Life in the city

Belgian Beer Culture Week in China

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On Saturday 20 June, the same day our King and Queen landed in Wuhan, our friends from Vandergeeten & EG DistriSelecta launched a Belgian Beer Culture week in China. I was asked to say a few words in the Beijing opening party, done in the new Belgian bar “De Refter”, in Sanlitun. Vandergeeten, as it is mostly known, is one of the pioneers of importing Belgian beer (and more) into China. Their beers can be found all over the country.
De Refter is one more Belgian bar (and restaurant), joining the ranks of several others such as Beer Mania, The Tree, Morel’s and others that serve lots of Belgian beers.
I asked my friend James to join me to say a few words too as the “Chinese side” of the Sino-Belgian cooperation.
Before heading to De Refter we had a dinner next door so to speak, in Homeplate BBQ, I love their food, The meat is slowly cooked to become oh so tender; see the special oven they use. The place is always packed. The also have home-made beer.

I had a great time and discovered again some new Belgian beers. They are now part of my collection I have at home, all in my kitchen that is becoming too small to host the now about 100 different beer bottles. All bought and empties in Beijing. See the new add-on and part of the gallery of bottles. We are for sure happy to have so many beers from Belgian here.
Thanks to Mercedes and Bowen for the hospitality and the nice evening.
Beer, along with chocolate and diamonds are probably the best known features of Belgium around the world (maybe along with Manneken Pis…)

Old China Hand Lunch 5 June

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

I have more than 100 members on the email list but OCH are busy people and attendance is overall unpredictable. This time we were around twenty but conversation is always lively, the least to say.

Next round is 3 July just before I skip away for a week to “cool down” in Thailand. The lunches will continue over summer, it does not mater if we are just a few. It is always fun!

Our Old China Hands 8 May: second anniversary!

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Yes, time flies and this month we celebrate two years of our “Old China Hands Monthly Lunch”. Originally it was the first Monday of the month; now it is normally the first Friday.
This time, the first Friday being 1 May we shifted to 8 May.

Busy season for most and also some got felled by a virus going around in Beijing.
We were twenty, and – sniff – all men. But lively exchange as always.
See some of attendees: you may know some of them…
Next round: Friday 5 June.

The Johnnie Walker House in Beijing

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The Johnnie Walker House in Beijing

On 30 April my friend Barry invited me “for a drink”, somewhere near Qianmen.
Well, that was both a surprise and a discovery.
We went to an old and historical compound near Qianmen, 23 Qianmen Dong Da Jie. I admit I never went there. The large buildings I understand are from the old foreign concessions and host companies such as Patek Philippe. The former Maison Boulud French Restaurant closed in December 2013, the building (pictured) is there still. Chef Daniel Boulud was considered “the one” in Beijing. I guess now the medal has been passed to Temple Restaurant Beijing.

We had a nice dinner in Lost Heaven, Yunnan food, before our visit to the Johnnie Walker House next door. Nothing of what I expected…
The building is pretty large, three floors at least and counts several meeting rooms, bars, exhibitions and more. The color of the walls is mostly copper – referring to the distillery. I dare not guess how much the House has cost… They have other Houses in Shanghai and Chengdu.
Of course, special and unique collections of the famous whisky, historical details, a view on the different distilled varieties and a large bar that also serves to host events. In it, the “hidden bar”, activated by a laser beam and made with a Porsche design.
I also found the series of the Chinese zodiac, with “my” bottle of the Rat (with the famous hat…).

We were lucky: it was a special evening with shows. Among others: a brass quintet, guqin recital, a very young Canadian Chinese girl with an incredible voice, a famous French musician (Julian), magicians and a Rubik Cube Olympic-type guru …
Last but not least: our team managed to more or less empty at least one Blue Label bottle. Simply divine… Without ice obviously!
Thanks Barry. Pity I only had my rather lousy mobile camera to shoot some pics… The House is a great place to shoot some good pictures.

Our Rotary Club lunch on 28 April: China Entrepreneur Club

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Mr. Eric Gass is Investment Alliance Project Officer at China Entrepreneur Club, a non-profit organization founded by some of China’s leading business founders to bolster respect for the Chinese private sector in creating employment and growth opportunity. Since 2013, Eric has focused on further building the club’s international engagement, through projects such as the CEC’s annual China Green Companies Summit and International Visit. Additionally, Eric is responsible for the Investment Alliance platform created to serve the outbound investment interests of member companies.

Founded in 2006 by Liu Chuanzhi, Liu Donghua and 30 other Chinese entrepreneurs, the China Entrepreneur Club (CEC) created as a non-profit platform bolstering the reputation of the Chinese private sector is dedicated to better business in China, and an embrace of sustainable growth across all represented sectors. CEC currently has 48 members, with member company total annual revenues representing over 3% of China’s GDP in 2014. It holds high level internal and external events regularly. CEC is pragmatic of individual aspirations and intentions, creates potential of cooperation both within the club platform and through club organized activities, and philanthropy through the promotion of better business individually and a force for good in China. Its major annual events including member company visits, China Green Companies Summit, international visit programs, Daonong Gala Celebration and tailored events.
Their website: www.daonong.com

In my thanks to the speaker I joked I was disappointed not to hear stories of cigar-smoke-filled rooms where rich people enjoy expensive French wine and Cognac. Instead we heard many times the words “pragmatic, philanthropy, green, sustainability, promotion of private sector”. And more key terms so important today, all in all an encouraging sign the elite CEOs are contributing to make China a better place. Other positive aspect: all the economic and business missions they organized to France, Belgium, USA, UK, Singapore, Australia; Germany and Italy to follow soon.
CEC has a staff of 35 with one foreigner, Eric. Becoming a member seems pretty tough; membership is like RMB 200,000 for two years.