LES FILLES
Transforming a former garage in Brussels into a central kitchen capable of producing up to 3,500 meals a day was not without its challenges. Jean-Michel Hendrick FCSI of BECP Concept explains how he came up with the solutions
T
he first drawings Jean-Michel Hendrick FCSI did for the small Brussels restaurant group Les Filles were to show the owner Line Couvreur that the site she was looking at for a new central kitchen was not suitable for her plans. A few months later a new site was found, and this time Hendrick saw that it could be made to work. Les Filles restaurants offer organic,
seasonal, nutritionally balanced meals. The ethos is green, and sustainability is very important to Couvreur. As her group of restaurants grew it made sense to move production to a central kitchen, with a plan to expand to offering Les Filles’ quality, perfectly cooked meals to supermarkets and other outlets under the name Les Filles Cuisinent. This (pre-pandemic) plan proved to make good sense in light of the way subsequent lockdowns and Covid restrictions have affected the hospitality sector. However, all this was unknown when the project
started. The new site was a former garage and although it offered the space needed for the kitchen, plus parking and access for delivery and pick-up trucks, there were a few challenges to overcome. The first challenge was the lack of facilities. “The
worst part was the drainage. There was nothing there,” says Hendrick. Before any work could start on the kitchen the concrete floor had to be dug up to allow drainage channels to be put in. The next problem was the building’s lack of windows.
“It was very important for Line,” says Hendrick. “She is concerned about sustainability and wanted her employees
to work in a pleasant environment.” Inserting windows required the façade of the building to be changed so Hendrick called in Brussels- based architectural firm protOtype to organize the permits to change the outside of the building. Once Hendrick made a list of the equipment needed for the kitchen another problem became apparent; the power supply to the building was not sufficient. The solution was a new gas supply line to the kitchen. There were delays with getting that in, but rather than hold up the project, Hendrick carried on with the rest of the work and the gas supply was connected later.
“Jean-Michel's concept closely followed our method of working and is perfectly arranged to ease our organization. Everything ensures a smooth workflow”
Left top: The restaurants' philosophy is organic, local and gourmet. Left below: The patisserie kitchen
One of the pieces of equipment on the list was a multifunctional bratt pan. Due to its versatility, it is a popular piece in commercial kitchens currently. Couvreur negotiated with the manufacturer MKN and was able to secure a discount on the price. In return she agreed that MKN could come to her kitchen if it wanted to demonstrate the equipment to potential customers. This helped the budget and enabled Couvreur to have an adaptable piece of kit at her disposal. “The hot kitchen is my favorite part of the finished project, because it is the best equipped – with a multifunction cooker and its two mixed ovens,” say Couvreur. “The stainless-steel design is as functional as it is pleasing aesthetically.” Hendrick's plans for the kitchen had to be approved by the Belgian food safety agency. Their standards are, quite rightly, high, but because this kitchen is not only cooking for the restaurant customer (b2c), but also for selling pre- prepared meals to other outlets (b2b) the rules are even
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