# Blog 1 - Introduction

Exactly 3 weeks ago, I arrived in the evening at the airport in Faro. It feels like much longer ago because we have done a lot lately. Unfortunately, 2 weeks of vacation was not an option.. the Dutch mentality of rolling up sleeves and continuing was also present here. That's what you get when you work with a Dutch family!
But I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I am now in my bedroom and I think I am alone for the first time in 3 weeks. Because this family has really involved me in everything, I love it, I feel completely at home. I am completely myself and I do not shy away from anything and that is a good sign. I think we click well together, I can chat and work with everyone and I think that is very important. Everyone is nice and straight, so you know exactly where you stand. No complaining afterward if someone does not like something you will find out soon enough, I like that mentality.

Tomorrow is the first kick-off, we invite the friends of the family, who have recently helped so fanatically and enthusiastically. A group of fine people together, super fun and with a lot of humor, especially Wim sex, Ome Wim, he makes one horny, wrong comment after another, the first minutes you have your mouth full.. 5 minutes later you know exactly who you have in front of you, with his slim eyes shining he looks into the world and sees it as 1 big playground (full of beautiful women), he is happily married and has a sweet son, but acting crazy and teasing he will never stop. We all went to his birthday last week, from which I also was cordially invited. Super sweet and that was a party! Totally fun.
Well, this cozy group will come to us for dinner tomorrow evening in Restaurant Semi-XO. I find it very exciting. Due to the hustle and bustle and hard work, we have not spent a lot of time on the content of the menu card, don't get me wrong. There is a lot of time and attention spent on drawing it up. Only for me, it is 1 hocus pocus of ingredients and English names. Today I finally translated it into Dutch for myself, what is this actually?!
For example, I would like to mention a few nice terms:
Chanterelle, Dashi demi, Pea shoots, Kombu, or Yuzu .. have you ever heard of it? Well, I really had to google! Haha
And then we have a winelist... HELP ME GOD. Anyway, we can do this!
With my biggest smile and a nice dress. I welcome the first guests, tomorrow and this weekend to SEMI-XO !!
Whiiieeeehoooewwww
A small explanation of the name: Semi means Half. And XO stands for eXtra Ordinary
We want to give just a little bit more than usual. Believe me .. What our chef presents on a plate is anything but the usual. Really! I can proudly put the plate on the table. And then we only hear MMMmmmm oooowwww aaaaahhh :P Everybody loves it.