Nestlé’s CHEF On Tour
10-11-2015
Nestlé uses a food truck to let chefs get acquainted with their new CHEF sauces: Chef on Tour…
Nestlé makes use of the street food revolution that has led to an outburst of street food and food trucks. According to Nestlé, street food brings people together, the food truck vendor is often the producer and educates the consumer where the product (or dish) originates from, about the ingredients and how it is prepared.
With this in mind Nestlé shows their costumers how to make use of their new product with CHEF On Tour. Nestlé’s culinary advisor (chef Edwin Detering) exclusively promotes the ‘CHEF’ sauces in his own food truck. He explains the preparation of the sauces, the ingredients and its variations.
The sauces of ‘CHEF On Tour’
From 27 October until 12 November Nestlé visited a dozen of hospitality organisations. Nestlé Professional involved chefs of the Van der Valk hotel chain in the development of the ‘CHEF’ sauces. As part of that collaboration, Nestlé wanted the entire kitchen brigade at the Van der Valk hotels to become excited about the sauces that they developed with their colleagues.
The food truck was located at the (supplier)entrance of the kitchen of the hotels. Nestlé took the whole crew out to the food truck at an appropriate time (during the ‘mise en place’ before lunch or dinner). The demonstration only lasted 15 to 20 minutes, so the brigade could immediately get back to work. These are the sauces they got to know during their short break: CHEF Peppersauce, CHEF Red Winesauce, CHEF Stroganoff sauce and CHEF Grillsauce. At first the crew tasted just the sauce (heated), then combined with a piece of grilled sirloin steak and finally with a piece of baked chicken thigh.
Are we going to see ‘CHEF On Tour’ more often?
Nestlé’s vision on this subject: “If ‘CHEF On Tour’ is appreciated by the chefs and their teams, then we will definitely consider visiting other chains and/or individual hospitality organisations with this concept. We might even show up at some other hotel and/or restaurants events in 2016.”
Rotterdam ranked 4th place in the top 10 cities by Lonely Planet next year?
9-11-2015
With a lot of new initiatives in town, it wouldn’t surprise us! Like for example RiF010 will open in 2016. The ‘Steigersgracht’ (part of the river De Rotte) in Rotterdam will be separated from the rest of Rotte. The water will be purified and a wave installation will be placed in this part of the river. Several kinds of water sports will be put into practice in RiF010.
RiF010
At the beginning of the new, closed ‘Steigersgracht’ a ‘wave installation’ will be placed. Every 8 to 9 seconds, this installation will push a 1,5 meter high wave through the canal. The waves will make the RiF010, the ideal place for surfers in Rotterdam. Besides being the ideal place for surfers, the clear water makes RiF010 suitable for diving lessons, kayaking, stand up paddle surfing or bodyboarding as well.
The beach house
At the edge of the canal a wooden beach house will be placed. The beach house will offer a beautiful view on the surfers, paddle surfers and divers. Besides the view, it will also provide changing rooms and showers. The beach house will be located between the RiF010 and the actual river De Rotte. The location makes canoe trips on the Rotte through the centre of Rotterdam possible.
Construction and opening
The city initiative got most of the votes from the Rotterdam population last year. At this moment, the promoters of RiF010 are busy planning the entire project. It’s expected to open in 2016 and will be accessible to the public.
Ranking in the top 10 cities by Lonely Planet
We believe that initiatives such as RiF010 will certainly contribute to an even higher ranking in the recently published top 10 cities by Lonely Planet.
Gastkok.nl: working at a professional kitchen for one day
5-11-2015
Through the Dutch initiative Gastkok.nl hobby cooks can work side by side with a star chef for a day at restaurant Amarone (* Michelin). The chef of restaurant Amarone, Gert Blom, is the ambassador for this initiative the coming year. ‘I genuinely like to allow amateur cooks to take a look at what we do and how much love and dedication we put into our work.’
