Q&A with Denise Kortlever

Culinary journalist, food photographer and author of yet another two cookbooks (All-day bowls has just been published) and a girl with an opinion: “Clean eating, I really think that’s such a ridiculous term.” 

Which food trend should we put an immediate end to?

I think ‘clean eating’ is the most ridiculous term. It implies that certain food is ‘clean’, but that ‘dirty’ food also exists.  Nonsense; as far as I’m concerned, we should put an immediate end to it.

Most memorable food experience?

The first time I ate at a Michelin-starred restaurant was at De Librije. For dessert I got ‘the egg trick’, and it was incredible. A raw egg was cracked open above your plate, but it was only while tasting it that you realized the yolk was actually pineapple and the egg white was rum with coconut. And I believe the egg itself was made of white chocolate. A kind of piña colada, really.

Favorite drink?

Definitely coffee.  I drink about two cups a day and really enjoy them. Sometimes a black coffee, or otherwise an espresso macchiato.

Essential kitchen gadget?

I have two different microplanes and use them to grate everything, from cheese to chocolate. But I also use my silicone spatula for pretty much everything.

Cilantro. I’ve tried it a million times, but it just tastes like dish soap

What will you never eat again?

Cilantro. I’ve tried it a million times, but it just tastes like dish soap. When I cook Thai or Vietnamese food, I always leave out the cilantro and replace it with something like Thai basil.

Which country is your favorite when it comes to food?

Italy, because of the quality of the ingredients and the genuine love of food. But I travel a lot for work to spot trends worldwide, and New York and California are also interesting from a culinary perspective. They are often ahead of the curve.

What should everyone try at least once?

Fresh, thick crab legs—King Crab legs—they’re simply much more delicious than lobster.

What’s the best product from the supermarket?

At the moment I’m going through a sriracha phase; I love that spicy sauce on everything. And I’ll always be a fan of Tony’s caramel sea salt.

What’s still on your food wish list?

I’d love to go to Australia one day, because it’s such a diverse country in culinary terms. It has both Mediterranean and Asian influences, which really appeals to me.

Which cookbook should everyone have on their shelf?

Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater. He’s a great food writer who casually mentions recipes that you all want to make and actually can make.

What do you like to make at home when you want to eat quickly and well?

Usually I pan-fry a piece of fish skin-side down and fry some gnocchi and vegetables alongside it. By the way, a tip: fry gnocchi instead of boiling it. It makes it wonderfully crispy.

Which dish makes you lose all self-control?

The granola with olive oil and sea salt from ‘All-day breakfast’ is unbelievably addictive and delicious. I eat the entire baking sheet before it’s even cooled down.

Text: Nora van den Heuvel
Image: Liselore Chevalier