Youth Food Movement asks for food education

9-6-2016

The Youth Food Movement thinks it should be mandatory to educate every child of the Netherlands about food. Awareness of food, harvest, learning to cook and healthy food at all schools. From the idea of having the right on good, healthy food and that they deserve to learn at an early age what is healthy. You can sign the petition at their website and join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #voedselonderwijs. We support this initiative and are convinced that there are a lot of chefs that could help with cooking classes on schools. read more

Bloggers are taking over in ‘de Foodhallen’

24-5-2016

Visitors of ‘De Foodhallen’ are able to get their food and drinks at pop-up foodstands on the 25th till the 29th of May. Everyday there will be a different famous Dutch foodblogger presenting their culinary food to visitors. The bloggers are taking over! read more

Impression – Dorset’s culinary food plaza

12-2-2016

In November 2015 we wrote about Dorset’s culinary food plaza. A unique collaboration between AVIA and Willem Dankers. The food plaza has opened recently and we received beautiful pictures of it, special thanks to Marieke Dijkhof. The article about the food plaza is stated below. read more

Dorset’s culinary food plaza along the highway

13-11-2015

A collaboration between AVIA and Willem Dankers’ restaurant Dorset creates a gastronomic experience in their food plaza along the highway, A1 (Lonnekermeer).

The term full service gas station takes on a whole new dimension. Thanks to a unique partnership between AVIA and restaurant Dorset in Borne, a visit to the renewed gas station along the A1 will become a gastronomic experience. Homemade pasta, stewed veal cheeks or fresh baked sourdough bread instead of a simple meatball. Gastronomy along the highway!

Dorset’s culinary food plaza – service, convenience and quality

The renewed AVIA gas station will be reopened by the end of this year. Willem Dankers of restaurant Dorset in Borne was asked to create a new concept regarding the food-related activities. AVIA’s Niek Weghorst: ‘A full service gas station is all about service, convenience and quality. Our customers, no matter how diverse, should experience a moment of rest like at home. In our vision this includes tasty and healthy food.’

Truckers eating stewed veal cheeks?

The concept, a food plaza with a spacious kitchen and a counter with a variety of fresh products, meals, fruits, delicacies and snacks. Both to take with you or eat in, says Willem Dankers: “The concept is based on fresh, healthy products and meals with a lot of variation, taste and of course quality. For example customers can order a fresh, homemade pasta, lasagne, hot chicken, stewed veal cheeks or an organic cappuccino with a warm muffin. Fresh fruit and delicacies. In other words, a complete assortment of food with with plenty of choice with an international look and feel. Of course, everything is top quality, delicious and tasteful.”

All products get a Dorset quality label, the restaurant has recently been awarded a Bib Gourmand, and is listed in the top hundred best restaurants of The Netherlands and a member of the Alliance Gastronomique.

Culinary take-a-way or the classic meatball

Dorset’s food plaza is not only for visitors. Next to the standard assortment, there are also ‘take-a-way’ dishes on the menu. The menu will be updated regularly. “We want to offer as many variation and surprises as possible, in fact the same way we work in our restaurant.” Says Willem Dankers.

Inspiration

An unique collaboration between a gas station and a local restaurant. In 2011 we spotted collaborations between supermarkets and local restaurants in England. Look around in your surroundings with whom you can collaborate and both profit from it!

KOST event to promote a healthy Dutch cuisine

18-9-2015

KOST is an event about the Dutch food culture for everyone who cares about our daily foods. The first edition will take place on 21 September.

Dutch cuisine

Chefs, producers, scientists, farmers and policymakers explore the possibilities to put the Dutch food culture and Dutch cuisine firmly on the map and make it healthier. They will do that together with speakers like Kobe Desramaults, Robert Kranenborg, Julian Baggini, Linda Roodenburg and Martin Caraher during the KOST event on 21 September at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam.

Platform ‘Van Moeder Natuur’

KOST is an initiative by the ‘Van Moeder Natuur’ platform (freely translated as the ‘Mother nature platform’). The platform focuses on a healthy Dutch food culture. This includes enjoying healthy, delicious and natural products packed with nutrients. Next to that, it means making time for food again by home cooking and enjoying meals together.

Day program

During the day program interesting topics are addressed. The program is compiled by various well know curators from the Dutch food culture like Mac van Dinther, Joris Bijdendijk, Joris Lohman, Samuel Levie and Helen Kranstauber).

Kostelijk dinner

In the evening there is a Kostelijk dinner (translated: Delicious dinner). The chefs responsible for the dinner are Joris Bijdendijk (RIJKS®), Albert Kooy (Dutch Cuisine), Luc Kusters (Bolenius), Benny Blisto (BAK), Sander Louwerens (Citroen), Willem Schaafsma (Eindeloos), Jonathan Karpathios (Vork en Mes), Geert Burema (Merkelbach), Nel Schellekens (de Gulle Waard), Dick Soek (Piloersemaborg) Eef Bolado (As) and René van der Veer (De Veldkeuken). Drinks are arranged by Niek Beute (De Klepel) and Ard Muntjewerf (The Lobby).

A delicious program. Unfortunately, it’s merely in Dutch and both the day program as well as the dinner are completely sold out.

Eatsa affordable and healthy fast service restaurant

3-9-2015

Quick and affordable quinoa lunch in healthy fast service restaurant Eatsa in San Francisco.

Healthy fast service restaurant Eatsa

The fast service (lunch) restaurant Eatsa in San Francisco looks more like an electronics store than a restaurant. There is no staff to take orders and everything is fully automated. The founders of Eatsa promise faster, more nutritious, affordable and tastier meals. The prize will be attractive at $ 6.95 for all meals.