A glimpse into the culinary world with Gastkok.nl
Gastkok.nl is an initiative of Hans Zwart. Many amateur cooks secretly do have the desire to work in a real restaurant and turn their love for cooking into a profession for one day. Gastkok.nl makes this wish come true. Through their website they offer the possibility to work at a professional kitchen in one of the fourteen affiliated restaurants, restaurant Amarone (in Rotterdam) being the only restaurant with a Michelin star. Under the guidance of a professional chef the hobby cooks (possibly in a duo) will work in a professional kitchen, where they can learn some tricks of the trade.
Restaurant Amarone
The award-winning restaurant Amarone is run by star chef Gert Blom. The cooking style of Gert Blom is deeply rooted in, a lighter version of, the French cuisine. From the moment Gert was asked by Gastkok.nl, he viewed it as a great opportunity to give people a glimpse into his culinary world. As amateur cook you will get the opportunity to learn some of his tricks and apply it to your own cooking.
Bitter Balzz, variant of our famous Dutch ‘bitterbal’ filled with insects
2-11-2015
At BUGZZ they create food with insects. Their goal is to bring the sustainable snack ‘Bitter Balzz’ in production and that is why they started a crowdfunding project.
Bitter Balzz
BUGZZ uses our traditional ‘bitterbal’ (a Dutch treat; a small round croquette) to let us, consumers, get acquainted with healthier insects in an accessible way. BUGZZ created the ‘bitterbal’ with buffalo worms. Everybody in the Netherlands has tasted a ‘bitterbal’ at least once, why wouldn’t they try the Bitter Balzz? At events where BUGZZ was present, the Bitter Balzz were very popular. Because of the fact that the insects are hidden, it is easier to move beyond prejudices against insects.
Why insects?
80% of the world use insects in all their dishes, and insects are, according to BUGZZ and their customers, very tasty and versatile. In recent years, we increasingly hear about insects as a healthier and more sustainable alternative to meat. Insects take up much less space, they need less nutrition and water and produce much less emissions in relation to, for example, the cow. Next to those facts they also contain a lot of calcium! There are many more initiatives in the field of insects, we spotted amongst others a pizza with grasshoppers and a spread made of mealworms.
Who are the people behind BUGZZ?
Anne-Marie and Patrick, the founders of BUGGZ have different backgrounds, but have one thing in common: they love to cook tasty and adventurous meals. BUGZZ has only been operative for half a year and they have been seen at different festivals like the NeighbourFood Market, ‘Rollende Keuken’, Best Kept Secret, Amsterdam Kookt and the Amsterdam Woods Festival. Anne-Marie, Patrick and their team try to convince people to try insects as an alternative food source, in an enthusiastic manner.
Fitness beer, grab a beer without feeling guilty!
22-10-2015
Supplemental Brewing specializes in making beer that not only tastes good, but is also healthy. On Kickstarter they launched a crowdfunding campaign to get their fitness beer, Brewtein and NutriBeer on the market in America.
Fitness beer?
Many athletes are busy with their physical health, but would also like to enjoy a beer, especially in the weekend. Supplemental Brewing wants to combine the two, and that’s how they got the idea to brew a fitness beer. This is done under the motto: ‘Workout meets your weekend’.
Brewtein and NutriBeer
Both beers are made specifically for consumers who want to enjoy a beer, after exercising, without feeling guilty. Yet both have their own taste and target audience.
Brewtein contains most proteins and is intended for athletes who specifically want to build muscle mass. It contains 7 grams of protein, which makes it a real fitness beer! However, the amount of protein doesn’t determine the taste, it’s a fairly light beer and it contains the refreshing taste of wheat. It should be served cold with a slice of lemon.
NutriBeer is a bit less strong and lower in carbohydrates and calories, which makes this beer perfect for those that work out a lot to stay slim and healthy. After an hour of heavy exercise in the gym, you can lay back on the couch with NutriBeer, without feeling guilty. This lager has a subtle lemon flavor and should be served ice cold!
Kickstarter
Supplemental Brewing started a year ago and its founder, Blake Konrady is now trying to collect money through Kickstarter to bring his ‘Fitness Beer’ on the market. For those who support him through Kickstarter, he prepared all kind of merchandise, such as shirts, sweaters, bags, a beer bell (a dumbbell in which you can place your beer) and a number of other items. Today, 22 October, he still has eight days left to get his beer funded through crowdfunding and he still has to collect over 10,000 dollar.
