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INSIDER TIPS BY TAN,OWNER / CHEF AT CAFE NOTTI
Tan – 'owner, chef, and dishwasher at Café Notti' – was born and raised in Bangkok, and now lives in Antwerp. She spent years working in Belgian kitchens, including a stint as head chef at Graanmarkt 13, before deciding to open her own place. Fusing familiar dishes with an Asian twist is her signature move.
01.
nectar
"I love Nectar. They always have the most beautiful flowers, and I also enjoy finding good shampoo and candle holders there."
03.
woche
"The handmade jewelry from Woche. I even bought personalized necklaces for my close friends from her."
“Since opening, the question I hear most often is: ‘Do you have smoskes or broodjes?’ I decided to explore that but give it my own interpretation, mixing in some of the dishes we had done before that people loved. The focus is on sauces, coulis, and drinks we make in-house, and when we cannot, we carefully select the best products from suppliers I have worked with before and from new ones who are amazing at what they do.”Taking something familiar and giving it a Notti twist has become a signature move. “People respond really well. They recognize the comfort of what they know, but also discover new flavors. Our menu changes often, always balancing classics with Asian influences.”Notti also invites pop-up chefs regularly. “The idea came naturally because of our location in the Watt building. Many of our regulars work upstairs, and I thought, why not make this a place where different chefs can come in, use the kitchen, and show their work? I invested a lot in the kitchen, and I love sharing it. For me, it is also a chance to learn from every chef who cooks here.It is not as easy as it looks. Each chef has to handle a fully booked service, often with a team working together for the first time. But everyone has done such a great job. I think it works because of the open kitchen. If you sit at the bar, you see everything: the cooking, the energy, the passion. You can even talk directly with the chef. That connection makes it special.Over the years I have also built friendships with a lot of talented chefs. Notti became a stage for them, a place to cook, test ideas, and connect with people outside their usual setting. We choose chefs whose food feels personal and whose story we want to share. I met Alicia while working at Le Pristine, Flor when he was still a student at Camino, Laurens, Igor and Benjamin through friends, and I have known Luca since he first started doing pop-ups. It keeps Notti alive and dynamic, and our guests love the surprises. The feedback has always been amazing, and I am always open to chefs who want to come cook here.Every time we host guest chefs, the crowd is a mix of Notti regulars, the chefs’ friends and family, and more and more people who discover us through word of mouth. I think it works because dinners here only happen once or twice a month. That makes it special. We decided to keep it that way, not more than twice a month.”
05.
cafe notti
"Matcha Yuzu or Matcha with coconut water at Café Notti, simple and super refreshing."