John Vingerhoets
John Vingerhoets is owner/chef at cafe-restaurant Nobel in Bussum
From Ghent to ‘t Gooi is what i thought, but your previous restaurant was in Amsterdam…
‘With “Gent aan de Schinkel”, where i was the chef for many years we brought Belgium to Amsterdam. I met my current companion over there and then the idea for a restaurant in ‘t Gooi was born. I have also worked in Scheveningen, ‘s Hertogenbosch and the Australian Melbourne, for the famous chef Frank Camorra of Restaurant MoVida. I fully enjoyed his Spanish kitchen. It’s a rustic kitchen, but with a rich history. if you can taste that in our dishes? Yes, on the menu we have the Chistorra salad with chickpeas, gherkin and tomato dressing.’
How green are you?
‘The funny thing is that sometimes people ask me: you’re from that vegetarian restaurant aren’t you? I think that’s a big compliment. The wide range and the attention we give to vegetarian dishes stands out. For example, we have roasted cauliflower with citrus crème fraîche and almonds. The cauliflower is roasted in one piece and then divided into florets. The combination of the roasted taste, the nutty touch and then the fresh citrus cream is everything. But we also serve an Iberico fillet with sauerkraut, apple, bacon and Jerusalem artichoke.’
What do you like to work with?
‘Autumn is my favorite season. i like the distinct flavors. the full freshness and the fresh flavors of the summer in which everything grows, those round flavors get those extra sharp edges during the Fall: that’ what i love. Products with some edginess, like cabbage. And talking about fruits: definitely citrus. One dish that’s on our menu and that really represents autumn is the truffle polenta with a mushroom jam, parmesan, green cabbage and salsify. I’m also thinking about something with roasted pumpkin. A bit spicy, with quinoa, young baby kale and a dressing made out of quince and clove.’
In what do you use citrus?
‘In some dishes, but also in cocktails. Like our Noblito, a mojito that has been created in collaboration with Nobeltje liquor. You can also find Sicilian lemon tonic, angostura, lime and mint in there. I purchased a drying cabinet and especially cucumber and lemons come out absolutely great. An absolute flavor explosion.’
Why Rungis?
‘I’ve seen so many greengrocers… With one of Rungis people i went to the same High School. I saw him on the fair in Maastricht and since then i’ve started with the fruits and vegetables from Rungis. Their story is just right. The quality is amazing and when you start with a product that’s that fresh, you don’t need much more. And don’t forget their great service. A wonderful company to work with.’