Old China Hands lunch 6 December

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Our monthly lunch at Morel’s Restaurant

The Old China Hands lunch 6 December 2019 was the last lunch of 2019, a year where we enjoyed our monthly lunches. We were well over 30, a pretty nice number for the time of the year. The list of “members” is now well over 100!

Normally everybody goes for the (special) business lunch but one insisted for a fondue. Can’t blame him, the fondue is great, see the menu.

Our next lunch

Next round is on Friday 3 January 2020, the first lunch of the new year. I decided to keep it on the first Friday, whoever is in town!
To all our OCH friends, a Happy New Year, also the Year of the Rat (my year), coming soon.

Meeting Jan Jambon

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Morel’s Restaurant

My friend’s restaurant is “the” place to meet interesting people. Like meeting Jan Jambon, who signed the VIP book of the restaurant.

On 25 September 2017 he had lunch there, when he was on an official visit:
H.E. Mr. Jan JAMBON, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Security attended the 86th INTERPOL General Assembly session in Beijing; accompanied by H.E. Mr. Marc VINCK, Ambassador of Belgium.

He was again in Beijing in November 2019 during the Belgian Economic Mission to the People’s Republic of China, presided by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium, Representative of His Majesty the King  in his capacity as Minister-President of the Government of Flanders and Flemish Minister for Foreign Policy, Culture, IT and Facilities. That time I did not meet him.

Giving my book

I took the opportunity to give a copy of my book Toxic Capitalism. Also present was my friend Peter Ritzen and his wife Stella, and of course chef Renaat Morel.
See the pictures:

Swiss cheese fondue in Morel’s

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Winter fare!

On 21 November a small group of friends (our typical Belgian-Dutch team) tasted the new Swiss cheese fondue in Morel’s. So what’s new? Instead of just pieces of bread to dip into the cheese, we got cubes of ham and carrots, and broccoli.
Both broccoli and carrots were cooked. Further possibilities are small young potatoes (with the skin) and cauliflower. Cauliflower might be a bit tricky as it breaks easily. Click to view the clip!

191121fondue

And yes, beware of losing your piece of bread or other in the pot… Remember the story of Asterix and Obelix in Switzerland…

 

Also served: Glühwein (mulled wine), much enjoyed by the ladies!

Governor of East Flanders

At another table was the governor of East Flanders (Didier Detollenaere). We chatted a little and Renaat was as usual the source of “real life in Beijing”. The capital of East Flanders is my hometown Ghent!
The restaurant has seen a long list of ministers and other “important people”, it is really “the” place to meet all kinds of people.

The story of the candle piece of art

You can’t miss in Morel’s Restaurant the big candle structure… Susan showed me the picture on how it all started, twelve years ago, with a simple wine bottle. Now, after hundreds of burning and dripping candles, it is massive.

 

Some Chinese even wanted to buy it! Don’t even think of touching it, you might get in trouble with Renaat!

Old China Hands lunch 19 October

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Our monthly lunch at Morel’s Restaurant

The Old China Hands lunch 19 October was different: exceptionally not on the first Friday of the month as the restaurant was closed due to the October 1 holidays.
We saw a moderate turnout with nearly 30 people, new faces, old faces.

The videos now online

As mentioned earlier, China Today made some videos of Renaat & Susan and myself (with the Old China Hands lunch).
All videos are now online:
http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/zw2018/rdzt/jzzg/index.html

Our next lunch

Next round is on Friday 1 November.
In the last lunch there was a misunderstanding about the coffee & tea. Yes, it was to be included in the price. Renaat Morel will offer a second cup at the next lunch if anybody wants!