Last year we also spotted ‘Lean Machine’, beer and sports drink at the same time.
Flight Funding; KLM experimenting with crowdfunding
8-10-2015
KLM is the first airline in the world that uses its social media channels for a FlightFunding experiment. Basically an experiment with crowdfunding. It is also a fine example of creating a new word in the English language and we wonder how it effects their brand image.
Oké, you say FlightFunding?
Today Juanita from Schijndel gets 24 hours (till 9 October, 7 am) the opportunity to make use of KLM’s social media friends to ‘FlightFund’ a flight to her family in Canada. KLM wants to use this experiment to test the strength of its social network. KLM has been using social media for years, it all began with the award-winning campaign, KLM Surprise in 2010. Since 2010 KLM has 24/7 social media service in 14 languages. Per week more than 150 social media service employees answer 70.000 messages from customers and fans. Amongst those messages there are many wishes from people who can’t afford to buy a ticket, but would love to travel.
Karlijn Vogel-Meijer, Manager Social Media KLM: “We would love to help everyone, of course, but sadly this is simply not an option for a business dependent on the sale of tickets. The FlightFunding concept arose from a deep-seated wish to help people make their dreams come true. This social media experiment will allow KLM to assess how its social network responds to appeals of this kind. From the stack of requests, the care team randomly selected the story of Juanita. ”
“Trial and error has played an important part in establishing KLM’s leading position in social media. FlightFunding really is an experiment. Today Juanita’s appeal has been posted on KLM’s social media channels. Everyone can make their donation on flightfunding.com. With over twelve million fans worldwide it must be possible to fund the amount for a ticket? However, in each experiment there is a chance that it will not succeed. We are very curious about the results. ”
The creative concept for Flight Funding has been developed in collaboration with Code d’Azur. See how Juanita experiences the FlightFunding.
Foodpairing with olive oil ice cream
1-10-2015
Bertolli celebrated its 150 years with foodpairing on the store floor of Albert Heijn supermarket. Foodpairing with special preparations and surprising demo mobiles. Amongst others they served the first Italian caprese ice cream with Bertolli olive oil, tomato, mozzarella and basil prepared on a cold teppanyaki plate.
Caprese with olive oil ice cream
Recently we wrote an article about ice cream that tastes like Greek salad and ice cream with pizza flavor. In addition, many chefs are experimenting with preparation methods and savory flavors of ice cream, which often taste great! Patrick Peeters sent us a link to this video with a special method to make ice cream. At several Albert Heijn supermarkets this ice was made and people could watch the preparation and taste it ….
Happy birthday! How to surprise guests
22-9-2015
The Refinery hotel in New York City gives guests that celebrate their birthday at the hotel a special gift. They receive a complimentary personalized birthday cake designed by the Magnolia Bakery.
All the ladies who loved to watch ‘Sex and the City’ are familiar with the Magnolia Bakery with its great looking cupcakes, cookies and lovely stores. And if you’d ever visited one of the stores, you probably had to wait in line to get in the shop. Just like I once did with my daughters. So what better way to celebrate the birthday of your girl and surprise her with a night at a great hotel and a birthday cake from Magnolia Bakery to top it off? The Refinery hotel knows how to surprise its guests!
Inspiration: How to surprise guests on special occasions
What’s a really attractive and special product from the surroundings of your restaurant or hotel? And I don’t mean a jar of jelly or a box of chocolates, but something special which makes celebrating a birthday at your hotel or restaurant a must for a special group of guests. I once went to restaurant La Coupole in Paris to celebrate my birthday. There waiters will sing ‘happy birthday’ a cappella at your table! And you would be surprised how many people are celebrating their birthday at this restaurant, every day! If you have found a special celebration gesture… don’t forget to let your future guests know!
The Refinery Hotel
The Refinery Hotel is located in New York City’s Garment District. The Refinery hotel used to be a high-end tea salon in 1912 but is now a modern hotel with loft-like guestrooms and an industrial-chic design. Check out their website for a look and feel of this high-end hotel. They even blog at least once a week and use social media in a refreshing way. Great to check out as inspiration for hoteliers all over the world.
