BRABANT LUXURY IN THE LEGENDS LOUNGE

Door: Frits Magazine

"The space basically had everything," says Kuijten. "But we still had to bring it all together. A beautiful open kitchen, a new bar, different colors, comfortable designer chairs, a good lighting plan. We didn't use the cheapest materials, and that's an understatement. Pure luxury, but nowhere over the top. It still exudes Brabant's characteristic conviviality. That's something we cherish here. Guests feel comfortable in this atmosphere. The Legends Lounge aims to offer the very best guest experience. You watch a PSV football match, you enjoy culinary delights prepared by Soenil or other top chefs. Then the interior also has to be absolutely top-notch. It looks fantastic, but we'll be adding a few finishing touches here and there soon."

Bahadoer listens with a smile. "You constantly strive for the very best," says the chef, who was named Chef of the Year by Gault & Millau three years ago. "And it's never good enough. When you score a nine, you wonder how you can get to a ten. But once you've achieved that ten, it doesn't stop there. By the time you think you can't score any higher, that you know everything, you should stop cooking. You can never know everything. And even that ten can be improved. That's what you want, for the guests and for yourself. Does that create pressure? No. Do you know what created incredible pressure? The time when my restaurant was aiming to go from one star to two stars. The pressure stopped when I got those two stars. Cooking in an open kitchen doesn't add any extra pressure either. You're fully focused on your craft. I even really enjoy the interaction between the guests and the people preparing the food. We see the guests eating, and they see what my team and I are doing." He points to the empty stadium seats in the Philips Stadium. "When it's full," Bahadoer continues, "there are 35,000 people. But do you think Luuk de Jong and Guti feel pressure because of that? They're simply 100 percent focused on their profession."

Kuijten chimes in: "Some people would get frustrated by that never-ending process of striving for improvement. People like Soenil and I don't. It's the passion. That can sometimes be tiring. Even when you're sleeping, it continues in your head. My girlfriend says: you're switched on twenty-four hours a day. There's not a word of a lie in that. How did it go in this case? The organization of the Legends Lounge clearly indicated what the intention was. There was a basically excellent plan. You can play it safe by executing everything according to plan, but that's not how I operate. When I think certain shades in a part of a room are better than the suggested colors, I let them know. The corporate identity was black and gold. We opted for sand color, burgundy, old rose, dark copper, and coffee cream. I think it's incredibly beautiful. The colors fit in this environment. I'm not an extremely innovative designer, but I am an atmosphere designer. Everything has to fit into the overall picture. Every corner had to become a jewel. Incidentally, I had a very pleasant collaboration with the client here. That's of great importance. Because if there's a good connection, you can brainstorm effectively together."

The Legends Lounge, which was created in 2018, has become an important venue for its participants and guests. It's the place where legends from various disciplines come together. Haute cuisine combined with sports in a beautiful setting. Guests come from the business world, top-level sports, the culinary world, politics, and the entertainment industry. Some of the names include: Willy van de Kerkhof, Hans van Breukelen, Ronald Koeman, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, former Minister of Defence and PSV commissioner Klaas Dijkhoff, crime journalist John van den Heuvel, and Guus Hiddink. The companies that have partnered with the Legends Lounge typically purchase four to six seats. This means four to six seats in the stadium to watch PSV football matches. The same applies to enjoying the culinary skills of renowned chefs such as Bahadoer, Dick Middelweerd (De Treeswijkhoeve), Adrian Zarzo (restaurant Zarzo), and Yuri Wiesen (restaurant Wiesen). Even if you don't like football, you'll have a great evening in the Legends Lounge. The participants who purchase seats are usually company directors who invite business associates for a pleasant evening. Or they come to the stadium with their families. The renovation was also necessary because the Legends Lounge wants to host other high-end events. For example, BNR Nieuwsradio is broadcasting its radio program Friday Move, presented by Wilfred Genee, seven times this year from the Legends Lounge.

Bahadoer enjoys cooking at the Philips Stadium. "About five or six times a year," he says. "It's theater. We give a performance for a highly esteemed audience. That audience consists of legends. The participants have achieved a great deal in their respective fields; they set the standard in their professions. I know most of the guests. And they know me. We all have a connection to this region. There is mutual respect, and we appreciate each other." Kuijten and Bahadoer have known each other for some time. "I love details," says the designer. "So does Soenil, I know. Details that make all the difference. Take an evening at the Legends Lounge. It starts the moment you arrive at the stadium. You park your car in a reserved parking space, and you are assisted by parking attendants from the Legends Lounge. That's stylish. And Soenil and I appreciate that. The similarities between us? Too many to mention. Creativity, passion, craftsmanship. Those are words that apply to us. Skills and feelings that they appreciate in the Legends Lounge."