Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day. After sleeping, it provides energy and helps kickstart digestion. With a nutritious breakfast, you lay a good foundation that benefits you throughout the day. Moreover, a breakfast can prevent a morning mood, because those who are hungry quickly become grumpy!

UNPACKING

When staying at Van der Valk, you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the morning. Koenraad Baerken, project chef at Van der Valk Hotel Nuland-’s-Hertogenbosch, often sees guests dining in the restaurant for hours. 'Having breakfast in a hotel is truly a luxury,' he says. 'At home, you often grab something hastily from the fridge before heading to work or school. With us, the breakfast buffet is ready for you. Of course, you'll find the familiar products, but we also regularly come up with something new. Recently, we have a pancake machine, and on holidays such as Easter, Mother’s Day, and Christmas, we go all out with special dishes. That's when many people who are not staying here also come to have breakfast in the restaurant.'

APPRECIATION

At the breakfast buffet at our hotels, you will find fifteen kinds of spreads, ten different types of bread, various grains, yogurt, fruit juices, and fresh fruit. If you add up all the breakfast products, according to Koenraad, you end up with more than a hundred different choices. Naturally, allergies are taken into account. For instance, the range of gluten-free and vegan options has significantly increased in recent years. There must be something to suit everyone's taste. However, Koenraad and the kitchen team continue to listen to their guests. Koenraad: 'For example, we didn't have a toast machine yet. That was fairly simple to solve. When you subsequently hear that guests are happy with that machine at breakfast, it's very nice. Such an investment is then truly appreciated.'

SUSTAINABILITY FIRST

‘At Van der Valk, sustainability is a priority,’ says Koenraad. ‘We want to waste as little as possible. In our restaurant, guests barely ate white beans in tomato sauce. Therefore, we no longer offer that dish. If someone really wants something that is not on the buffet, we always see if it's possible to make it. In the open kitchen, our chefs prepare the dishes, making it easy to request something personalized. They prepare egg dishes exactly to order. Especially children enjoy getting a glimpse into the kitchen through Live Cooking. And as a chef, it is, of course, nice to see someone happy with what you’ve prepared with care.’ Because care, attention, and quality are paramount, Koenraad emphasizes. ‘Breakfast is often the last moment people are in the hotel; afterwards, they check out. If anything goes wrong, unfortunately, that is what guests remember from their stay. You want to leave them with a positive memory, so we do everything we can to ensure the breakfast goes perfectly!’