The restaurant Refoodgees that employs new arrivals and refugees is opening at a second location, albeit temporarily. From today at least until 16 March, diners can visit the iconic Villa Empain for a wide range of Middle Eastern dishes.
The Villa Empain restaurant has already had several temporary operators since 2018, including renowned chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre and, more recently, Lebanese-Armenian pop-up restaurant Beli. That collaboration ended early last year.
Now it is the turn of Refoodgees, the social restaurant that opened its first venue in the heart of Sint-Gillis last summer. It immediately became very popular.
The restaurant wants to offer opportunities to refugees and people who have just arrived in Brussels. By offering them a job, they acquire new skills, which can help them on the labour market. The team at Refoodgees also guides the newcomers towards a real job in the catering industry.
A top location for world cuisine
Like in Sint Gillis, the menu at Villa Empain will reflect the diversity of the staff. Chef Abdulrahman Aljassem, a former employee of the first Refoodgees venue, hails from Syria and will focus on Levantine gastronomy.
The restaurant, in the Villa's former smoking room, seats 28 customers. There is also a small terrace, overlooking century-old pines, which will be open in fine weather.
Refoodgees is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11.30am to 5.30pm and serves Middle Eastern brunch at the weekends. Guests who do not necessarily want to do a tour of the villa, an art-deco gem, are also welcome at the restaurant.