Restaurant Sinne in the Pijp neighborhood of Amsterdam has held a Michelin star since 2015. Since my last visit was ten years ago, a return was long overdue. The restaurant offers a compact menu of only eight dishes, including one … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Sinne* (2026)
What makes Wagyu beef taste so exceptional is the intramuscular fat—the marbling that makes higher-grade steaks, such as Japanese A5, look almost completely white. Because Wagyu is expensive, it is worth seeking out cheaper cuts and using sous vide to … Continue reading Wagyu Short Ribs Sous Vide Temperature Experiment
Port is a challenging wine to pair with food because of its high sugar and alcohol content. Consequently, it is often enjoyed in small sipping quantities alongside strong cheeses, dark chocolate, dried figs, nuts, or caramel-based desserts. The idea for … Continue reading Pairing Port with Food: A Complete 5-Course Dinner Menu & Guide
Italy has officially made history as the first nation to have its entire culinary system protected as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. In this post, I’ll explore the significance of this designation and weigh the official submission against my 25 years … Continue reading Why UNESCO Was Right to Recognize Italian Cooking as World Heritage
We eat a lot of nice food, so it is always a challenge to come up with something out of the ordinary for Christmas dinner. When I was at Hanos (the premium Dutch catering wholesaler), I picked up a hare … Continue reading Filetto di Lepre con Salsa Dolceforte (Hare Fillet in Dolceforte Sauce)
Taking a five-week break from my demanding professional life provided a rare kind of mental space. Although I brought my laptop to Thailand and continued to write, being away from the daily pressures of my job allowed me to look … Continue reading My Culinary Philosophy: The Stefan Gourmet Manifesto
While I was on vacation in Thailand, I received an unexpected message on Instagram from Hatsune, a Japanese restaurant in Amsterdam I had never heard of before. They reached out because they had read my articles on Yamazato and Hokkai … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Hatsune
If you haven’t yet decided what to make for Christmas dinner and are looking for an easy yet elegant fish dish that requires only about 30 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to finish, Branzino all’Acqua Pazza may be exactly … Continue reading Branzino all’Acqua Pazza (European Sea Bass with Cherry Tomatoes)
We have been visiting De Librije to celebrate our anniversary for 20 years, a period during which the restaurant has consistently held three Michelin stars. This was our first visit since Jonnie Boer’s sudden passing earlier this year. Jonnie and … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Librije*** (2025)
Earlier this year, while visiting the Northern Italian city of Padova, I spotted a dish on the menu I had never heard of: Lasagne ai tre carni. I always jump at the chance to discover new, authentic classics, and this … Continue reading Lasagne al Ragù Bianco (Lasagna with White Meat Ragù)
In many touristy areas of Thailand, it is surprisingly difficult to find authentic local dishes because the food scene has adapted to the tastes and expectations of international visitors. Restaurants, night markets, and even street food stalls tend to serve … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Pak Tai
I discovered Ban Suan Lung Khai through the Michelin Guide, where it holds a Bib Gourmand designation—an award given to restaurants offering high-quality food at affordable prices. The name translates to “Uncle Khai’s Garden House,” which fits perfectly: the restaurant … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Ban Suan Lung Khai
Chris, originally from the UK, moved to Thailand 29 years ago to be with his Thai wife. Together they built The Gallery Restaurant and Gold Bar on the island of Koh Tao, perched on a hill, which is also their … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: The Gallery Restaurant
Gaeng Hung Lay (แกงฮังเล) is the best-known curry from Northern Thailand. It contains more spices than other Thai curries and is sweeter, yet much less spicy in terms of chili heat, and it has no coconut milk. Most of its … Continue reading Gaeng Hung Lay (Northern Thai Pork Curry) Sous Vide
The island of Phuket in Thailand has a very international restaurant scene. I didn’t do an exact analysis, but I suspect purely Thai restaurants are a minority. Phuket is very touristy, and restaurant menus are not only in Thai and … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Bucha Gallery and Restaurant
