Development of Léon on the international scene.

Rudy Vanlancker, the fifth to carry the name, has for the last 30 years been responsible for the destiny of the Brussels-based family business. He was the one to initiate development outside Belgium .

A graduate of the Hotel School in Namur , after the Brussels restaurant became one of the leading restaurants in Belgium , he decided to expand the concept of a "Mussels and French fries" cuisine.

Friture Leon 1893 in Brussels is the most successful restaurant in terms of turnover, number of customers and members of staff. It is also the only Belgian restaurant to have trade union representation on its Board.

It was in 1980 that he started examining the possibility of recreating an identical Brussels model.

He wrote a "Bible", a type of operating manual for the Leon type of restaurant and went off to look for partners who might be interested in helping him in his venture.

Unfortunately, these individuals were not so enthusiastic about the chances of success of such an undertaking.

Only bankers and brewers showed an interest but only for opening up outlets in the USA . However, Rudy Vanlancker did not feel ready to enter the market at this early stage especially after the failure in New York of another well-known product of Brussels …

It should not be forgotten that 25 years ago what we now term "themed restaurants" were still in their infancy, even in Paris .

After opening a pilot restaurant with independent partners on the Brupark site in Brussels , he finally took the plunge and in July 1989 opened the first Léon restaurant in Paris , on the Place de la République.

The formula was an immediate success but to ensure its long-term survival, the concept had to be made more "Parisian". Too harsh a décor would have ruined it before it even got started.

It was for this reason that large-sized Belgian mussels gave way to smaller ones resembling the Bouchot mussel type which are better known to our French friends.

The same thing applied to the French fries. In Belgium, we serve large chips with a definitive potato taste while in France they prefer pommes allumettes … A few more adaptations to the range of beers and interior design and hey presto! a commercial success far beyond our wildest dreams.

However, Léon is above all a genuine Belgian brasserie serving a whole range of typically Belgian dishes.

To take up this challenge, we have adopted a strong and consistent communication policy, guaranteeing success. The elements that have made Leon a success must be present in all our restaurants.

See the Léon in France website.

Particular care is paid to the training of staff.

With this in mind, the Leon de Bruxelles training school was set up. How to prepare a wide range of dishes is taught at this school and the curriculum includes the history of the family and the Brussels mentality. A course of Brussels humour is also a subject on the school's curriculum!

As far as Léon is concerned, the positive side of this humour based on the Belgian character must be continuously exploited. One of the best spokesman for Belgian humour was the French comedian Coluche.

Mussel excursions are held every month in the Netherlands with customers, suppliers, managers, etc. so that they can get to know the product better.

More than 40 restaurants have opened in France over a 15-year period culminating in the opening in 1992 of Léon on the Champs Elysées.

On this occasion, the Brel family agreed to show its support of Léon by associating the Brel name with the opening festivities. This included the creation of a numbered CD limited to 3,000 copies for guests invited to the opening evening. Never before or since has the Brel name been associated with a commercial undertaking.

In 1993, Rudy Vanlancker decided to open a separate building to enable Léon to set up outside the city centre and then in the Province which proved to be a great success.

Success has continued to this day and Léon France since 1997 has been a completely independent company.
Rudy Vanlancker would like to turn the enterprise of his forbears into an international undertaking. For this purpose, he passed control over to the professionals with the financial, human and professional means to ensure that development continued.

This company which is quoted on the second French stock market currently serves 3 million customers a year with a turnover of some € 50 000 000 on the French market alone.

10 new restaurants will open their doors in 2006 and 2007 with a completely different interior design.

A branch of Léon of Brussels in France also exists and is preparing to continue the venture outside France and Belgium .

In December 2004, Rudy Vanlancker opened a Léon in Beirut , Lebanon with the intention of opening up new branches in Dubai and Abu Dabi.

The development of Léon abroad is above all an attempt to export the concept of the Belgian restaurant - with its special atmosphere and reference to the great Jacques Brel who sang: "Puis on ira manger des moules et puis des frites, des frites et puis des moules, et du vin de Moselle, Viens Jef… Viens…" [And then we'll eat mussels and chips, and chips and mussels, and drink Moselle wine. Come on Jef, come on] (copyright 1964, Pouchenel).

Nowadays, Léon of Brussels is known all over the world. The main restaurant in Brussels is spread over 11 buildings. This epitomy of excellent Belgian cuisine has had a unique success in Belgium and enjoys an unequalled reputation all over the world.

We will continue to pursue this gourmet tradition that has lasted for five generations.

For any additional information, contact Rudy Vanlancker.