Events

Have you always wanted to know how sustainable cacao travels from farmer to chocolate?

Ellen Taerwe from HOLY COW takes you on a journey into the world of specialty cacao from India. Together with her husband Luca, she started a cacao company in India almost 10 years ago, supporting small-scale cacao farmers with a fair and stable income.

In their shop and atelier in Ghent, you can follow the entire process from bean to chocolate. During a delicious tasting, you will not only discover the refined flavours of their own Ghent-made chocolate, but also experience the impact of the processing on both the cacao and the chocolate.

Immerse yourself in the story behind your piece of chocolate!

It will be a unique experience offering a clear look at the entire chocolate-making process, with insights you can take home.

Discover more: https://holycow-chocolate.be/

Have you always wanted to know how sustainable cacao travels from farmer to chocolate?

Ellen Taerwe from HOLY COW takes you on a journey into the world of specialty cacao from India. Together with her husband Luca, she started a cacao company in India almost 10 years ago, supporting small-scale cacao farmers with a fair and stable income.

In their shop and atelier in Ghent, you can follow the entire process from bean to chocolate. During a delicious tasting, you will not only discover the refined flavours of their own Ghent-made chocolate, but also experience the impact of the processing on both the cacao and the chocolate.

Immerse yourself in the story behind your piece of chocolate!

It will be a unique experience offering a clear look at the entire chocolate-making process, with insights you can take home.

Discover more: https://holycow-chocolate.be/

Taste Nature: Flower Vinegar and Herb Salt

Discover how flowers and herbs can become exceptional flavor enhancers. In this interactive workshop, you will create a refined flower vinegar and an aromatic herb salt—perfect, healthy additions to salads, sauces, vegetables, and summer dishes. A walk through nature captured in a bottle…

We work with seasonal plants and focus on aroma, taste, and simplicity. Pure ingredients, surprising flavors, and plenty of inspiration!

You will taste, mix, and create. Practical, relaxing, and accessible for everyone. You will take your own creations home: a bottle of flower vinegar and a jar of herb salt.

A workshop for curious cooks, herb lovers, and anyone who enjoys a natural and healthy kitchen.

Twin sisters Marta and Joanna Klejman take you into the flavourful world of fermentation.

During this inspiring demo, you’ll discover how simple and fun fermentation can be. With their passion for healthy food and age-old techniques, they show you how to get started at home with fermented vegetables.

They share their knowledge about the powerful health benefits of fermentation and let you taste delicious dishes from their book Fermentista. Expect crisp, fresh flavours and surprising combinations that are not only tasty, but also great for your gut microbiome.

Come by, get inspired, and taste for yourself how fermentation can transform both your kitchen and your health.

About Marta & Joanna

Dietitians and twin sisters Marta and Joanna Klejman are the driving force behind Klejman Fermentista. They organize engaging fermentation workshops and have launched their own delicious line of fermented vegetables.

Find out more:  https://klejman2.com/ 

Have you always wanted to know how sustainable cacao travels from farmer to chocolate?

Ellen Taerwe from HOLY COW takes you on a journey into the world of specialty cacao from India. Together with her husband Luca, she started a cacao company in India almost 10 years ago, supporting small-scale cacao farmers with a fair and stable income. In their shop and atelier in Ghent, you can follow the entire process from bean to chocolate. During a delicious tasting, you will not only discover the refined flavours of their own Ghent-made chocolate, but also experience the impact of the processing on both the cacao and the chocolate

Immerse yourself in the story behind your piece of chocolate!

It will be a unique experience offering a clear look at the entire chocolate-making process, with insights you can take home.

Discover more: https://holycow-chocolate.be/

Jungle Cooking at Gent Smaakt

Dive into the culinary jungle! During this workshop, you’ll discover the surprisingly rich flavors of the food forest. With a wide selection of ingredients such as wild herbs, fruits, roots, tubers, and flowers, we will each create a few adventurous snacks. Don’t worry—you decide how bold you want your bites to be. But one thing is certain: it will be a feast for your taste buds. Sign up quickly for this culinary adventure and come enjoy the experience with us!

