Q&A with Joris Bijdendijk
Joris Bijdendijk is chef at RIJKS® the restaurant of the Rijksmuseum. There he regularly cooks with guest chefs such as Yotam Ottolenghi, star chef Tim Raue and Nick Bril of The Jane. It’s not for nothing that he ranks number three in FavorFlav’s Top 100 Food Influencers list 2016.
Which food trend should we put an immediate stop to?
For me, nothing really needs to stop, but there are certain trends I don’t quite understand. For example, serving street food in gastronomic restaurants. Street food originates in large cities, such as Bangkok or Hoi Chi Min where more than 10 million people live. These people have fairly similar eating patterns, meaning that millions of people have to eat within a very short period of time in the afternoon and evening. A few restaurants can’t manage to feed that many people, so other solutions arise. Twice a day, you see streets in those kinds of cities being transformed, with kitchens on wheels becoming part of the streetscape. Each stall prepares one or two specialities. That is logical street food, as it was intended. I don’t understand why this is now presented as a form of fine dining in the West.
Must-have gadget for the kitchen? My paring knife from the Asian brand KIWI.
Most memorable dining experience?
A long time ago, it was at Michel Bras, but more recently Locavore in Bali. What Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah do in the kitchen there is extraordinary. They cook incredibly delicious food with local Balinese products. We ate fourteen courses there twice. What stayed with me? They succeed through the simplicity of the product. That was a real eye-opener for me. Think of fresh scallops cooked in their own juices or tomato consommé with tomato sorbet. Yes, I was very impressed.
Favourite drink?
An Americano when it’s boiling hot. I order it at a good cocktail bar, where the right bartenders are behind the bar. Of course, anyone can mix a few drinks, but it’s about getting the proportions right.
Must-have gadget for the kitchen?
My paring knife from the Asian brand KIWI. I know it from my travels in Asia. I go there regularly and am always looking for new products and gadgets. The last time, I brought about ten of them back to the Netherlands.
We’re also fans of KIWI knives—read about it here.
What would you never eat again?
Balut, an embryo egg. I had a boiled version in Vietnam, but it’s still bizarre to eat a complete young duckling, skin and all. It’s very tender and not unpleasant, but I didn’t find the idea very appealing.
Which country is your favourite when it comes to food?
Singapore. They have gigantic food courts with stalls where you can order all kinds of delicious things. And you know, it’s all equally tasty, the quality is good and they work with fresh products. The cereal prawns I ate there stayed with me.
What should everyone try at least once?
Cereal prawns. They’re made with small piri piri peppers, curry leaves and cereal flakes. Mega crispy and flavourful.
What is the best product from the supermarket?
Non-food, because I don’t tend to buy my food at the supermarket. I go there more often for things unrelated to food and drink. Cleaning products and such.
What is still on your culinary wish list?
I would really love to eat at Richard Ekkebus’s restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Landmark Hotel in Hong Kong. He is a truly remarkable chef, a global star. He focuses heavily on the quality of the product, and I would love to taste his cooking.
Which cookbook should everyone have on their shelf?
De Wannee, the cookbook of the Amsterdam Domestic Science School. If you read it, you get some idea of how the Netherlands was raised. I managed to get hold of a copy a few weeks ago. It’s very interesting to read what was taught here as the basics. That doesn’t mean you have to cook that way, but it does help you understand why we are not France.
What do you like to make at home when you want to eat quickly and well?
Green papaya salad. I peel green, unripe papayas into julienne strips. Then you pound palm sugar, lime juice, a chilli, dried shrimp, tamarind juice and garlic. Mix it briefly and eat it just like that.
Which dish do you have no self-control around?
I can have one thing in my head in the morning, and that is herring. I often get it from the Albert Cuyp or near Koningsplein in Amsterdam, because the guy there really does a great job. I can easily eat three or four herrings.
Image: Erik Smits
