Finally open: Brut 172 by top chef Hans van Wolde
The renovations are over and the wait is finally over: top chef Hans van Wolde’s restaurant Brut 172 is open at last. What can you expect?
What kind of restaurant is Brut 172? It is located in the farmhouse where Van Wolde lives in Reijmerstok, a village about a ten-minute drive from Maastricht. The interior reflects the marl landscape outside, with unfinished wooden tables and steel elements, all made especially for the restaurant. There is also a butcher’s shop, a wine bar and a patisserie. The restaurant seats 22 guests, while six more guests can sit at the kitchen table and watch the chef at work.
Pop-up restaurant across the street
Hans van Wolde first cooked at Beluga, where he was awarded two Michelin stars. In 2019, he handed Beluga over to a successor, his sous-chef Servais Tielman, so that he could focus on his new restaurant. It did not happen without a struggle: Van Wolde and Tielman faced each other in court in summary proceedings over hidden defects at Beluga. The successor was also not exactly pleased when Van Wolde opened a pop-up restaurant across the water, just a cartwheel away from his former restaurant, so the judge ordered that it too had to close in January.
Mandatory exercise
The requirements Van Wolde sets for the staff at his new restaurant are striking. They may not be older than thirty. Smoking and drinking are prohibited, at least until the end of their working week on Sunday. On Thursday morning, everyone, from chef to dishwasher, has to take part in a walk, run or bike ride. That way, everyone stays fresh and lively. In return, they get pleasant working hours: three and a half days of work and three and a half days off, because the restaurant is open from Thursday afternoon through Sunday.
Sausage, bread and butter
And what will we be eating? Van Wolde talked to the press about sausage, bread and butter. Amuses. Small dishes, preparations from around the world made with local ingredients. There are set menus ranging from six to ten courses, with a matching wine pairing. And anyone who wants to can soon stay overnight at Van Wolde’s, because the four suites in the farmhouse will be ready in spring.
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