Thousands of Ostend shrimp croquettes got the thumbs up during the shrimp croquette festival in the seaside resort last weekend. 11 restaurants presented their best produce. The restaurants produced some 4,500 croquettes each for the annual festival, whose tickets are always quickly sold out.
11 Ostend chefs compete to obtain the title of ‘the best shrimp croquette in the seaside town’ for their product. ‘We wanted to make 4,500 in advance but didn't succeed because our restaurant was also fairly busy,’ says Stephen Foubert of Bar Foubert.
‘We made 2,500 croquettes and last night added even more. We add extra flavour to our shrimp croquettes by adding dried shrimp heads!’
It’s a successful formula!
The Ostend shrimp croquette festival has become a huge success in recent years. ‘We sold 7,000 tickets in only 20 minutes last June. That was a record,’ explains Niels D'Hoedt of the Ostend tourism agency.
‘The product is a perfect matches for the City of Ostend. In addition, it is fun because a judging process is involved. Everyone is their own jury and chooses their own favourite. At this festival, you can taste 11 totally different croquettes in a very short space of time. That concept works!’
‘We don't yet know whether we will expand in future. It is something we can be explore, but we also have to be able to handle the capacity logistically. Restaurant owners must also be willing to want to expand with us. But today we have a top-notch festival, and that makes us happy. People don't have to queue too long and can quickly taste a croquette.’