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"Come and discover the Place Ste-Catherine, a village in the city where nothing is in its original place but where everything is historical. A church in a basin, a basin in a subway, a fontaine replacing a bridge and a wheel without its bridge.

3 stories in one neighbourhood, the largest Beguinage of the 13th century, the first modern canal of the 16th and a friendly and vibrant district in 21st century!"

There is something epicurean about this neighborhood, a delicious mix of arts of living, a history that hovers and is created every minute with those who visit and those who live and work there.
The Place Ste-Catherine district is vibrant, creative and gourmet too, it is friendly, popular and very select too, we mix, we stop to taste, only quality is recognized, here we do not kid with the quality of products!

Ste-Cath-Kat is more than an association, it's a group of passionate people, artisans of taste, good products and friendly and professional service, it's also a heritage, a way of doing business today, so that the beautiful history of this Brussels neighborhood continues tomorrow.



Let's talk with Wouter Vermeulen, president of Ste-Cath-Kat assoc.

LB > Wouter Vermeulen, being a craftsman, what does this notion of craftsmanship mean to you, what is your definition of a craftsman?

WV > It is all about a passionate love for the product. The power and the beauty of craftsmanship lies in the curiosity and in the eagerness to go for new challenges within the field of the product he’s handling. It’s a constant process of learning and enhancing the beauty of it.

LB > Here, in this famous neighborhood of Sainte. Catherine, your maison Mer du Nord is an institution, as are many of the members of your association Ste-Cath-Kat, can you present us this association, its history?

WV > The committee was established in the eighties by a group of merchants and restaurateurs on the ‘fishmarket’ and surrounding streets. It is important to mention that at the time, this neighbourhood was very famous for its fish restaurants. At the time there were also numerous warehouses of fish wholesalers around here. Unfortunately, the last of them has moved two years ago. They all redirected their activities outside the city center. It was no longer feasible logistically to continue their business here.

One of the inspirers and founding father of the committee has always been Freddy Devreker. Now over 80 but still active with his son Serge in one of the most exquisite traditional fish restaurants of the neighbourhood. “La Belle Maraichère”
Although “Ste Catherine”, that’s how the area is commonly called now, has considerably changed the past few years, there are still some very good restaurants left. All family businesses with a passion for good food and kitchen. Worth paying a visit!
Moreover, we are very proud that during the last decade, a lot of real artisans and specialist food shops have opened in the ‘Rue Ste Catherine’. This street has become THE foodie street in Brussels.
In no other quarter in Brussels so many exquisite food shops can be found together: Dierendonck ( one of the most famous butcher’s in Belgium), Comptoir de Tom (delicatessen), Champigros (mushroom and truffle specialist, fresh ‘primeur’ vegetables and fruits), a fantastic bakery Charly, Cremerie de Linkebeek, an artisan cheese shop and the daily arrival of fresh fish and goodies from the sea at Noordzee.

Even tourists who pass through our streets are amazed by the quality and abondance of good food here! The burgundy Brussels life!

LB > You spoke earlier about quality in this notion of craftsmanship.
The Mer du Nord brings together all kinds of audiences and the quality of the products offered here is clearly recognized. What is the most difficult thing to manage, this permanent search for quality? The level of service of the house?

WV > This is the daily task of the artisan/merchant! Being vigilent every hour, every day of the year! Checking the quality and the freshness of the product, keeping an eye on the service towards the customer. Quality not only lies with the product you are selling, it also lies with the the service and the customer friendliness and the hospitality of the staff. It is a constant challenge. Day in day out.

LB > We were able to see you, the Mer du Nord and the members of Ste-Cath-Kat, at the LB inauguration ceremony at the Theatre Le Plaza Brussels, last Feb.20 It was your association that provided the excellent food and other truly divine gourmet creations. Is this the type of partnership you are looking for to promote Ste-Cath-Kat, these opportunities to let the quality, the craftsmanship and the creativity of Brussels shine, values that are which are indeed very well represented in your association!?

WV > We were enchanted by the invitation and proud to be able to show (if only a fraction) of the assets of our neighbourhood. We have all been through a difficult time the past two years and a partnership from which both partners could benefit, would do us all good, I think!

Plus d'infos sur Ste-Cath-Kat (Port de mer association Place Ste-Catherine, Brussels) > Here