Michelin is pleased to unveil the 2021 edition of the MICHELIN Guide Netherlands. This year, two restaurants rose to Two-Star status and no less than eight received their first Star. This year’s guide features a total of 113 starred restaurants whose awards attest to the perseverance and determination that chefs and their teams bring to their work every day.
“In these extremely challenging times for the restaurant industry, it was particularly important for us to publish the MICHELIN Guide Netherlands to encourage restaurateurs, highlight their exceptional commitment and showcase their talent. Over the past year, beyond the excellent gastronomic experiences our teams have enjoyed, they were especially delighted to see that chefs and their teams have continued to do their utmost to breathe life into their art and inspire their customers, who they are eager to welcome back to their restaurants. This momentum is remarkable in every way. It shows that restaurants in the Netherlands have not lost any of their creativity or commitment, especially when it comes to sustainable gastronomy,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides.
Two restaurants still reign over the Dutch fine dining scene with their Three MICHELIN Stars: De Librije in Zwolle and Inter Scaldes in Kruiningen. Jonnie Boer and Jannis Brevet’s culinary expertise is simply exceptional, and the professionalism and sense of hospitality displayed front of house by their spouses, Therese and Claudia, transform every culinary rendez-vous into an absolutely unique experience.
Two restaurants receive Two Stars
The Netherlands can boast two new Two Michelin Star restaurants. Fine diners in the know are already familiar with Thomas Groot and Richard van Oostenbrugge at the helm of Restaurant 212 in Amsterdam. By blending traditional savoir-faire with a pinch of originality, the two famous chefs prepare dishes that are as creative as they are enchanting. In Reijmerstok, restaurant Brut172 also delivers a high quality dining experience that chef Hans van Wolde is constantly reinventing. With his unique culinary personality, he takes us on a culinary trip through the Limburgish countryside. A delight for the taste buds!
Eight restaurants are honored with One Star
This year, the MICHELIN Guide also awarded One MICHELIN Star to eight restaurants. At Wils in Amsterdam, Joris Bijdendijk serves up delicate dishes that demonstrate his perfect mastery of wood-fired cooking technique. Also in the Dutch capital, Dennis Huwaë, who heads the kitchen at Daalder, combines creativity and Eastern influences to create delicately-flavored offerings. At De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen, Emile van der Staak makes the most of the vegetable kingdom to create bold gourmet dishes. Pieters Restaurant in Bergamacht appeals to all classic cuisine lovers, while Zeezout in Rotterdam offers very high quality seafood cuisine. The relaxed atmosphere and modern fare at Tilia in Etten-Leur deliver a particularly pleasurable gourmet experience. The cooking style of Thijs Meliefste, whose eponymous restaurant is located in Wolphaartsdijk, will impress food connoisseurs with its modern twist, while Ollie Schuiling at Kasteel Heemstede in Houten celebrates classic flavors with authenticity and originality.
Eight MICHELIN Green Stars for a sustainable approach to fine dining
Introduced for the first time this year in the Netherlands, the MICHELIN Green Star honors restaurants demonstrating a particularly strong commitment to making fine dining more sustainable. With this new award, the MICHELIN Guide wants to act as the voice for these particularly inspiring and ambitious professionals, whose virtuous initiatives reflect their commitment to working toward more sustainable forms of fine dining.
Eight restaurants have received their very first MICHELIN Green Star. Jonnie Boer of restaurant De Librije in Zwolle is an ambassador for his region inspiring many chefs to (re)discover local produce. Chefs Luc Kusters and Jos Timmer from restaurants Bolenius and De Kas, both located in Amsterdam, have placed vegetables at the heart of their sustainable cuisine, acting on a philosophy they share with Jean Thoma at Aan Sjuuteeänjd in Schinnen. Short supply chains are central to chefs Jelle Wagenaar from restaurant Het Seminar in Zenderen and Bjorn Massop at Lokaal in Doetinchem. The “food forest” Ketelbroek has found a new ambassador in seasoned chef Emile Van Der Staak from De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen. A special mention also goes to Edwin Soumang and his restaurant One in Roermond, where he expresses his sustainable vision both in the dishes he serves and in the experiences his restaurant creates.
Special MICHELIN awards celebrating diverse restaurant trades and young talent
As every year, MICHELIN is also celebrating a number of fine dining professionals in an effort to showcase the diversity of restaurant trades that have also been hit by the health crisis. Alex Haupt, who runs the kitchen at 101 Gowrie received the 2021 MICHELIN Young Chef Award. Our inspectors were impressed by the creativity and personality that this young talent demonstrates in his cooking at 29, and by his capacity to interlace Dutch produce and exotic flavors. Cindy Borger, who heads the front of house at De Groene Lantaarn in Staphorst was the winner of the MICHELIN Guide Service Award. Demonstrating equal doses of charisma and care, she is a seasoned professional who is always eager to share her vast knowledge with guests and knows how to turn every moment at the restaurant into an unforgettable experience. Lastly, our teams decided to award the 2021 MICHELIN Sommelier award to Edgaras Razminas at De Lindehof in Nuenen. His energy, talent for setting the stage, and high level of expertise all make the food and wine pairing a central part of the restaurant's dining experience.
The 2021 Guide also recommends 118 Bib Gourmand restaurants, of which 13 were added this year. These restaurants are singled out for their excellent value for money, offering a set menu with starter, main and dessert for a maximum of €39 to every gourmet’s delight.
The 2021 MICHELIN Guide Netherlands selection is published exclusively on our website guide.michelin.com/nl and on our new free MICHELIN Guide app available on iOS.
