20 Mrt 2024
Wereldse Smaken: A multicultural culinary adventure in Zandvoort
Event type
Foodtruck
Visitors
3.000
Duration
3 days
Services
Payment (closed)
In the lively seaside town of Zandvoor, surrounded by sea, dunes, and a charming boulevard, a unique event comes to life: Wereldse Smaken. “A friendly, laid-back event where you can enjoy a bratwurst or pretzel with a cold beer while listening to a Bavarian orchestra. Or where your attention is drawn away from a Turkish köfte by a performance from a Turkish belly dancer,” according to one of the founders.
Edwin Sibbel, together with two business partners, is the driving force behind this multicultural festival, which stands out for its flavourful, country-specific dishes and outstanding performances. In 2024, the festival celebrates its third year.
From culinary roots to cultural diversity
The idea for Wereldse Smaken originated from an earlier concept called Culinary Zandvoord. Before the COVID pandemic, this event was no longer financially viable. During the lockdowns, however, the urge to create a new event returned, ready to launch as soon as circumstances allowed it. This led to the concept of a three-day festival with an informal atmosphere, aimed at reaching a broader audience and offering delicious food from a wide variety of food trucks.
Experience is valuable, but learning never stops
Edwin Sibbel and his partners, bringing together a broad range of experience as operators of Beachclub Zandvoort, event organizers, and managers at Circuit Zandvoort, form the backbone of this distinctive festival. While the first edition ran smoothly thanks to their knowledge of safety and hygiene regulations, there are always lessons to be learned, particularly due to the limited space in Zandvoort’s city center which remains an ongoing challenge.
A unique twist on the traditional food truck concept
Wereldse Smaken aims to set itself apart not by serving haute cuisine, but by offering a carefully curated selection of flavourful street food from around the world, representing as many countries as possible. This culinary journey is paired with live acts and music, allowing visitors to experience a wide range of cultures in a single day.
Zondvoort’s location, with its established reputation as a summer hotspot for activities such as racing at the circuit, visiting the casino and hiking through the dunes, makes it an ideal setting for the festival. In addition, its fast and easy connection to Amsterdam as a multicultural metropolis makes Zondvoort a perfect day-trip destination for a diverse audience.
A Clear and transparent approach for visitors, vendors, and organizers
During the first edition of the festival, it quickly became clear that improvements were needed in the payment system. By partnering with Tactile, a more efficient event payment system was introduced, automatically refunding any remaining balance after the event. This was highly praised by visitors and contributes to the festival’s transparency.
Transparency is a core value of Wereldse Smaken, not only toward visitors, but also toward food truck vendors. Instead of charging a fixed pitch fee, food trucks pay a percentage of their turnover, which is experienced as fair and straightforward. The Tactile dashboard is highly appreciated by food truck owners, as it provides insight into their revenue and the popularity of their products, while festival staff do not handle cash, preventing fraud and avoiding potential disputes.
What does the future hold for Werelde Smaken?
This year markets the third edition of Wereldse Smaken, and so far the festival relied on subsidies. After reaching this milestone, the team will carefully assess the festival’s viability in its current form and explore potential expansions or additional editions in the future.
Following positive feedback from visitors and food truck vendors after the first edition, the organization decided to extend opening hours and add more artists and performances for the second edition. At Wereldse Smaken, the enjoyment of both visitors and organizers comes first. This is also reflected in the collaboration with Tactile, a professional organization that is mindful of regulations while never losing sight of the joy of organizing events.
