06/22/2026
Nino on catering to a different breed of diner in Brussels🇧🇪, “The Sheraton Hotel, where I worked as the food and beverage director, was the newest in Brussels, and very American in its mentality. The top three floors were apartments with fully equipped kitchens and were for families facing relocation to Brussels. Most countries had three ambassadors, one for the government and one for the CEEC [Committee of European Economic Cooperation] and one for NATO respectively. Therefore, there was a significant demand for temporary apartments. The traffic of CEOs, country presidents, and diplomats through Brussels was astounding. The hotel apartments and rooms were always full. The hotel was heavily frequented by state dignitaries. Henry Kissinger held many conferences in the private banquet rooms, and so did the American vice president, Spiro Agnew. One thing I particularly remember is the hotels main restaurant, Les Comtes de Flanders (The Counts of Flanders], very chic, Cristofle silverware and crystal glasses. But there had to be a dog menu!🐕 Belgians were very dog friendly, and to bring a dog of a certain size to a restaurant was perfectly normal. We had plastic or ceramic plates of different colors and sizes for dog food. The customers ordered different items from this menu for their dogs. And the menu changed regularly, too. May I add that I became a dog food expert.” -From Nino Pernetti’s Caffe Abbracci Cookbook,📕 His Life Story and Travels around the World.🌎 Photo: Nino’s parents and baby sister came to Brussels to visit.
