SERGIO HERMAN IS BACK - YES!

The Jane, Antwerp, Belgium

Opening this week in Antwerp, Belgium, The Jane restaurant designed by Piet Boon has all the building blocks of a success. An intriguing building: A chapel of a former military hospital that gives the restaurant the aura of a sacred place mixed with a certain darkness. An interesting location: Antwerp’s ’t Groen Kwartier that with its lofts in restored buildings and green areas designed by famous architects is developing into a trendy area.


A famous chef-owner: Sergio Herman with his young right-hand man Nick Bril running the establishment. A renowned designer: Dutch Piet Boon restaurant who used fantastic collaborators to add customized spunk. The massive lighting fixture (weighing 800 kg) in the middle of the main dining room was created by Beirut, Lebanon-based PSlab and the stained-glass windows by the Antwerp-based Studio Job led by Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel.



Our favourite aspects of The Jane are the scale of the space - its height, massive arches and large windows, the lovely decaying celling, and the almost complete lack of colour. We like how the interior touches respect the building and echo its history.



In a media release, Nick Bril explains why they named the restaurant The Jane “…Jane is the name of a fictional woman with the same qualities as our restaurant. The Jane will be sensual, exciting and chic. It will have an attractive international air, but also a hint of darkness. It will be tasteful and sophisticated, but also rock-’n’-roll. 

LONDON'S FIRST PAY-PER-MINUTE CAFE

 Ziferblat is London's first pay-per-minute cafe, based on a Russian chain where 'everything is free, except the time you spend there'

Ever felt you've overstayed your welcome in a cafe, by reading, working or surfing the web while hugging the latte you bought two hours ago? Pay-per-minute cafes could be the answer. Ziferblat, the first UK branch of a Russian chain, has just opened in London (388 Old Street), where "everything is free inside except the time you spend there". The fee: 3p a minute.

Ziferblat means clock face in Russian and German (Zifferblatt). The idea is guests take an alarm clock from the cupboard on arrival and note the time, then keep it with them, before, quite literally, clocking out at the end. There's no minimum time. Guests can also get stuck into the complimentary snacks (biscuits, fruit, vegetables), or prepare their own food in the kitchen; they can help themselves to coffee from the professional machine, or have it made for them. There's even a piano – an idea that could seem brilliant or terrible, depending on who takes the seat.

Ziferblat has opened 10 branches in Russia in the past two years and now wants to take the idea worldwide. With hostels, hotels and cafes around the world often filled with people either working remotely or enjoying some downtime online, the market for expansion is certainly there. The "coffice", we're told, is the way of the future.

Owner Ivan Mitin says during the first month of the UK opening, they have already drawn in some regulars. "Londoners are more prepared for such a concept; they understand the idea instantly. It's funny to see people queueing here to wash their dishes. It's not obligatory, but it's appreciated. They even wash each other's dishes. It's very social. We think of our guests as micro tenants, all sharing the same space."

Eight days into 2014, Time Out has already declared Ziferblat "a contender for best opening of the year". But what do you think? Does the idea appeal? Does £1.80 an hour sound like good value? Would you feel more relaxed, or more under pressure with a clock by your side? Let us know in the comments below.

EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA GOING ON WORLD TOUR

There's great news coming from the world's number one restaurant. The Roca Brothers have announced they are taking their award-winning El Celler de Can Roca around the globe with the Roca&Roll World Tour 2014.Starting in August 2014, the three Michelin-starred restaurant will hit the road with stops in Mexico, Colombia and Peru. During their tour of Latin America, the brothers will also seek talented young chefs who will train at El Celler for four months.

Ever since topping the World's 50 Best Restaurants list sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, the restaurant has been flooded with requests to expand abroad. Since they are not interested in opening a second location, The Roca Brothers thought it best to take El Celler on a world tour instead.

"We believe that from the way we understand and live the restaurant would not make any sense to open another Celler away from Girona. However, we don’t want to give up exploring new landscapes, new products and get to know people from other countries to help us to continue to grow, to renew our enthusiasm and provide new impetus to our creative work. "

A Tour With A Higher Purpose

While the Roca&Roll World Tour 2014 aims to give fans around the world a taste of the Roca Brothers' stellar cuisine, it actually serves a dual purpose.

Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca have partnered with BBVA, a Spanish financial institution, for a program they've dubbed Haute Cuisine with Values. As part of the social outreach program, the brothers will work with local producers to discover some of the finest ingredients across Latin America

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The most exciting part of the program is that a total of six young chefs will be selected to train at El Celler de Can Roca for four months.