It sounds like a bad joke: two Rotterdammers who start a restaurant in Amsterdam. “My other business is so close to De Kuip that you can throw a stone in it.” But entrepreneurs Patrick Bholanath and Ramazan Özten dare to do it. ‘When I saw the building I was immediately in love,’ says Patrick Bholanath.
Confident
The two entrepreneurs have an employment agency, scaffolding company and are involved in car materials. Patrick is not unsure about the success of the new restaurant. “When you see the place, the question whether it will be a success seems superfluous to me.” Patrick and Ramazan had to wait a long time for the permits to be approved. They already submitted an application at the end of January. ‘My mother always said: every disadvantage has its advantage. Because of the delay, we were not in the middle of the lockdown and I did not have to fire any staff. ‘
Mediterranean cuisine with a glass of wine
The kitchen will be Mediterranean, which is why it was important for the two people from Rotterdam to have an alcohol license in addition to a terrace permit. ‘You just have to be able to enjoy a glass of wine on our terrace, otherwise you can’t start a restaurant either.’ In addition, according to Patrick, the location is the ideal place for an alcoholic snack. “The terrace is also too beautiful not to serve alcohol.”
Open as soon as possible
The plan is to open before the end of the summer, but the entrepreneurs are not really sure. ‘The biggest work is in the renovation of the interior’, Patrick explains. How many seats they will create on the terrace and the square is still uncertain. ‘That really depends on the layout we are going to make, but we haven’t finished it yet.’ The square in front of the business can largely be used for a terrace.
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