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15 years ago, Kris Vandorpe moved into his new base in Merelbeke as Belux distributor of Big Green Egg 'kamado barbecues'. Since he 'pimped' his showroom with 4 interconnected Camargue terrace canopies by Renson, he can give more cooking workshops there - outdoors, as is fitting for a barbecue - than ever before. From celebrity chefs to amateur cooks: whatever the weather, they can all come and enjoy the total experience of cooking outdoors.
As an importer of fresh food, Kris Vandorpe once rolled into the catering business. At the time, he used his warehouse on the outskirts of Ghent primarily as a logistics hall where all the preliminary cutting and preparation work took place before the goods were exported from the early market in Paris to the various restaurants. A child at home at many starred establishments and at the suggestion of various chefs, he became an importer of the Bigg Green Egg 'kamado barbecues'. It meant the end of his logistics space, which - with a little more daylight and an open kitchen - he henceforth used for training and cooking workshops.
"Only," Kris echoed, "of course you want to be able to work with those appliances outside. And so I bought myself the necessary tents to accommodate chefs and amateur cooks in the open air. Not ideal, because underneath, the smoke actually lingers too much." Besides, a tent doesn't last forever, so Kris started looking for a solid, durable and high-quality alternative that also has the necessary charisma to inspire his clientele in a setting that 'breathes' outdoor experience.
A considerable investment was necessary, but the time needed to set up and take down the tents for each workshop also cost a lot of money. And also: "I had had it with waiting anxiously for the weather forecast every time, only to see participants standing at their barbecues with their feet in the water," he adds.
A terrace covering with tilting slats in the roof proved to be an interesting alternative, especially if you can also link several of these together. Kris Vandorpe: "The choice finally fell on 4 linked Camarge covers from Renson. Not only the quality was decisive, but also the fact that you can create the right atmosphere in any situation. Both temperature, air and light can be controlled separately under each of the 4 slat roofs, while I can also open or close all the roof slats and screens together. Super convenient!"
Openness was a basic requirement for Kris when choosing the finishes and infills for his Camargue canopies. "The colors allowed me to create my own accents," he clarifies. "The dark poles and roof structures fit perfectly with the existing building, while still keeping the whole thing from looking too industrial. At the same time, the white roof slats keep it nice and airy. My fear that the whole would have a kind of 'refectory feel' or come across as a 'big block' turned out to be unfounded. And Renson and its Premium Ambassador and installer Torck Exterieur from Deinze played a big part in that. They helped think about how to give the whole the elegance it needed. The middle column was duplicated and also against the existing building 2 columns were spared. The fact that we also opted for a slightly higher construction than the standard dimensions helps to ensure a sufficiently 'open' front. That provides more than enough space for 10 to 20 participants, without making them feel confined."
But what these slatted roofs especially score high on for Kris is the fact that the heat and smoke from the barbecue equipment during workshops can now be perfectly eliminated. This was a major thorn in his side when he still relied on tents. "We receive customers here on the south side of the building, then you know why that's important," he illustrates well. "But just as well you can now go outside in winter by (partially) closing the roof slats and thus keeping the heat inside as much as possible. In short, we deliberately chose slat roofs because they allow you to regulate the temperature perfectly yourself. Not to mention an unforeseen downpour ... this is also covered. On sunny days, the incidence of light through the open slats ensures the best possible outdoor experience. We also very consciously chose the direction of the roof slats accordingly."
With screens integrated into the structure of the canopies, the wind is no longer a problem. The fact that these (along the street side) dampen sound and, if necessary, provide the necessary privacy is a bonus, according to Kris, as is the fact that - even with the screens down - you still have a transparent view outside.
LED strips are embedded in the roof slats of the 4 Camargue canopies. These in turn come in handy to provide additional lighting for the stoves on dark days. "They also provide enough light for cleaning up afterwards," says Kris. "No more reason to put that job off.
"The installation of the Camargues was quite a challenge," recalls Tim Isebaert (Renson Premium Ambassador Torck Exterior). "The existing building in an L-shape had to be reinforced in certain places to be able to build the canopies without piles on the façade side, a sloping wooden structure that had to give way first and the coupling of the slatted roofs with fewer columns than usual: it required some very preparatory (thinking) work, but everything went very smoothly in the end. Since the terrace was also tackled at the same time, the drainage of the canopies could also be neatly concealed underground. The result can be seen."
The 4 Camargues account for 110 m² of additional outdoor space that can still be used all year round and that is also crucial in the experience that "outdoor cooking" demands. It makes Kris look back on this investment with great satisfaction, which he believes pays for itself. "We can now hold more workshops, team-buildings and meetings all year round, even when the indoor space is rented out. And what's more: we can plan those months in advance, without having to look at the weather forecast. A clientele like ours that opts for quality has an eye for it ... and so I have already received compliments and interested questions about the shelters from many workshop participants. Just further proof of how important 'experience' is when it comes to outdoor living."
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