Chaos and Closed Doors at Restaurant Setl in Mechelen
Following a chaotic lunch service marked by delayed dishes and mounting kitchen pressure, restaurant Setl in Mechelen temporarily closed its doors on October 27, 2026, as Nieuwsblad reported. Operators Elroy Krijnen and Gaetano Volpicelli faced a scathing review from the show’s jury after serving greasy, overcooked salsify and desserts featuring spoiled blackberries. The culinary team struggled with severe staffing shortages and an overly ambitious four-course fine dining menu that ultimately collapsed under the weight of customer volume.
The operational breakdown began when Gaetano found himself running the dining room without his right-hand staff member, Anastacya. With ticket times stretching and diners left waiting without main courses, the kitchen abandoned its initial four-course plan in favor of a three-course menu to buy preparation time. However, the schedule slipped entirely.
Jury Condemns Rotten Fruit and Flawed Dishes
Jurors did not hold back their criticism when evaluating the Mechelen establishment. Marc Coucke warned fellow juror Marcelo Ballardin about the dessert by stating that what was on the plate was vies
and past its expiration date, while judge Shannah Zeebroeck confirmed that the blackberries were rotten. Ballardin described the salsify main course as a greasy mess that had boiled too long. Faced with mounting complaints about serving food that compromised guest experiences, Krijnen and Volpicelli made the collective decision to cancel all remaining reservations and shut down the venue temporarily to reset their operations.
Reflecting on the closure in subsequent coverage by Het Belang van Limburg (HBvl), Krijnen noted that their fine dining concept proved unfeasible for the high volume of covers and limited staff hours. Volpicelli added that relying on a rotating roster of student workers made consistent execution nearly impossible, as training had to start from scratch daily. The duo has since reopened Setl, altering their menu prep to ease kitchen pressure while retaining core elements of their original vision.
While Mechelen grappled with operational collapse, other locations in the television series experienced contrasting fortunes. In Halle, Sarocha earned praise from the jury for her Thai menu, despite dishes that proved excessively spicy for some diners, leaving judge Sarah Renson joking about her ruined makeup.
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