Ilse Kristalijn (left) and Rozalin Boer (right) of the Happietaria board. Photo Resource Happietaria is a pop-up restaurant run by students which is organised in various student cities each year to raise funds for charity. The event takes place in Wageningen every other year. The proceeds will be donated to Tearfund, a global organisation dedicated to helping people escape poverty.
The construction of the pop-up restaurant is well underway. Rozalin Boer says the board has been busy making plans, finding sponsors, designing recipes, and all manner of other preparations since September last year. ‘We will be open six nights a week for five weeks. There will be two shifts, one for early diners and one for the later guests. We have a professional kitchen and a varied menu. In addition to our board of seven, there are currently some 30 students working on building the restaurant. Once open, we have 15 volunteers each evening to help. In total, we have hundreds of students, as well as people from the refugee centre and random citizens of Wageningen contributing.’
In total, we have hundreds of students, as well as people from the refugee centre and random citizens of Wageningen contributing
Guests will be able to choose from four appetisers, six main courses and four desserts. ‘And a cheese platter’, Ilse Kristalijn, board member responsible for PR, states. ‘There is something for everyone; vegetarian and vegan options, but also meat.’ The board members offer a sneak peek. Boer: ‘Appetisers include bread with creamy goat cheese dip, dates and bacon.’ Kristalijn: ‘I am really interested in the rendang and jackfruit main course.’ Boer: ‘and the Happieburger, of course.’ Kristalijn: ‘I’ll choose the Eton Mess with strawberries, meringue and whipped cream for dessert.’
First dates
As was the case in previous editions, there will be theme nights, Boer says. ‘There is a Hitster bingo evening and a murder night where you play a Cluedo-like game at the table. And we have a first dates evening, where students complete a survey and are matched with a suitable person.’
The funds raised by Happietaria will go towards sustainability projects in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Congo, Kristalijn states. ‘Tearfund works with NGOs, churches and other local initiatives. They offer courses in sustainable farming and how to increase your income through sustainability. They also teach about savings groups, in which local entrepreneurs jointly invest, and may take turns in borrowing from the fund to invest in their business.’
Happietaria is open from Mondays to and including Saturdays between 21 March and 24 April. The pop-up restaurant is located on Dreijenplein 4. Book now through happietaria.nl/wageningen.
