AMSTERDAM: Joris Bijdendijk, chef of restaurant Rijks in Amsterdam who distinguished himself for a number of creative ideas to keep working during the COVID-19 pandemic has come up with a new idea which this time also thinks of those most in need. Together with Brandt & Levie, one of the most renowned sausage makers in the Netherlands, he has created a canned pea soup or ‘Snert soup’ as it is called in the Netherlands. The soups are being sold in different Snertbars that have been opened. Joris and Brandt & Levie have pledged to give one can of soup for every purchase to the Amsterdam Food Bank. In the first week, over 1,000 cans of soup were collected for the Amsterdam Food Bank. The target has now been set for 5,000 cans of soup. Together, they are not just making a soup but also have created a fashion collection around Snert Soup. On their website, you can buy a range of t-shirts and hoodies created in a sustainable manner using premium inks that are eco-friendly … [Read more...]

North Sea Chefs - The Netherlands was launched on 21 May 2019 at a dinner organised at Pure C in Cadzand. Following the example of Belgian colleagues who founded North Sea Chefs in 2011, a group of Dutch chefs have now joined forces to raise awareness about unknown and unrecognised North Sea fish and by-catch with a view to ensuring sustainable North Sea fishing. North Sea Chefs wants to set an example of how chefs can proactively put the issue of sustainability on the agenda outside the kitchen walls and raise awareness for fishermen, ship owners, sellers, chefs and even customers. The first North Sea Chefs Netherlands are Sergio Herman and Syrco Bakker of Pure C, Thijs Meliefste of Meliefste, Soenil Bahadoer of De Lindehof, Jannis Brevet of Inter Scaldes, Nicola Misera of AIRrepublic, Benny Blisto of BAK, Jef Schuur of JEF, Jonnie Boer of De Librije, Arnout van der Kolk of Restaurant C, Hendrik & Kamiel Buysse of BLEND, Guillaume de Beer & Freek van Noortwijk of … [Read more...]

Syrco Bakker, chef of internationally renowned restaurant Pure C in Cadzand Bad, Zeeland, the Netherlands is hoping that the opening of Blueness, a Japanese food bar, gives him the opportunity to take the restaurant to the next level as Sergio Herman's vision for this seaside resort takes shape. After the successful opening of Air Republic, a bistrot and cafe overlooking the new Cadzand marina, Blueness had a soft-opening during the summer months when the new wing of the Strand Hotel opened in July. Housed on the ground floor, Syrco Bakker and Sergio Herman have worked together to create a bar and casual restaurant with a Japanese style interior. The food focuses on the quality of Zeeland produce that is complemented by a distinct Japanese touch. "We knew we wanted to give the food an Asian touch. We originally thought we would create an Asian food bar but that was too vast and the cuisines are too different. We then started to experiment with Japanese and Indonesian cuisines and it … [Read more...]

Syrco Bakker and Sergio Herman have announced that this year's Foodfest will take place on Monday June 4 in and around Strandkerk in Cadzand-Bad. This year, Syrco and Sergio have decided to invite a selection of former colleagues who worked with them at Sergio's restaurant Oud Sluis in Zeeland. They call them the 'heroes of Oud Sluis'. Most of these chefs today work in some great restaurants in the Netherlands, Belgium and even further afield such as New York and Singapore among others. Together, they will be working with beautiful Zeeland products that they had used when they worked at Oud Slouis. "We are very much looking forward to working with them on 4 June. During Foodfest, they will all make their own dish with the produce from our region," said Syrco and Sergio. 75% of the tickets for the event have already been sold out. Foodfest is a festival where in addition to art, music and inspiring talks, good food and drink takes centre stage. After two successful early … [Read more...]