Where Chefs Eat.
By Andy Fenner
Sometimes it helps to prowl the internet, spending hours trawling and selecting how and where you would like to eat, in order to experience a city. Sometimes those restaurant guides compiled by a bunch of mystery judges can actually point you towards good dining options. Of course they can. And, OBVIOUSLY, Unbookables.com is a resource that you should absolutely be using to pick a spot for your next meal. But another way of finding a chef to trust with your precious time is to ask…a chef. A way of finding a restaurant that is committed to giving you a good experience is to ask someone who already owns one.
Here are some tips from some of Amsterdam’s current industry leaders.
Kevin Kearney of Stacks Diner
Stacks Diner has been making big waves in Amsterdam, for very deserving reasons. Careful and ethical sourcing of ingredients, precise cooking of those ingredients and an attitude that shows obvious love for both make it one of the best eating options around. But with such a considered approach towards creating a warm and inviting space, owner Kevin Kearney’s preferred restaurants may surprise you.
“All I eat is Chinese food,” he laughs, as he singles out Amber Garden (get the egg custard tarts – IYKYK) and Fulu as his preferred options. “At Fulu you need to get the potatoes with vinegar and the lamb burritos. Any of the sharing dishes are amazing, like the oxtail, or the dry-fried crab”, he assures me
Gabriel Verheijj of Butter Boys Club
Also getting in on the Chinese food vibe is chef Gabriel Verheij, surely one of the most exciting and talented young chefs in Amsterdam. Under his private label, Butter Boys Club, Gabriel has been cooking and consulting and hosting regular pop-ups in kitchens like Vanderveen, Bar Du Champagne, Bottleshop, Kikkie etc. Gabriel tells me on good authority that the Pekin duck at Taste of Culture is banging and “it’s open until 1 am.” He also assures me that the shrimp toast and Sui Kau are worth a trip. (Sidenote: dumplings are always worth the trip.) Lastly, another restaurant where you might bump into Gab is Kikkie’s in Jordaan – we love them for their iconic smash burgers – where he recommends trying the pastrami sliders, or pig head croquettes. “They are doing phenomenal comfort food and taking it to new levels.”
Look out for Butterboys Club’s latest collaborations, including a Sunday Lunch (28.01.2024) and a Lobster Lunch (11.02.2024) with Bottleshop.
Jonathan Sparber of Cafe Remouillage
Cafe Remouillage is one of our favourite restaurants in Amsterdam, run by the unassuming but mega-talented Jonathan Sparber. At his restaurant, Jonathan manages to prepare and plate food that looks incredibly simple on the surface but gives way to deeply complex flavours. (And textures.) It is brilliant and unique cooking and the service carries an element of calm that somehow allows you to enjoy the food even more. On his days off, Jonathan loves to eat out, for ideas and inspiration. When I ask him for one or two recommendations, he seems confused. “Only one or two?”, he jokes. I ask him for something specific, although what I love most about this guy is his obvious willingness to champion other restaurateurs in Amsterdam. “My friend and ex-colleague Lin is opening something called Wu which is going to be super exciting.” Indeed. A “Chinese-inspired bistro and audio bar”? That sounds like my idea of culinary heaven. But, when pushed, Jonathan narrows down his sprawling list of suggestions and lands on Europizza. A tartlet with fermented radishes at Europizza, to be exact. “It was my strongest food memory of last year,” he explains. “Raint and Jurre do a great job there and the wine selection from Teun and Dan is always excellent.”
Seger Abels of Sjefietshe
Seger Abels knows a thing or two about the Amsterdam food scene. As owner of Sjefietshe, he is also a food writer and entrepreneur. He is deeply connected to the industry and loves exploring it. So much so, in fact, that when I ask him where he enjoys eating, his reply is almost immediate. “How about VRR, Bar Gui, Paindemie, De Parel, Parlotte, Hakata Senpachi, Remouillage, Troef? That’s a stellar lineup and, yes, the man knows his stuff. Pick out any of these and you won’t be disappointed. With Sjefietshe boasting one of Amsterdam’s most iconic creations of recent times – the famous Hotdogtopus – I am curious to know if there were specific dishes that he could remember enjoying. He does not disappoint.
“The sausage hete bliksem at VRR is very special and shows how their interpretation of this lays a foundation for their food philosophy. But other notables are the Bar Gui’s crepe salted caramel, Paindemie’s black pudding sandwich, the clafoutis at Parlotte and the potato rosti caviar at Troef.”
Proof, again, that there has never been a more exciting time to eat in Amsterdam than right now.
Go forth and eat.
Where Chefs Eat
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