The Jong Keukengeweld initiative has achieved a record number of participants during the 2024-2025 season’s first edition, the organisation announced on Sunday.
From 1 October to 10 November, young people aged 18 to 35 had the opportunity to dine at one of the participating restaurants in Flanders and Brussels.
Horeca Vlaanderen organises the annual event where young people are offered a three-course meal, paired with drinks, for prices between €59 and €69.
With 31 ambitious newcomers and 42 familiar tastemakers, the collective of Jong Keukengeweld this season (2024/25) counts no fewer than 73 young chefs from 70 restaurants in Flanders and Brussels.
The record number of covers can partly be explained by the extension of the age limit for participants, which was raised from 30 to 35 years this year. When the reservation site was launched it became overloaded with demand and quickly crashed. Additionally, a record number of female chefs took part, with 9 out of the 73 chefs being women.
"Despite the unfortunate, turbulent start, we are extremely proud that we reached almost 38,000 young people with our attractive culinary offer during this first youth campaign. And so gave them a taste of our delicious cuisine," says Matthias De Caluwe, CEO at Horeca Vlaanderen.
This edition kicked-off on 9 September at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp and ended on Saturday. The second edition will take place in the spring of 2025.
For more information, visit the Jong Keukengeweld website.