Let's catch up with Rafaël Verheyen [F 2023] 

First exploring, then entrepreneurship 

After graduating, Rafaël was not entirely sure which direction he wanted to take. Rather than immediately mapping out a career path, he decided to explore a few things he had always wanted to try. 

He started working at a traditional French bakery in Antwerp, where he enjoyed discovering how a bakery operates behind the scenes. Afterwards, he returned to the hospitality industry, where he once again realised how much energy the sector gave him. However, he had his own ideas about how things could be done better, but did not always have the freedom to put them into practice. 

“I no longer enjoyed working for other people and having rules imposed on me, while I felt that the way I approached things could actually lead to better results.” 

Gradually, the idea of starting something of his own began to take shape. There was just one important thing missing: a concrete concept. 

 

Italy as a source of inspiration 

Before starting his own business, Rafaël wanted to gain some inspiration. Italy had been on his list for quite some time. He was drawn to the country because of its rich food culture and the passion with which people approach their products and traditions. So, he decided to travel around Italy. 

His journey began in Sicily, where he worked at a vineyard with wine and olive oil. He then travelled to Calabria, where he worked on a permaculture farm. He stayed with people who lived almost entirely self-sufficiently. It was a remarkable experience. Everything came from their own garden, water was collected, and daily life took place largely outdoors. Although this was not necessarily a lifestyle he would choose for himself, the experience did change the way he looked at food and where products come from. 

“You become so much more aware of what you use and what you eat. I ate vegetables there that I had never even seen before. Everything came from the garden.” 

His journey eventually took him to Naples, a city where bread and pizza play an important role in the local food culture. Rafaël decided to work at a local bakery, approaching the owner with a simple attitude: “This is who I am. I may not know that much yet, but I have a lot of energy.”

From garage to his own bakery 

After his time in Italy, Rafaël returned to Antwerp. By then, he had a much clearer idea of what he wanted: to start his own bakery, Bakkerij Flor.

He decided to convert his garage into a bakery, where he took his first steps as an independent entrepreneur. Today, he mainly supplies bread to restaurants. His business has grown quickly, partly thanks to his existing network within Antwerp's hospitality industry. 

For now, production still takes place in his garage. It has its charm, but it is not always practical. Much of the space is made of glass, which means the temperature can fluctuate significantly. And when it comes to baking bread, maintaining a consistent temperature is essential. 

 

Looking towards the future 

Rafaël is enthusiastic about what the future holds. He wants to further develop his bakery, make production more efficient and eventually start selling directly to consumers as well. In the long term, he even sees opportunities to open several bakeries, each with its own identity and product range. However, he does not simply want to expand by taking on more and more restaurant clients. Instead, he is looking for ways to grow without compromising the quality of his products or the attention he gives to them. 

For Rafaël, that attention is largely about the time he gives his bread. He works with simple ingredients: water, salt and flour. The difference lies in the process. He often prepares the dough a day before the bread goes into the oven. It is then given the entire night to slowly ferment at around seven degrees Celsius, allowing the flavours to develop. According to him, this patience is what gives his bread its deep flavour. Whenever he tries to speed up the process, he immediately notices a decline in quality. 

He wants to maintain this approach as his business grows. His ambition is to develop step by step, explore new opportunities and, above all, stay true to what he enjoys most: baking good bread. 

 

Just give it a go: the biggest lesson from entrepreneurship 

Looking back on his journey, Rafaël believes that simply trying things has played a major role in his development. Not everything needs to be perfectly planned in advance. 

“You can only really regret the things you never did.” 

He has also carried this mindset with him from his international experiences. During his internships and work placements abroad, he regularly had to find solutions independently. Being in a new environment, meeting unfamiliar people and facing practical challenges helped him become more independent. 

His advice to current Hotel Management School Maastricht students is therefore to make the most of the opportunity to go abroad. Not just for a holiday, but to work independently somewhere new, meet different people and challenge yourself. “Don't travel with five friends either. Then you're not really travelling; you're just hanging out with your friends somewhere else.” 

 

Carving out your own path 

Rafaël's career path has been anything but conventional. What started as a search for inspiration eventually grew into his own bakery, with a clear vision and ambitions for the future. His story shows that a career does not always have to follow a carefully planned route. 

Perhaps that is the most important message he wants to share: "Stay curious, dare to step outside your comfort zone and do not be afraid to try something before knowing exactly how it will work. Sometimes all it takes is an idea, a little courage and the willingness to roll up your sleeves."