Ratz food market scurries to Ixelles

Following the success of Wolf (pictured), a new food market is to open in the Belgian capital at the end of this year.

Ratz will be located in a former car park on Rue Saint-Boniface in Ixelles, and will boast 13 food stands spread over several floors.

The new food hall will focus on Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. There will be 10 permanent stands – five from each region – with two food vans and a food truck on the ground floor.

With Ratz, decoration is key with the entrepreneurs behind the popular business going even further with their design concept. “The atmosphere will be immersive,” said Thierry Goor. “Each restaurant will have a décor that suits its region.”

While the name Ratz may raise questions, it was chosen for a reason: “In Asia, the rat symbolises wisdom, intelligence and happiness,” said Goor. “We also want to show that you can look at things differently.”

On the second floor, there will be 1,000m² of space for exhibitions and events. The project was financed through its own funds and with a bank loan. With the site leased for 27 years, the project is expected to create about 100 jobs.

The five Middle Eastern cuisine stands will be run by Georges Baghdi Sar, founder of the My Tannour chain.

However, that name will not appear in Ratz, Goor added: “My Tannour is already present enough in Brussels. I am developing new concepts for Ratz. Middle Eastern cuisine is so rich, there is still a lot to discover.”

Meanwhile, selection of the other chefs continues: “We are getting a lot of requests, even from a star chef,” said Goor. “For them, the risk is limited: we take care of the furniture and decoration.”

Online visibility also plays a role when choosing, said Goor: “Out of two candidates, we chose the chef with the greatest reach,” he added. “One of the participants has nearly 900,000 followers on Instagram.”

To be successful, food markets need strong locations, striking design and a well-thought-out selection of products, Goor added.

On the other hand, as is the case with Wolf, Ratz will take a percentage of the turnover from the food as well as the drinks sales.

This article was updated on 13 August.