Magnolia Bakery
A well-known bakery which originated from New York City’s West Village where they started in 1996. Magnolia Bakery has been cherished for its classic American baked goods, vintage decor and warm, inviting atmosphere. Nowadays Magnolia Bakery has locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Mexico City, Tokyo, Moscow City, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Kuwait City and Doha. They’re franchising the concept worldwide. ^Marjolein van Spronsen
Amstel Hotel Amsterdam reveals Van Gogh Suite
17-9-2015
From 7 September to 5 December the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam has a special presentation about Van Gogh. Visitors can express their own creativity on a canvas as well, with pastels, oil paint and brushes.
Honouring Van Gogh
This year marks the 125th anniversary of Vincent van Gogh’s death. Several museums and other institutions in Europe honour the Dutch artist with special exhibitions and events. Recently there was a labyrinth of sunflowers at the Museumplein, referring to one of his famous paintings.
Van Gogh Museum Relievo Collection
The Amstel Hotel launched a special Van Gogh suite and paintings from the Van Gogh Relievo collection on 15 September. The Van Gogh Museum Relievo Collection is barely distinguishable from the original paintings that are on display at the Van Gogh Museum. This is realized with a combination of the most recent 2D and 3D technology, craftsmanship and handicrafts.
Van Gogh Suite
The special Van Gogh Suite is available until 1 January 2016. The comfortable suite is located on the fourth floor of the hotel and is furnished in the atmosphere of his paintings. On a weathered wooden table in the sitting room, a bottle of absinthe welcomes guests. This is the drink where Van Gogh was fond of. On arrival, guests get a plate in the shape of a paint palette serving typical Amsterdam snacks. For guests who are inspired by Van Gogh there are pastels, oil paint, brushes and a canvas available. Guests can take their creative works home. Getting inspiration is easily done at the suite. At two locations in the suite paintings from the ‘Van Gogh Museum Relievo Collection’ hang on the wall. The view is magnificent as well.
Grocery store Christmas Festival in Utrecht by Albert Heijn
16-9-2015
The grocery store chain ‘Albert Heijn’ organizes a Christmas festival by the name of its instore magazine.
Allerhande Christmas Festival
Albert Heijn is organizing a major food event in Utrecht on 11th, 12th and 13th of December. The food festival is called ‘Allerhande Kerstfestival’ and is located at the Railway Museum in Utrecht. The event is scaled to 40,000 visitors and is a logical continuation of the recent food festivals popping up all over the country.
Workshops and inspiration
Visitors can inspire themselves by tasting food and drinks and get help from experts during various cooking workshops. Saskia Egas Reparaz, director of marketing & format of Albert Heijn explains the choice of the food festival: “Christmas is an old festival where every family has its own traditions and customs. We celebrate Christmas for 128 years already and help our customers every year again with new ideas, inspiration and lots of special Christmas products. This year, we want to offer our customers something extra with the ‘Allerhande Kerstfestival’. It’s the tastiest inspirational event for the holidays. In preparation for Christmas, anyone can gain additional ideas to create his or her own special Christmas.”
From drinks to dessert
With the Allerhande Christmas Festival, visitors of all ages can get in the mood for Christmas and inspire themselves for the Christmas dinner. They can literally walk through the menu from starter to dessert and taste, participate in workshops, watch live cooking sessions by renowned chefs and get tips from experts.
Christmas Shop
Everything at the festival can be bought at the special Christmas store or can be delivered home or pre-ordered at Albert Heijn grocery stores. Besides inspiration, the event is meant for entertainment and fun. The Winter Wonderland stage includes a ‘wish tree’, a winter barbecue and market stalls. Furthermore there is live music, an ice rink and mulled wine.
Ticket Sales
The tickets are for sale from 5 October and cost ten euros per person. Registration for the cooking workshops is done online via allerhandekerstfestival.nl.
©Kasper van ’t Hoff
©Kasper van ’t Hoff
©Kasper van ’t Hoff
©Kasper van ’t Hoff
©Kasper van ’t Hoff
