Restaurant Day

Anyone can open a pop up on Restaurant Day!

With Restaurant Day we invite everyone to open a pop up restaurant for a day and be part of the recurring worldwide food festival. It encourages social interaction and spontaneity in the city. 

Coffee and cakes at the docks, treats from the trunk of a van, a six-course dinner in a living room – what does your own ideal restaurant look and taste like? 

I initiated the first Dutch Restaurant Day in Amsterdam in August 2012, set up a Facebook page, reached out to food lovers and opened a pop up restaurant. Since then Restaurant Day popped up every three months around Holland: in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag, Breda, Arnhem, Leeuwarden, Maastricht and many small towns. Many original restaurants opened for a day.  

I opened many pop up restaurant with friends. Like The Farmacy, Flower Fuel, Bed & Breakfast Bar, The Cookie Jar…

As this was a voluntary project on the side, I passed on the honor to my successor. 

Media
The Dutch Restaurant Day was covered by NRC Next, Volkskrant, Parool, Elle Eten, Radio 538 and many many blogs. 

Positive impact
~ It evoked lots or creativity, social interaction and tasty experiments
~ Over 60 pop up restaurants joined every three months, in Amsterdam and beyond
~ Several pop up chefs were so successful that it lead to a permanent restaurant or catering company
~ Online fanbase in Amsterdam quickly rose up to 2600+

Role
~ Founder of Restaurant Day in Amsterdam
~ Communication & PR
~ Community building with social media and involving foodies & photographers
~ Opening my own pop up restaurants 

Team & Partners
~ Pioneering in the Netherlands
~ Working together w/ the Finnish initiators & ambassadors from all over the world