IN CONVERSATION WITH JURGEN VAN DER ZALM

interview TIMOTEJ LETONJA
words NATALIE GAL

We sat down with Jurgen van der Zalm, Executive Chef at Vinkeles in the heart of Amsterdam. After an unforgettable meal, he shared the concepts behind his cuisine, the philosophy, the craftsmanship, and where he finds inspiration. He offered spectacular insight into how music can be translated onto the plate, and how history and storytelling shape his creations.

You describe your cooking as a constant search for the perfect moment for each ingredient, waiting for its season even if it’s brief. How do you manage that, and how do you plan ahead?

It's really difficult nowadays as the climate changes. I have a short line between my suppliers, farmers, so we can act directly. On the other hand, the seasons are also really brief. So sometimes an ingredient is on the peak, for only one week. I really need my suppliers to help because every year it's different. I work constantly. At 7 o'clock in the morning my fish supplier is already calling to tell me what the fresh catch is that day.

It's always striving for the best ingredients. Sometimes we don't have a certain dish because an ingredient is not as high quality as we would want it to be. We cannot hide behind something. So the product needs to speak for its own. The quality needs to be the best there is. Every chef is looking for the best products, we are really obsessive.

Cooking today comes with its challenges, especially with the climate changes. I keep a very close connection with my suppliers and farmers so we can respond immediately. Yet, the seasons are fleeting; sometimes an ingredient is at its very best for only a single week. That’s why I rely so much on my suppliers; every year is different, and I need their guidance. My day often begins at 7 a.m. with a call from my fish supplier, letting me know what has been freshly caught.

For me, it’s always about sourcing the very best ingredients. Each dish is built around just three elements, so there’s nowhere to hide. If something isn’t at the right quality, the dish simply won’t appear on the menu. The product itself must tell the story; and only the best will do. Like many chefs, I’m obsessive in that pursuit.

The building of Vinkeles is filled with history. How do you translate that heritage into your dishes?

When you walk through the gate, I think the experience starts immediately. You find yourself in a historical building and we are translating that into the dishes. It's not like a theatre, but it is still an experience. We want to give the guests the feel of home. It's cozy, it's warm, with classical techniques and the best quality of products.

The experience begins the moment you step through the gate. Once the entrance to Amsterdam’s very first theatre, dating back to 1638, it carries centuries of history. That sense of heritage flows naturally into our dishes. Though it’s no longer a theatre, dining here still feels like an unfolding performance. After the theatre’s destruction in 1772, the site became an almshouse, where those in need could receive bread. Traces of that past remain: the original water pump, well, and ovens from 1784 are still part of Restaurant Vinkeles today. We want our guests to feel at home; a place that is warm and intimate, where timeless French techniques meet modern creativity and the best ingredients.

What do you think makes Amsterdam truly special and stand out, culinarily, but also in general?

There is a big range of fine dining and street food. I think everywhere you can eat really well in Amsterdam. I think in Amsterdam we can be different, as a chef you have a little bit more freedom. Because you have a lot of tourists they are more open to different things. For example our pigeon dish has legs with claws. I think in Amsterdam I can do it but in Paris, I am not so sure. Amsterdam is open to creativity in every way and I definitely feel it in cooking and in restaurants across town.

Amsterdam offers everything from fine dining to street food, and wherever you go, you can eat exceptionally well. What makes the city unique is the freedom chefs have to express creativity. With so many international visitors, guests are often more open to bold or unconventional ideas. Take our pigeon dish, for example, served with its claws still attached - something that feels natural here, but perhaps less so in small Dutch towns as there’s less culinary experimentation. It’s this openness that makes Amsterdam such an inspiring place to cook and to dine.

The chef’s menu at Vinkeles is full of highlights. One that stands out is the “pigeon au sang.” Could you tell us more about this delicacy?

It is a really special pigeon. It's not like the pigeons we can find here on Dam Square. But it's from the Racan region from the Loire in France, in that region they are really known for the time and care they take to farm these pigeons. So this pigeon is fed by its own parents, not force fed. It's a long process, it is also a little bit strange, normally they kill the pigeon and they let the blood run out. But how they do it here, they use gas. They slowly fall asleep and then all the blood and everything stays in the pigeon. It is less cruel to the animal. That's why we call it “pigeon au sang”.

