The Jane: A Decade That Changed the Soundtrack of Fine Dining

First published in the FNL-Guide in July 2025

In the heart of Antwerp, inside the former central church of a 19th-century military hospital, one of Europe’s most controversial gastronomic temples flourished for a decade. The Jane was never just a restaurant, it was a challenge to conformity, an experience that demanded guests rethink what fine dining means in the 21st century. And now, it’s preparing for a secretive relocation. The main reason? A €23,000 monthly rent.

The old military church, transformed into a culinary “sanctuary” by Studio Piet Boon, looked more like a set from a Kubrick film than a traditional restaurant. Marble surfaces, bronze details, and hanging lamps created an atmosphere suspended between the sacred and the worldly. That very duality was what made The Jane so captivating.

Nick Bril, the chef who took the reins after Sergio Herman’s departure, managed to retain the restaurant’s two Michelin stars within just fifteen months of operation. His cuisine balanced on a fine line between technical precision and emotional expression, a balance that found its echo in the restaurant’s sonic identity.

And that brings us to The Jane’s most defining element: the music. This was not the typical ambient soundtrack found in most fine dining venues. Almost from day one, Kajan Chow served as the restaurant’s resident DJ and music curator, the man whose soundscapes accompanied the entire dining experience. Naturally, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to speak with him.

The sonic character of The Jane was built around three emotional pillars: mystery, personality, and vitality. “Music was the equivalent of ingredients in a degustation menu,” Kajan explains. “Some tracks were orchestral, soulful, or rhythm-based; others were more atmospheric, cinematic, or mysterious. From Fela Kuti to Larry Heard, Gigi Masin to Ron Trent, and Cleo Sol to Wareika, the challenge was always to maintain balance.”

The acoustics of the space, housed in a former church, amplified every note. The high ceilings and marble surfaces gave the sound a distinct presence that blended seamlessly with the theatrical presentation of the dishes.

“Acoustically, it felt like playing inside a church,” Kajan says, “but thanks to smart sound absorption solutions in the main dining room, the result was warm and intimate. The stained-glass windows and massive chandelier enhanced the grandeur of the experience, while I had complete freedom to improvise for six straight hours.”

The Jane often uploaded its live DJ sets to SoundCloud, allowing guests to relive the atmosphere. Just last year, the restaurant collaborated with Armada Music to release a vinyl record featuring ten artists who created tracks using recorded samples from The Jane.

The menu itself was a composition. Each dish had its own rhythm, tonality, and curve of intensity. Flavors unfolded in layers, much like how a music producer builds instruments into a track. The philosophy of “fine dining meets music” was never a slogan, it was a genuine creative approach.

Every summer, The Jane experience moves, as it did this year, to Celestial in Knokke, a seaside town in northern Belgium. There, a four-hour dining ritual continues the same philosophy, with music remaining a key axis of the experience.

Clearly, The Jane was never meant to please everyone. It was an experience that required open-mindedness, aesthetic sensitivity, and, naturally, a certain financial comfort. At the same time, it appealed to those willing to surrender to a process designed to evoke emotional shifts, where music was not mere background but a co-creator of flavor.

“You can’t build intensity too quickly,” Kajan notes. “Guests need time to feel comfortable, especially when the menu lasts four or five hours. The mood and the tempo rise gradually, like a well-structured meal.” For him, music functions as a kind of mise en place, a personal preparation where he selects “little gems” from afro-funk to dubby house and acid jazz.

The Jane now closes its chapter in the iconic chapel of the former military hospital, but its story doesn’t end there.

“I’ve played in hundreds of venues,” Kajan says, “but The Jane’s church was truly unique. I feel honored to have contributed to its sonic identity.” And with its next location already in preparation for winter, the future promises a continuation of this multi-sensory experience, simply with a new backdrop.

So what, then, is the future of music in fine dining?

“I’d say it depends on the chef, or whether the owners have a clear vision,” Kajan reflects. “There are different styles of gastronomy around the world, so flexibility is essential when integrating curated sound into a dining experience. As gastronomy and music become increasingly intertwined through social media, a new audience has emerged, one that visits fine dining restaurants to experience the full spectrum of sensations, including sound. Having a DJ in a Michelin-level restaurant is still relatively rare, which makes it fascinating to see how it will evolve.”

Far from the futuristic theatrics of Sublimotion, The Jane represented a vision of how fine dining can embrace the power of music without fearing innovation or the clichés of convention. Now, everything is ready for The Jane 2.0.

Note: The restaurant has uploaded several of its live sessions to SoundCloud.