Rick(30)

For ten years I worked in kitchens in Venlo and Maastricht. The profession was my passion, but employment conditions in Dutch hospitality are dramatic: long days, low pay, few advancement opportunities. When a chef friend told me about a vacancy at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Hasselt, I applied the same day.

The Belgian hospitality sector values the profession differently. My salary is 20% higher than in the Netherlands, I receive meal vouchers (€8 per day), a 13th month and workload is better managed through more staff in the kitchen. Belgian culinary culture is deep-rooted — food here isn't an afterthought but an art of living.

Moving from Venlo to Hasselt was minimal. It's 45 minutes by car, the same Limburg atmosphere. I rent an apartment in Hasselt center for €700 per month — half what I paid in Maastricht. The city is charming, the Grote Markt full of terraces, and the jenever museum is a fun visit.

Administratively it was straightforward. Registration at the Hasselt municipality went smoothly — many Dutch people in Limburg, so they know the process. I had my eID and rijksregisternummer within three weeks. I arranged the mutualiteit with Helan. As a hospitality employee I also build pension through the sectoral pension fund.

What surprised me: Belgium has more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than almost any other country. The culinary scene in and around Hasselt is lively — from classic Belgian to innovative fine dining. I learn something new every day from my Belgian colleagues, who bring a different tradition and technique than what I learned in the Netherlands.

My tip for Dutch hospitality workers: look at Belgium if you take the profession seriously but want better pay and treatment. Employment conditions are objectively better — more pay, more secondary benefits, more respect for the craft. And Belgian Limburg feels like home for Dutch southerners.