In April 2007 the House of Dutch Brussels will be launching a project targeting the hospitality industry named "Un zeste de néerlandais" (A hint of Dutch).

This project is aimed at making bilingualism more audible and visible in the Brussels hospitality industry. In the area surrounding the Bourse restaurant and pub owners are encouraged to use a bilingual menu, while waiters are stimulated to serve customers in both languages.

To this end the House of Dutch Brussels developed a pocket dictionary entitled 'Horeca Dutch', which provides an overview of all the key phrases and basic vocabulary that a waiter uses on a daily basis.

Until 11 May 2007 interested cafe and restaurant owners based in the Brussels pentagon can register for this project. The pocket dictionaries cost 2 euro each and can be ordered from the House of Dutch Brussels. For the realisation of the project "Un zeste de Néerlandais" The House of Dutch cooperates with Horeca Federation Brussels and Atrium Centre of Brussels.

Download the pocket dictionary 'Horeca-Dutch' as a pdf-file.

Click here to look at the list of cafes and restaurants.

For more information about the project, please contact Geralda De Vos (geralda.devos@huisnederlandsbrussel.be; tel 02 501 66 74 or 0496 29 62 67).

Translation menus

Cafe and restaurant owners can surf to the website of the House of Dutch Brussels to translate their menu correctly themselves. The site offers a comprehensive list of dishes, with their respective translation into French or Dutch.

Click here to put together a bilingual menu.

This list of translations was developed with the aid of the Taalcommissie (Language Commission) of the Academy for Regional Gastronomy. Their edition 'Keukenterminologie (I), Frans-Nederlands Lexicon' (143 p.) can be ordered at the price of EURO 10,00 (+ sending costs) at asg.studiecentrum@skynet.be.

In addition the handy pocket book by author Liddy Faninger was also used: 'Multimenu, aan tafel in 6 talen' (Multimenu, dinner is served in 6 languages - 99 pages). This dictionary compiles the most frequently used culinary terms, dishes and ingredients in Dutch, French, English, Italian and Spanish. Multimenu is available from your local book store or via www.maklu.be and costs 8.40 euros + shipping costs.