Nr°43_IMAGE OF THE DAY

(The) Jane is dressing herself.

Visiting the website of the soon-to-be-open_long-expected Antwerp restaurant of star chef Sergio Herman and Nick Bril, you are entertained by a strange moving swirl, or shall I say by fairy dust sparklings on the home page.
The Jane (that will be the name of Sergio's restaurant) is been constructed at this very moment in a magnificent chapel, shown on a black & white picture, the background of the fairy dust animation.

This animation is an art project called "Reversed Striptease" by Rahi Rezvani. When the website just launched in November 2013, I took this screenshot, intrigued by the full frontal naked 'Jane' surrounded by builders scaffolding. At that moment you don't realize Jane was going to be transformed. 
Off course she does.

So today, checking out the waiting list for reservations (the Jane opens March 25 th and is already fully booked for the next 3 months), there she was again: Jane, now wearing underwear, and after some extra sparklings, a small part of her dress or skirt appears.
A very fun and surprising evolution, and I love it. Jane and The Jane are dressing themselves, to be ready for the 25 th. Simple, strong and attitude. As I like it.
That's why Jane made it to my 'Image of the day' post.

As Nick Bril,Sergio Herman’s right-hand man at Oud Sluis and responsible for the kitchen at The Jane mentions in the press release: "‘We felt from the start that the restaurant should have a woman’s name, but it took us a while to decide which woman’s name. Jane is the name of a fictional woman with the same qualities as our restaurant. The Jane will be sensual, exciting and chic. It will have an attractive international air, but also a hint of darkness. It will be tasteful and sophisticated, but also rock-’n’-roll. Like our perfect woman.’

About The Jane
The Jane restaurant opens at the 25th of March 2014 in the chapel of a former military hospital in Antwerp. The restaurant is an initiative by Sergio Herman, his right-hand man Nick Bril and designer Piet Boon. ‘We want to create a cosmopolitan atmosphere at The Jane,’ explained
Nick Bril. ‘Guests will be welcome throughout the evening. Whether you are looking for a cocktail and a snack – which we will be continuously preparing and serving in The Upper Room Bar – or a comprehensive tasting menu, we’ll be open for everything and everyone. Our plan is to develop The Jane into an Antwerp classic.’

About the Upper Room Bar
The food and cocktail bar associated with the restaurant will be called The Upper Room Bar. When choosing the name, Sergio Herman was inspired by his favourite places in London and New York. The Upper Room Bar will serve cocktails and quick snacks, prepared behind the bar. Like The Jane, it will be open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

About Rahi Rezvani

Rahi Rezvani (1978) was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where he studied graphic design. At the age of 19, after making a reportage perceived insubordinate, he was forced to leave his family. Rahi ended up in the Netherlands and started a second study at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.

Don't look for The 'naked' Jane. She's gone. That's the nice part of this artwork. Everyday the reversed striptease goes on, and Jane, she doesn't look back, or restarts her dressing up. That was for the lucky early birds.

http://www.thejaneantwerp.com

http://www.sergioherman.com

http://rahirezvani.com

©ALL photos by Rahi Rezvani for The Jane

Sergio cooked for my birthday-a life inspiration day

Booked 10 months upfront, but finally: the day I was looking forward too. My birthday December 11th, and Sergio was going to cook for me!
We arrived at 12 o' clock, in that strange little town called Sluis. Frequented in the weekends by loads of Belgians looking for cheap clothes and decoration stuff, 'volks' like we call it, and in the middle of this chaos: Sergio's 3 star heaven for the elite....

And yes, we felt privileged and part of the fabulous food elite when we left 6 hours later.... OS IS one of the best restaurants in the world.


It was our first time at Oud Sluis(really) although we visited Sergio's Pure C already 4 times, with some sleepovers in the Strandhotel and it's little beach house. We have our love for Ibiza in common with Sergio and Pure C feels a bit like home .

But let's start with the appetizers....

Even the butter in Oud Sluis is an adventure. Butter mixed with healthy algues.

Glass wear and porcelain so beautiful and made by different designers (Piet STOCKMAN, STUDIO JOB,...)

Bring back the Fall, as a remedy against the ones who don't like the Winter cold...

The wine was for me the revellation of the day. Great choices, amazing taste, surprising combinations... The girl sommelier found the exact balance between interesting product information and a good story. Not too much, just enough. And, the saké you see on the picture: one of the best we ever tasted.

The green mushroom and others

The golden crab.

Another special, rough presentation.

One of the many desserts, every one of them a mouthwatering festivity. And, that means something for me, a non desert  person.

Damien Hirst meets Sergio Herman. Chocolate skulls like brothers next one another.

Did I mention is was my birthday? We did at the reservation 10 months ago, and they remembered! A white porcelain cake with white candles made by Studio Job arrived at my table, and after blowing all!! the candles, the cake was removed. Underneath another sweet treat by the master himself, just for me. (Ivan and I split the dish off course!)

Peace for my birthday, with a golden box, a white peace sign and some ice pearls of a black plate. Designed pour moi!

And more.....

And more... This one was ' A mouthful of cherries'

The final touch, for the final touch. Gold again to end a golden day with delicious food from a fantastic team.

Part of the menu.

Sergio's restaurant is not too posh, there is an open kitchen, 'un atmoshpere décontracté' and the staff is in a relaxing way very sweet, young and mucho professional. All in blue jeans,a black blazer jacket and...the Music For Life badge, an initiative from a Belgian youth music radio Studio Brussel on dementia awareness.

And, was Sergio in his kitchen? Off course!
Did we meet? Off course.
We chatted about food, his stardom and his latest very cool book on 'kot food': student food made in student homes. This means low budget, XL creativity and weird combinations... Sergio pimped some of these student recipe's and made them 'touched by his' signature. 
Great little booklet, no nonsense, like Mr Herman is in real life.

Thank you Sergio and team for a lovely extended birthday lunch, and we hope to see you back in Sluis, or maybe in La Chapelle Antwerp.

Kate

http://www.sergioherman.com/en/oudsluis/about/
http://www.lachapelleantwerp.com
http://www.strandhotel.eu/fr/resto-bar/