It was a series of coincidences that brought us to Locus Native Food Lab. First, we weren’t supposed to be in Northern Thailand at all—we had planned to visit Ko Lipe in the south. When bad weather hit there, we … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Locus Native Food Lab
One of Northern Thailand’s most iconic dishes is Khao Soi, a rich curry noodle soup made with chicken, fresh egg noodles, coconut milk, and a mild curry paste. It’s topped with crispy deep-fried noodles for added crunch. To increase the … Continue reading Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken)
Risotto is the ultimate comfort food—not just when you eat it, but also while you make it. The gentle, rhythmic stirring isn’t complicated and can be a relaxing ritual, especially with good company or a glass of wine in hand. … Continue reading Risotto Verza e Salsiccia (Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Italian Sausage)
Thailand is famous for its vibrant street food—colorful, full of flavor, and often less than THB 100 (about €2.75) per serving. But during our stay in Bangkok, we decided to explore the other end of the culinary spectrum. Together with … Continue reading Dining in Bangkok: R-Haan**
One of my favorite Thai dishes is eggplant salad, made with grilled long eggplant and a punchy dressing of lime juice, fish sauce, dried shrimp, chili, palm sugar, cilantro, and shallots. The Thai name of the dressing is nam yum. … Continue reading Scallop Ceviche in Thai Nam Yum
Pesto alla genovese is one of those ingredients that is much better when made at home, even if you use a blender instead of a mortar and pestle. There are two reasons for this. First, almost all store-bought pesto contains … Continue reading Lasagne alla Genovese (Lasagne with Green Beans and Basil Pesto)
To celebrate my friend Robert’s birthday, I took him to one of my favorite restaurants in Amsterdam: 212, led by chef Richard van Oostenbrugge. I’ve been a fan of his cooking ever since my first visit to Bord’Eau in 2013 … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: 212** (2025)
I often use the guides by the Italian magazine Gambero Rosso to choose wines and restaurants. Wines are awarded one, two, or three glasses (bicchieri), trattorias one, two, or three shrimp (gamberi), and restaurants one, two, or three forks (forchette). My sweet … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Pascucci al Porticciolo*
Wils is a Michelin-starred restaurant located just outside Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium. It takes its name from Jan Wils, the architect who designed the stadium for the 1928 Olympic Games. In the photo above, showing the restaurant’s exterior window with its … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Wils*
In May, we visited the Venetian coast, where one of the most common ways to serve seafood is gratinated with breadcrumbs. This preparation is especially delightful with mussels—their natural brininess is deepened by the heat of the oven, while the breadcrumbs … Continue reading Gratinated Mussels (Cozze gratinate)
One of the finest Japanese restaurants in the Netherlands is tucked away in a corner of a Japanese fish factory, located in the industrial harbor area of IJmuiden—essentially Amsterdam’s port. The restaurant is called Hokkai Kitchen, and both it and the … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Hokkai Kitchen
As part of our wine tour through Friuli, we had dinner at La Subida Trattoria al Cacciatore. The chef’s specialty is girini—his interpretation of a traditional local dish made by letting pasta batter drip into boiling water to form fresh pasta. What … Continue reading Girini (Crumbles of Dropped Pasta) with Rabbit, Samphire, and Cherry Tomatoes
This raspberry and almond cake is inspired by the kind of simple, flavorful baking you might get served for breakfast at an agriturismo or a cozy B&B in Italy. The tartness of fresh raspberries pairs beautifully with the soft, nutty … Continue reading Raspberry Almond Cake (Torta di Lamponi e Mandorle)
For the reunion of our wine trip to Friuli I’m preparing some dishes inspired by dished we had during the trip. At Michelin-starred Trattoria al Cacciatora we had rolled guinea fowl with “sclopit” and “urticions”. Both of the latter are … Continue reading Guinea Fowl Wrapped in Prosciutto
With so many great restaurants close by in Amsterdam, we don’t venture to other parts of the Netherlands as often for fine dining — except of course for our annual visit to the Librije. This is also because if we … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Fred**
