In this episode of Chefs & Cellars, we travel to Texel to visit Restaurant RJ, where we sit down with owner Jordy Schuijl.Currently operating from a temporary location in Den Burg, RJ finds itself between two chapters as Jordy prepares for an ambitious new restaurant and hotel in De Koog. Yet, as we discovered during dinner the evening before recording, very little about the current restaurant feels temporary.

During our conversation, we explore Jordy's route into hospitality, from growing up in a family active in tourism on Texel and starting as a dishwasher at eleven, to gaining experience in the kitchen, service and wine. An important period at Michelin-starred De Nederlanden helped shape his approach before he returned to Texel and opened Restaurant RJ in 2020.

We also look ahead to RJ's next chapter. The new location in De Koog will bring together an intimate restaurant of approximately 26 seats, 18 hotel suites and a dedicated wine cellar. Rather than becoming larger, Jordy's ambition is to create a more complete experience, where guests can travel to Texel, dine, explore the cellar and stay overnight under one roof.

Food and wine naturally form an important part of the episode. Together with chef Patrick van der Hoek, Jordy creates a cuisine rooted in French foundations while incorporating influences and ingredients from elsewhere. Texel provides part of their pantry, but quality and seasonality ultimately determine what reaches the plate.

Wine is equally central to RJ's identity. Jordy's extensive collection includes hundreds of wines, with a significant selection available by the glass through Coravin. Burgundy is a particular passion, but the cellar reaches far beyond the classics. During our dinner, that philosophy resulted in pairings ranging from Albert Boxler Riesling with Hamachi to Jura Chardonnay-Savagnin with A5 Wagyu, Clams and Seawater, demonstrating an approach driven more by the structure of a dish than by convention.

You can discover more about Restaurant RJ in the full article and dining review on our website, where we explore Jordy's philosophy, the plans for De Koog and the complete menu and wine pairings enjoyed during our visit.

Join us on Texel as we discover Restaurant RJ at a fascinating moment in its development, and hear how Jordy Schuijl is bringing together food, wine and hospitality to create the next chapter of this increasingly distinctive island destination.

In this episode of Chefs & Cellars, we travel to Delft to visit Restaurant Azurite, where we sit down with chef-owner Mario Ridder. Located within Huis van Delft, Azurite represents the culmination of a remarkable career that has taken Mario through some of the Netherlands' most influential kitchens, including Parkheuvel, De Zwethheul and Joelia. During our conversation, we explore how decades of experience, craftsmanship and ambition have come together in what may be his most personal project to date.

We discuss the origins of Azurite and how the project evolved from an advisory role within Huis van Delft into a restaurant that reignited Mario's passion for hospitality. What began as a conversation about the future of dining in Delft gradually transformed into an opportunity that he found impossible to ignore. Along the way, Mario reflects on his career, the lessons learned from years at the highest level of Dutch gastronomy, and the feeling that everything he had been building towards had finally come together.

A major theme throughout the episode is hospitality. Mario shares his philosophy that restaurants should create memories rather than simply serve food, and explains how Azurite has been designed as a complete experience. Guests move through different spaces during the evening, from the bar to the dining room, kitchen and cellar, creating a journey that feels immersive without becoming theatrical. We also discuss the restaurant's design philosophy, its connection to Delft's heritage, and Mario's belief that the plates themselves should remain at the center of attention.

Wine plays an equally important role at Azurite. With a cellar housing approximately 12,000 references, Mario has built one of the most impressive restaurant wine collections in the Netherlands. During our conversation, we discuss his lifelong fascination with Burgundy, memorable bottles that changed his perspective on wine, and his belief that great wines are defined not by rarity or status, but by the memories they create around the table. As Mario puts it: “Wine is made to make memories.”

The episode also features a shared bottle of Petit Cheval Blanc 2021, which becomes a perfect illustration of the themes discussed throughout the afternoon. As the wine evolves in the glass, Mario reflects on how the finest wines continue to reveal new dimensions over time, interacting with food, conversation and the people sharing them.

You can discover more about Restaurant Azurite in the full article and dining review on our website, where we explore Mario Ridder's philosophy in greater depth and take you through the complete ‘Van Streek tot Signatuur’ menu, including the wines and pairings enjoyed during our visit.

Join us as we explore how Mario Ridder has transformed decades of experience into Azurite, a restaurant where craftsmanship, hospitality, and a passion for wine come together to create lasting memories around the table.

In this episode of Chefs & Cellars, we travel to the heart of Amsterdam’s Jordaan to visit Restaurant Roux, where we sit down with co-owners Allon Niesen and Roos Bierhoff. Roux has quickly established itself as one of the city’s most exciting dining destinations — combining creative French-inspiredcuisine, a serious wine program, and an atmosphere built around warmth, comfort, and accessibility.

We explore how Allon and Roos first met while working together in hospitality, and how a professional partnership evolved into both friendship and a shared vision for opening their own restaurant. Their concept was clear from the beginning: create a place they themselves would want to return to regularly — one where high quality does not come at the expense of comfort or flexibility.

A major part of that philosophy is Roux’s decision to work entirely à la carte, allowing guests to shape their own dining experience without the structure of fixed tasting menus. During the conversation, we discuss how dining culture is changing, why guests increasingly value freedom and accessibility, and how Roux has positioned itself within Amsterdam’s ever-evolving restaurant scene.

In the kitchen, chefs Sebastiano Guglielmucci and Teun Daemen build on classical French foundations while embracing creativity and unexpected flavour combinations. Dishes such as squid “tagliatelle” carbonara, cod with ginger beurre blanc, and fermented carrot with burnt chocolate showcase a style of cooking that balances technical precision with playful originality.

Wine plays an equally important role at Roux. With more than 350 references and a cellar holding thousands of bottles, Allon has created a list rooted in Burgundy, Champagne, and Germany, while also embracing lesser-known regions and Dutch producers such as Apostelhoeve. We also discuss the challenges of building a wine list in Amsterdam, working with allocations, and the philosophy behind making great wine accessible across different price points.

You can discover more about Restaurant Roux in the full article and lunch review on our website, featuring the dishes and wine pairings we enjoyed during our visit.

Join us as we uncover how Roux blends modern hospitality, creative cuisine, and a deeply personal approach to wine into an experience that feels both contemporary and genuinely welcoming.