Let your senses be surprised during the Meet The Crafts Tastings!

Discover the perfect combination of cheese, charcuterie, chocolate and beer during a unique tasting. Food pairing expert Luka Libot will take you on a flavourful journey where the beers of Duvel Moortgat blend beautifully with artisanal products from the brewery site.

From refined cheeses by Van Tricht to artisanal charcuterie from The Butcher’s Store and delicious chocolate from Jitsk — every bite is carefully selected to enhance the flavours of the beers. Luka will share his passion, tips and surprising insights on how to perfectly combine flavours.

A must for anyone who loves great food, good beer and a cozy atmosphere.

Places are limited, so be sure to sign up quickly via the link and experience this unique tasting up close!

Following the great success of previous years, we are once again organizing our Kids Restaurant!

Do you have a little chef at home? Does your child dream of cooking for family and friends or serving guests just like in a real restaurant?

Then this is their chance during Gent Smaakt, a culinary family event in the heart of Ghent.

Children aged between 9 and 14 can register and indicate which role they would prefer on the day (kitchen / bar & service).

In the kitchen, they will be guided by 5 chefs from Ghent, who are competing during Gent Smaakt for the award of “Most Child-Friendly Restaurant in Ghent.”

We have space for a maximum of 40 children and 100 guests (maximum 6 guests per child).

Children pay €5 to participate in this workshop. Their guests pay €30 per adult and €20 for children up to 12 years old. Children under 3 years old can eat for free.

In the restaurant, we serve a 3-course menu with accompanying drinks:
- Mocktail
- Choice of 2 starters (fish – plant-based)
- Choice of 2 main courses (meat – plant-based)
- Dessert
- Water at the table

Timing participating children: 12:00 – 16:00

Timing family & guests: welcome at 14:00 – end at 16:00

Registration is open until May 18.

A child cannot register without an accompanying adult who also registers to attend the meal. This is done in two steps and via two separate payments (child participation + guest registration). We hope this ensures a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone.

After registering, you will receive an email with practical information during the week of April 27. During registration, you will also be asked to indicate whether you prefer a plant-based menu or not (per person).

Location: under the City Pavilion (Stadshal)

The Kids Restaurant is a concept by Gent Smaakt, in collaboration with Silver Tie, and made possible with the support of Jumbo.

Inspired by Korean culinary philosophy, Mokja brings simple and pure dishes with a harmonious balance of flavors, colors, and textures. Through catering, workshops, take-away, and pop-ups, Ae Jin introduces people to Korean cuisine. During this workshop, she takes you through her story with a short presentation and lets you taste Korean bites featuring fermented condiments (“jang”), such as gochujang, ganjang, and doenjang. Ae Jin is also a lecturer at Horeca Forma and an author with Lannoo publishers.

Read more about Ae Jin: https://www.mokja.be

In this workshop, we dive into the concept of cool climate: what it exactly means, which regions and grape varieties are associated with it, and how to recognize those typical characteristics in the glass.

Cool climates can be found in the most unexpected places: along the rugged coast of Chile, at breathtaking altitudes in northern Argentina, at the southern tip of Australia, and in the vineyards of New Zealand. These are countries often associated with sunshine and warmth, yet where the ocean, altitude, or wind create a completely different style in the glass.

During Gent Smaakt, Dada Chapel and JARR Kombucha take you into the world of creative cocktails and refined mocktails. In this workshop, you will discover how the unique spirits of the Ghent-based distillery Dada Chapel pair perfectly with the fresh, fruity kombucha from JARR.

Under the guidance of Robin Pollet, you will learn step by step how to create original drinks, using surprising flavour combinations and inspiring recipes. Expect an interactive session full of tips, techniques, and of course the tasting of several special creations.

An ideal workshop for anyone who enjoys experimenting with flavours, with or without alcohol.