Plate it forward

There's a quiet culinary revolution unfolding in Amsterdam led by Chef Bas van Kranen whose commitment to spotlighting Dutch ingredients is making sustainable cooking ever so cool.

- BY KISSA CASTAÑEDA

Amsterdam has long attracted travellers to traverse its charming canals, explore its vibrant art scene and dip their toe in its legendary nightlife.

It's often ranked in the top 10 most visited European cities and clocked 8.9 million arrivals in 2024, but few would describe it as a culinary capital.

"The Netherlands was something of a culinary wasteland — we're a country of boiled potatoes and fried bacon — but that's been slowly changing this century. In Amsterdam, we don't shout it from the rooftops, but there's a remarkable depth that's emerged ranging from Japanese vegan fine dining to natural wine bars serving three-course menus with a story," says Arno Kantelberg, editor-in-chief of ModMod Magazine and a creative Amsterdammer who has witnessed the city evolve firsthand.

The limelight is firmly fixed on Amsterdam this year as it celebrates its 750th anniversary in 2025. As the city comes alive with milestone events, more travellers are set to discover its progressive culinary scene that goes beyond fresh pints of Heineken and utterly addictive stroopwafels. Shaped by the same innovative thinking that has allowed this low-lying city to thrive — with canals lining 100km of waterways built during the Dutch Golden Age — the organic shift in its food culture is based on a certain level of introspection.

"A decade ago, cooks were busy recreating tastes and dishes from different countries forgetting what our land could offer. For example, ordering Gillardeau oysters from France, tomatoes from Italy or products from South America and Asia," says Sebastian Baquero Garces, head chef of Restaurant Vermeer, one of Amsterdam's leading tables. “Local was a word mostly associated with hobby chefs or farmer's markets, but now it's the standard among the city's best chefs,” adds Arno.

The ground up