Woonbedrijf, the owner of the building where Happie040 is located, approached TV chef Toub for an initiative offering healthy, affordable meals and enabling social interactions in residential tower Pollux. He showed interest and came up with Happie040, a concept that complements the coffee shop Bakkie040, about 20 meters away, also on the Blauwe Loper.

The restaurant offers space for seventy guests. They can sit at long tables to create a cafeteria atmosphere. Almost everything at Happie040 is secondhand: the chairs come from schools, the tables are made from scrap wood, and the plants, trays, and an oven come from Rabobank. "We also have games everywhere – also secondhand - designed to help people connect with each other. After dinner, they can easily play a game."

Toub imagines people coming - alone or together - and simply sitting next to a stranger. That it becomes normal to strike up a conversation with whoever you meet. "Eating together connects," he firmly believes. He's proud of the open kitchen and the connection with the people in it. "You can see everything and easily connect with the chefs as well."

Inclusivity

All meals at Happie040 are halal and allergens are listed on the packaging. The soups are always vegetarian, and there's a vegetarian alternative for every dinner. Toub keeps the prices as low as possible. Soup costs 3.50, a lunch snack costs 5.50, and dinner is 7.50. You won't find fast food here, but healthy, filling meals. If you're hungry for more, you can also order a salad and/or dessert (2.50 each). Cursor, under the guise of participatory journalism, was given a taste – a corn soup, cheese quiche, and tortellini dish – and it really was delicious.

The meals can be eaten in or taken away. Happie040 is open Monday to Friday for lunch between 10 AM and 3 PM and for dinner between 5 PM and 7 PM, although Toub wants to expand this even further for the many international students who are often accustomed to dining later.

Springplank

Toub collaborates with people from Springplank, an organization in Eindhoven that provides support to people experiencing homelessness. An important focus point is getting people back to work, as it helps them regain their rhythm and income, key ingredients for getting their lives back on track.

One of those people is Rodin van Zanten. He now works full-time at Happie040 and beams as he talks about it. "I'm the executive chef. I coordinate a lot of things with Mounir, but I've also come up with some ideas for dishes myself." His favorite creation is the spicy ground beef with chicory and cheese sauce.

"I met Mounir through my counselor at Springplank, and we clicked right away. Thanks to the help I received, I'm now debt-free, have a flat nearby, and my life back on track," he says, visibly pleased.