the map here, but the people of Ghent are clearly not fans. It was barely ordered so I already took it off again. I will make a Julientje upon request. They knew that in Antwerp too.”

During the week La Patata is open until 1 am, on Fridays and Saturdays until 3 am. “The other catering establishments in the street close at 10 p.m. While there are still a lot of people who want a snack very late at night.” Don’t feel like braving the rain? Then you can also order fries and frikandels via Takeaway. “You don’t even have to leave your couch for fresh fries,” says Cavdarli.

INFO: La Patata, Heernisplein 1, 9040 Sint-Amandsberg. Closed on Wednesdays.