This is a very special pigeon, unlike the ones you might see on Dam Square. Ours comes from the Racan region in the Loire Valley, where there is a long tradition of raising pigeons with extraordinary care. The birds are nurtured naturally by their parents, and the farmers’ patience and dedication are reflected in the depth of flavor.

We prepare it in the classic French style, known as “pigeon au sang”, a dish celebrated for its richness and intensity. It’s a tribute to both the heritage of French gastronomy and the craftsmanship of the farmers who devote themselves to raising such exceptional produce.

How do you go about creating a menu? Where do you draw your inspiration from, is it the city, the seasons, or perhaps even music and literature?

I get my inspiration from everything. I think most important is my supplier who calls me and says, “we have this amazing quality of king crab”. Then I take that as a base. Inspiration is in everything. It's also in music, for example Ludovico Anoudi. If you listen really well, you will see the layers. You will hear the layers and it gives you an emotion with his music. That's what I also try with my cuisine. If you see the langoustine, it looks effortless, simply sauce and a langoustine. But when you cut through the dish, you taste the first bite, it gives you an emotion. You feel all the layers, all the textures, the flavors. I try to let it look effortless, to use the best ingredients. But then if you taste it and dive deep in the dish, you will see the complexity.

I find inspiration everywhere. Often it begins with a call from my supplier: “We have an incredible king crab today.” That spark becomes the foundation of a dish. But inspiration also comes from music, like the work of Ludovico Einaudi. If you listen closely, you hear the layers: each one adding depth, each one stirring emotion. That’s exactly what I strive for in my cuisine.

Take the langoustine, for example. At first glance, it seems effortless: just the langoustine and a ‘simple’ sauce. But when you take the first bite, you feel the emotion of the dish. The layers reveal themselves; the textures, the flavours, the complexity beneath the surface. My aim is to let the plate appear pure and unforced, while inside it holds a world of detail.

You lead a large team of more than 20 people. At its core, being an Executive Chef is about leadership, what do you think makes a great leader in the kitchen?

I think I'm really approachable as an executive chef, so all my team members can come to me 24-7. Then I think it's key to listen to them, knowing when to step in and step back, trust them. And I always put them where they feel comfortable, but also they get the best out of themselves. I also want them to feel challenged, once in a while I take them a little bit out of their comfort zone just to see how they respond to it. And if it goes well then they grow and otherwise we stick to the usual routine.

Also the internships abroad is something that we support, it's really important to research and further develop. Otherwise you're kind of in a bubble if you don't see what else is out there in the world.

I believe in being approachable as an executive chef, my team knows they can come to me at any time. Listening is key, as is knowing when to step in and when to step back. I trust them, place them where they feel comfortable, but also encourage them to push beyond their limits. Every so often I take someone slightly out of their comfort zone, just to see how they respond. If it works, they grow; if not, we return to our rhythm.

We also actively support internships abroad, as I believe it’s essential to research, explore, and see what’s happening beyond our own kitchen. Without that, you risk staying in a bubble. In this year our sous-chef completed internships at Frantzén, Stockholm (3 Michelin stars) and Jordnær, Copenhagen (3 Michelin stars). Those are experiences that not only enrich the individual, but also elevate the entire team.

You've already achieved a lot with the restaurant, two stars. What are the next challenges? What are the next goals for Vinkeles?

I want to try to push myself and the team. So I think the next challenge is to get Vinkeles more internationally known. I've always believed that the plate and the kitchen will speak for themselves. And I'm still believing that but I think it would be nice to get Vinkeles more in the open. Amsterdam is growing, there is much potential here on the culinary scene and new stars are popping up every few months. We have a lot of young good chefs here in Amsterdam, a lot of talent and it will be exciting to see where this is going.

I want to keep challenging myself and the team. The next step is to bring greater international recognition to Vinkeles. I’ve always believed the plate and the kitchen should speak for themselves, and I still do, so sharing our work on a broader stage feels like a natural progression. With so many international guests already discovering us, we know we’re on the right path. It’s all about staying true to what we do.

At the same time, Amsterdam’s culinary reputation is rising at an incredible pace. Each year, new Michelin stars are awarded, which reflects not only the achievements of individual chefs but also the shared direction we are taking as a culinary community. The city is full of ambitious young talent, brimming with creativity, and it’s exciting to imagine where this movement will take us in the years ahead.