Tucked right in the middle of Antwerp’s up-and-coming Groen Kwartier, The Jane is the much anticipated establishment of three star chef Sergio Herman and chef Nick Bril. Housed within the chapel of a former military hospital, the restaurant’s interior was the charge of Dutch designer Piet Boon who enlisted the help of a number of collaborators on commissioned elements.

Enterable by the chapel’s huge – and heavy – doors, guests are met by a reception desk before being led around to the high-ceilinged restaurant where many of the chapel’s original details have been left intact. ‘It was hugely important to restore and preserve the Chapel which was in quite a derelict state’, explains Boon. One such preserved element is the Chapel’s ceiling where the surface has been left largely untouched and the peeling paintwork is preserved with a sealant.

Fittingly for a fine dining establishment run by such a renowned chef, The Jane’s kitchen takes the place of the altar. The kitchen – contained within a glasshouse-like room – is built to curve around the chapel’s chancel. The glass enclosure is echoed on the other end of the room in the waiter’s service station.

While the restaurant is made up of a number of discreet elements, there are a few standout bespoke pieces. An enormous chandelier – created by Beirut-based .PSlab – hangs in the centre of the room. The impressive fixture weighs in at 800kg with over 150 lights splaying out on black metal rods from a central core. Stained glass windows that surround the room were illustrated by Studio Job. The 500 panels that make up the windows include contemporary motifs referencing food and drink.

Identifying the ‘clear view and strong concept’ they had from the beginning as the project’s success, Boon sees it ‘visible in every aspect and detail, from the custom-made chef’s knives, to the staff’s uniforms by G-Star. Everything is in sync’.

Photos Richard Powers

Video Making Lion Fish (for The Jane, Antwerp) by .PSlab

pietboon.com