For many Flemish and Aalst residents, Friday is chip day, but for Wendy and Diëgo of ’t Frituurke on Kerkstraat, it's different. “Because we are in the chip shop every day, we hardly eat fries, unless to taste if they are well-cooked,” says Wendy. When she does eat them, she opts for a 'friet speciaal' with warm curry sauce made by Diëgo. Wendy, who grew up in the hospitality industry, first worked at her sister's chip shop in the Waasland region. She then worked weekends at the Aalst chip shop until she took over the business in 2011. At that time, ’t Frituurke was located across the street. “It was a different era, young people went out more. Nights were hectic, and students came for lunch on both Thursday and Friday afternoons. Now, those same students visit with their children and the fathers say, ‘This is where I met your mother’,” Wendy laughs.
’t Frituurke is a good neighbour to the lunch bar De Soeptrien. Arne from De Soeptrien used to be a customer when he was a student. He suggested collaborating more during events. “We have good neighbours on Kerkstraat; it’s important to support each other.” This weekend, on September 11 and 12, Kerkstraat will be transformed into a festive street. Dominique from The Music Club is also celebrating his 20th anniversary. There will be DJs, a bouncy castle, and of course, fries.
Almost seven years ago, Diëgo joined the business. As a Ghent native, he immediately felt at home in Aalst. “In Ghent, I was involved in various associations and social projects. I clicked instantly with Aalst and its carnival,” says Diëgo. ’t Frituurke is indeed a true carnival chip shop. They involve all candidate princes and let them create their own chip portion. On average, they fry 900 kg of potatoes per week, but during carnival, 1800 kg go through the fryer in just three days. When asked what’s so enjoyable about working in this 'madness', they answer in unison: “The atmosphere!” Wendy dreams of one day participating in the carnival parade. Like true carnival enthusiasts, Wendy and Diëgo are socially engaged. For Sint-Maarten (St. Martin's Day), they support children in poverty to ensure they receive a gift. At the back of the shop, there's a play area for the youngest customers.
Wendy & Diëgo insist that everyone feels welcome in their chip shop. They offer halal meat and over 40 personalized chip portions, such as the ‘Wendy’ke’: chix fingers with stew sauce, dried onions, and mayonnaise. This idea originated from members of the student club Moeder Oilsjterse, inspired by Ghent's ‘Julientje’. But how do you achieve the perfect fry? “It’s different for everyone, but for me, it’s about a good potato flavour inside and a nice crispy layer outside. And frying in beef fat. We change the oil at least every two days, and even daily when it’s busy,” says Diëgo. “We make so much ourselves: our goulash, hot sauces, the meatballs Wendy rolls, stew sauce…” Dedication is certainly not lacking. This commitment is also immortalized on the photo wall in the shop, featuring everything from student shields to carnival logos and photos with customers. ’t Frituurke is and remains for everyone!
