I am inspired and encouraged by my late mother to pursue my ambitions in becoming a Top Chef. Perseverance is what I learned from her. But to name an internationally acclaimed chef, I would say; Martin Kruidhof inspired me. I admire him for his choice of ingredients and how he processes them.
I have been trained French classical, but by making my own personal cooking style, I let my guests taste international cuisine. In my dishes, the ingredients on the plate must be recognizable, simple and pure. When choosing the ingredients for a dish, I let myself be guided through the season. From the kitchen I walk into the forest and I get inspired by all edible plants and flowers. While walking, I imagine the dish and ‘taste’ flavours.
In the context of sustainability and to prevent food waste, I use the entire animal, from head to tail. In addition, it improves the taste of the meat by cooking it in its own moisture, for example.
Regarding a specific dish, I’d love to prepare gently cooked fillets of sole, langoustine, sweetheart cabbage cannelloni, fried quail eggs, fennel crème, mushroom, crispy sourdough, langoustine sauce.
I believe it is important to share my knowledge with the next generation of chefs. Therefore we work together with the Cas Spijkers Academy, a Dutch course for chefs who want to work at the highest level in the hospitality industry. Part of the training at this academy is a close collaboration with chefs from Michelin star restaurants. Students visit Het Roode Koper and I teach them how to deal consciously with products like meat, fish, vegetables.
Sunday cooking means cooking for the whole family, coming together in the afternoon, enjoying food and wine. Easy to cook: pasta, crème fraiche, garlic, onion, fried chicken, king prawns and green asparagus. Served with focaccia bread and a light wine.
