Birth of Joseph Niels, founder of the Niels dynasty. He was the son of a large family of farmers living in the Flemish region of Brabant.

A disease struck the livestock of the farm. Joseph decided to leave to Great Britain where he worked in the famous Savoy Hotel in London.

When he returned to Belgium, Joseph was hired at the restaurant La Taverne Royale, situated in the gallery St Hubert in Brussels, where he later became the director.

He opens his own restaurant, at the Emile Jacqmain Boulevard in Brussels, that he names Canterbury in memory of his stay in Great Britain. He goes on to invent the recipe for the Filet Américain. For more than half a century, this restaurant has been the inevitable meeting point of artists, politicians and business men alike.

At the universal exposition of Brussels, Joseph Niels represents the Belgian gastronomy with his own pavilion restaurant.

Joseph dies in an accident. His two sons Albert (1917-1978) and Georges (1919-2000) take over.

Vive la Belgique!

Albert and Georges opened the restaurant of the Claridge hotel in Buenos Aires (Argentina).

Georges Niels wins the silver medal as part of the four-man bobsleigh team during the Olympic Winter Games in St. Moritz (Switzerland).

Albert and Georges founded Nielsvins (wine trade) and opened the restaurant La Couronne on the Grand Place in Brussels.

As a result of the success of the Claridge hotel restaurant in Buenos Aires, the Argentine government asked them to represent the country’s gastronomy at the universal exposition of 1958 in Brussels (Restaurant of the Argentine Pavilion).

Albert and Georges decided to each go their separate ways. Albert continued the Canterbury and the wine trade Nielsvins and Georges took over the hotel Brussels and the restaurant La Couronne.

Philippe Niels started working with his father Albert.

Philippe goes to London for an internship in the Hyde Park Hotel.

Philippe opens a hotel in Italy that belonged to his uncle Georges Niels, the hotel Castel Sandra in Santa Maria Di Castellabate.

The same year Georges represented the gastronomy of Belgium at the universal exposition in Montreal (Restaurant of the Belgian Pavilion).

Philippe and his father open the Vieux Saint Martin on the Place du Grand Sablon.

Albert and Philippe open a fish restaurant La Marie Joseph in the Quartier des Quais.

Albert and Philippe represent Belgium at the universal exposition in Osaka in Japan. Architect: André Jacqmain. Designer: Christophe Gevers.

A gastronomic restaurant, a tavern and two fries shops on the terrace.
For the first time, the Japanese discovered the fries cone and local products imported from Belgium.

The Niels family was among the first to introduce fruits from Israel and green pepper from Madagascar in Belgium.

Albert and Philippe open Au Duke d’Arenberg at the Petit Sablon.

Albert Niels dies.

Philippe and Albert-Jean Niels open a new tavern-restaurant Canterbury at the Etangs d’Ixelles.

Sarah Niels, graduates at the hotel school of Lausanne (Switzerland) and joins her father in the family business.

Philippe and Albert-Jean decide to split. Philippe continues with the tavern-restaurant Canterbury, the restaurant La Marie Joseph and the wine store Nielsvins.

Louis Niels, graduates at the Institute Paul Bocuse in Lyon in France, joined the team.

The story continues