Judith and Marco

A warm welcome at Judith and Marco’s restaurant Het Wolthuis
When you think of the Brabantse Wal , you soon think of enjoying delicious local produce, hospitality and a warm atmosphere. At Restaurant Het Wolthuis in Bergen op Zoom , all of this comes together. Owners Judith and Marco have been running their own restaurant here since June 2021 – a dream they’d been nurturing for years.

From the office to the kitchen
Judith started out with a part-time job as a waitress, but ended up behind a desk after studying accountancy. “After four years of crunching numbers, I thought: I’m not going to be doing this for the rest of my life,” she says with a laugh. So she swapped Excel for a serving tray, and a few years later for her own business: Het Wolthuis.
Marco, on the other hand, knew only one path: the hospitality industry. He’d been working in kitchens since he was fifteen, initially with a passion for patisserie. “I loved making beautiful cakes, until I realised it meant getting out of bed at four in the morning,” he jokes. Eventually, he chose to focus on cooking, working day and night at top restaurants such as Mijn Keuken and Le Bouleau, and learnt the trade from the very best.

Not enough hours in the day
Judith and Marco met at the restaurant where they were both working at the time. “We soon told each other that it was our dream to open our own place one day,” says Judith. When Judith and Marco set their sights on the current premises of Het Wolthuis (then known as De Bloemkool), they knew: this is the one. But it took another year before they actually got the keys. “After that viewing, we compared every other property to this one. There simply wasn’t anything better than this,” says Marco. Fortunately, the property later became available again and was allocated to Marco and Judith.

With a baby in their arms, both of them in new jobs and the threat of Covid-19 looming, the renovation began. Friends fitted metalwork, painted walls and refurbished the toilets. Their savings evaporated, but the dream became a reality. “24 hours in a day was actually too short to get everything done,” says Marco. “But with our dream in mind, we managed it: in 2021, we opened our own restaurant!”

The big picture
What makes Het Wolthuis special? The overall picture. No expensive, pretentious airs and graces, but a place where everyone feels welcome. “We want our restaurant to remain accessible to a wide audience,” explains Marco. Every two months, a new menu is served, often featuring local produce. In particular, the famous three A’s of the Brabantse Wal – asparagus, anchovies and strawberries – play a starring role. “And that’s quite a story in itself, because the origins of the three A’s lie in this very building, back when it was still called De Bloemkool and run by the Bosters family.” On the wall hangs a small painting of anchovies, a reminder of how the famous three A’s began right here.

Their game evenings have also become well-known and popular in the region. “We put them online tomorrow and, hey presto, they’re sold out,” says Judith. And yes, even when there’s no game on the menu, there’s plenty to enjoy. Guests keep coming back and staff enjoy working at Het Wolthuis. “I find that truly special,” says Judith. “It shows that we give off the impression that the business is thriving. And you can really feel that.”

High standards, but with a smile
With two young children, a busy restaurant and staff who also need attention, Marco and Judith’s lives are anything but quiet. “We want to do everything well; we set the bar high,” says Judith. Marco adds: “But hey, I enjoy everything: cooking, decorating, even cleaning the toilets. I never feel superior to the people who work for us. Het Wolthuis isn’t about us, but about our guests and everyone who helps make it happen.”

Despite all the hustle and bustle, they continue to enjoy themselves. After all, what could be better than guests who feel at home and appreciate your work? “When people say, ‘I want to come back here’, then our mission has been a success,” says Marco proudly.

Visit the website of Restaurant Het Wolthuis

September 2025