Quinoa

The meals are all based on quinoa (pronounced as Keen-wah). The founders have chosen for quinoa because it contains all the necessary proteins we need as human beings. The production of quinoa is a lot less damaging to the environment than animal proteins.

Order

The meals can be ordered on a touch screen, once your food is ready your name appears on one of the glass cabinets and you can grab it. This video of TechCrunch shows how it works. The restaurant is located at 121 Spear Street in San Francisco and is open weekdays from 11:00 to 17:00 hours.

Keenwawa and fast food experience engineering

Eatsa is the first project of Keenwawa, a Silicon Valley start-up that focuses on quinoa. By making use of nutritional science and extensive use of software they want to apply so-called ‘fast food experience engineering’ to raise awareness and accessibility of alternative food sources.

Pop-up power food restaurant with popular writer Rens Kroes

16-7-2015

For lovers of healthy and delicious food the popular writer Rens Kroes is a true hero. She is no longer ‘the little sister’, the Friesian has built her own health empire.
The second book of Rens Kroes ‘Power Food – From Friesland to New York’, was launched mid-June. In a sold out pop-up restaurant, guests could enjoy a very healthy dinner with dishes from her new book.

First pop up

Rens personally welcomed herthe guests, and had a culinary contribution to the diner as well, supported by a team of chefs. It was the first time that Rens presented her dishes to the public this way and all guests received a copy of the new book to take home. With two dinners and one lunch, a total of 135 guests could enjoying the food. That’s only a fraction of the 72.000 Facebook fans, 17.600 followers on Twitter and 223.000 followers (!) on Instagram and thus screaming for more events like these!

Friesland to New York

Rens was inspired by what she has seen, tasted and learned in Friesland and New York. She uses fresh, pure ingredients, and makes tasty dishes with nice combinations of spices. For every moment of the day Rens offers delicious and original, easy recipes. In daily life Rens is a nutrition coach and advises people in adapting a healthy lifestyle and diet.

Participants

Rens’ pop-up restaurant is made possible by Sien Concepts and sponsored by Amsterdam Flavours, Vedett, Bountiful, Arisz et al, Lemonaid – Charitea, V2Cgin, Bowls and Dishes, Catchii and Bloomon.

Inspiration: food blogger evening

For restaurants, it is interesting to consider a special evening with a popular food blogger or writer, it will amaze you how many loyal fans are waiting for events like these!

Matcha latte – a healthy Japanese coffee alternative

16-2-2015

Leonie van Spronsen had a Matcha latte in Paris at Maison Kitsuné and writes about it. Matcha is known to be full of antioxidants, fiber & chlorophyll. When you drink it as a Matcha latte, the combination with the milk gives a sweet like flavor without any sugar.

A few years ago ordering a cup of coffee was simple, there was the American, the espresso and the cappuccino or if you were feeling crazy a latte would be the beverage of choice. Boy, things have changed in that department.

Nowadays everybody has their own special preference, white chocolate mocha with non-fat milk, a ristretto or an almond milk caramel macchiato, the options are infinite. But to say this made the coffee game healthier? Certainly not.

Matcha – a tradition in Japan

Meanwhile the Japanese were steadily persisting in their traditional practice of drinking Matcha everything. Matcha is a tea plant only grown in Japan, near the Yahagi River, and is a tea type used so often in Japan that sources say only 1% is used for export.
The health benefits are comparable to other green teas but with a much larger impact because the tea (and all other hot beverages made with it) is made from a powder that contains the entire leaf. This means you are ingesting the full scale of nutrients the leaf has to offer in comparison too just the brewed water you usually get with green tea.

Matcha latte

Matcha is known to be full of antioxidants, fiber & chlorophyll, next to this when you drink it as a Matcha latte, the combination with the milk gives a sweet like flavor without any sugar. In these times of increasing obesity, diabetics and highly processed foods – this might be the new flagship of the pro-health movement.

Matcha latte popular in NYC – is Europe to follow?

After already taking NYC by storm, the concept is now also slowly but steadily making its way to Europe. And why not? If you are into milky coffee drinks and have cravings for Starbucks drinks on a daily basis, you might as well switch to Matcha latte. It certainly contains less fats & sugars, it actually has additional health benefits and (not unimportant) it looks really cool. The question is.. how long before we consider a Matcha latte to be as normal as a cappuccino?

Slow food at the Milano Centrale station

11-3-2014

In the home of the slow food movement (northern Italy) Autogrill (from the resto stops) has opened Bistrot Milano Centrale in collaboration with the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. In the former 3rd class waiting room of the Central Station of Milan, one serves local traditional dishes, taking into account the seasons and as healthy as possible preparations, like the use of sourdough and of traditional maturing and ageing processes. The Bistrot Centrale is a vibrant ambience evoking a typical covered market, where high quality goes hand in hand, with food islands like a bakery, cafe, street food, wine bar and gourmet cuisine. The objective is to provide a sustainable venue, with a special focus on respect for the natural environment, local culture and economy, also through use of natural materials, the limiting of waste and the promotion of virtuous practice amongst the clientele as well.

Happy Healthy

8-11-2013

Healthy food and superfood has become very popular over the course of the past few years. Look around and you will see more and more pictures of healthy food on Facebook and Instagram. Superfood is 100% natural healthy food and rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals and more. It improves the immune system and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Popular superfoods are chia seeds, cacao, hemp seed, goji berries, bee pollen and more.