Green Michelin star for two Limburg restaurants

For the first time this year, green stars will be awarded in addition to the well-known Michelin stars in the Netherlands. This award, which has been known for some time in other European countries, rewards chefs who strengthen the sustainable dynamic in gastronomy. On the 2021 green list, we encounter two names from Limburg: restaurant ONE in Roermond and Aan Sjuuteeänjd in Schinnen.

The Green Star

The MICHELIN Guide Netherlands 2021 distinguishes for the first time chefs who are committed to a sustainable future. A total of eight stars have been handed out within the Netherlands, all to inspiring pioneers and figureheads of sustainable gastronomy. Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide says: "With this star we want to stimulate a sustainable dynamic among chefs, so that a healthy green competition arises. We choose chefs who actively propagate how sustainable they are working, so that the guest not only eats well, but also learns something."

How the chef works on sustainability can differ from restaurant to restaurant. Some winners want to work as circularly as possible, others focus on the short chain, pick wild game or find ingredients in the food forest. "There are multiple paths to sustainability, and each restaurant has to find its own path," says Poullennec.

Aan Sjuuteeänjd

Biologically certified restaurant Aan Sjuuteeänjd in Schinnen was previously named the most sustainable in the Netherlands. Chef Jean Thoma and his wife Sonja have their own vegetable garden with forgotten vegetables. "We strive for sustainability in all areas, and that is recognized with various certificates and quality marks. That goes for cleaning products as well as recycling our kitchen waste."

Thoma buys as much local produce as possible, uses all parts of the cow and works almost exclusively with seasonal vegetables. He got an inkling last summer that there was an inspector in the business when a curious guest started asking very specific questions such as what material the chef's tubes were made of. "Those are made of recycled material, the shoes are made by people with distance from the labor market.

ONE

Less than a hundred meters from the kitchen of ONE in Roermond is the city garden, an integral part of the restaurant. Here on more than 1000m2 herbs, flowers, vegetables and fruits grow, which are used in the dishes, cocktails and table decorations. Everything comes in handy. If there is anything in excess, it is fermented, dried or pickled.

But it doesn't stop there. Chef Edwin Soumang: "We work mainly with natural materials, such as tomato fiber paper for the menus and organic table linens." And everything is sourced locally as much as possible. "Ever since ONE saw the light of day, we have always tried to work as 'local' as possible. That in terms of products, companies and suppliers to mechanics. We look first in our own street, then in our own city, then in our own province and finally in our own country."

Star shower

In addition to the green star, ONE was also rewarded with a "regular" Michelin star this year. The following Limburg restaurants received the same honor: Da Vinci (Maasbracht), Beluga (Maastricht), Rantrée (Maastricht, Tout à fait (Maastricht), De Leuf (Ubachsberg), Valuas (Venlo), Marrees (Weert) and Brienen aan de Maas (Well). Two stars are for Sabero (Roermond) and newcomer Brut172 (Reijmerstok).