Setl owners reopen after Mijn restaurant jury critique

Mechelen — Elroy Krijnen and Gaetano Volpicelli found their culinary ambition outstripping their initial staffing setup, leading to a devastating jury critique and a temporary dining room closure during the grueling opening weekend of the ‘Mijn restaurant’ television program. For 29-year-old Gaetano Volpicelli and 31-year-old Elroy Krijnen, the restaurant Setl in Mechelen faced an uphill battle as long wait times and harsh feedback from the show’s jury took their toll.

The owners eventually chose to temporarily close their dining room to overhaul their operations. Intussen zijn ze opnieuw open en is het vertrouwen terug, with the duo noting, Voor het eerst zijn we blij met hoe alles loopt.

Fine Dining Concept Fails Due to Staffing Struggles

Reflecting on the turbulent opening weekend, Elroy admitted that their initial fine dining concept proved unrealistic for the number of covers given the heavy workload and preparation required. Compounding the issue was a lack of consistent staffing. Instead of a fixed team, the kitchen relied on changing personnel and students daily, requiring constant retraining that disrupted service.

The pressure mounted during the second day when a lengthy lunch service derailed the prep work for the evening. We zagen dat we in problemen gingen komen. Maar een uur op voorhand kan je geen tientallen mensen meer afbellen, Gaetano explained. Even reducing a four-course menu to three failed to stabilize the service.

Harsh Jury Feedback on Key Dishes

Matters worsened when the show’s jury arrived and delivered scathing reviews. Marc Coucke criticized the greasy, overcooked salsify, stating, Deze vergeten groenten waren beter vergeten and Ik at het enkel op omdat ik grote honger had.

Elroy strongly defended the ingredients, stating, Die braambessen waren niet rot, louter wat zuurder.

Partners Regroup to Keep Permanent Establishment Dream Alive

Despite the initial chaos, reduced confidence from local diners, and a temporary loss of enjoyment for Gaetano—who admitted he was operating on autopilot—the partners managed to regroup. The crisis ultimately strengthened their seven-year professional bond rather than fracturing it, with Elroy noting, Het zette onze band zeker niet op scherp. In feite groeiden we vooral meer naar elkaar toe.

With the menu adjusted to require less complex preparation and the dining room reopened, the dream of running their own permanent establishment remains alive. As Gaetano affirmed, Ik blijf ervan overtuigd dat we op een dag een eigen zaak hebben.