Antoine Schweig
Antoine Schweig is chef at The Prins of Terbregge in Rotterdam
Cecina, kataifi, laksa, sambai; you have some explaning to do at the table…
‘Yes, but that’s the fun part. Thanks to putting this type of ingrdients on our menu, we have instant contact with our guests. During the day we get many cyclists and people coming by with the boat, because we’re right at the river the Rotte. For them, we also have regular eggs. In the evening we can use our passion and creativity. Just like the people from Rungis, we also have a passion for what we do. We get inspired by the beautiful products that are delivered; we automatically want to make something fantastic out of it. That stimulates us.’
Also with surf and turf…
‘Fish in combination with meat is becoming our ‘signature’. Now we have a dish with Norwegian skrei and razor fish with Spanish cecina, dried and smoked beef, fennel, tarragon, capers and brandade. The razors we steam and with the juice we make a beurre blanc. The waste of the skrei we yarn briefly and gently in milk, garlic, rosemary and bay leaves. With the moisture we make a puree with pulled fish.’
Where are the vegetables?
‘With our Poulet Jaune, roasted chicken of which each part gets his appropriate preparation, we include celeriac. Brunoise, passed through the coffee sugar and caramelised. With the waste we make a cream. We cut circles of the savoy and blanch them a la minute in butter. With that we also serve an old-fashioned pretzel which we also pas through the coffee and sugar. We also have a dish with MRY beef; rump and rendang with lotus root, bok choy, apple turnip and sambai vinegar. We dry the lotus root as a chip with the rendang. The apple turnip is sweet and fresh: with sushi vinegar and butter we make a cream out of that. With garlic; then it get’s more body. Our sous is half indonesian. That’s great! Later this year we will make an in sambai vinegar marinated monkfish with char siu. Served cold with home made seroendeng and different structures of cucumber.’
A dish should look like a painting
What are you looking forward to in terms of fruit?
‘To berries, raspberries and strawberries; red fruits make me happy. Preferably as pure and ripe as possible. The riper, how more full the taste. For me, spring can start now. I’m done with the red cabbage and the Brussels sprouts. In the beginning of the winter season i’m like: yes, stewing and preserving! At this moment i look forward to the mushrooms, asparagus and turnip. And to vegetables like samphire and sea orache: with its great salty taste!’
You’re also good with sweet…
‘You mean our green tea cake with ricewine, dragon fruit, star fruit and lychee sorbet? That type of fruit looks more delicious than a kiwi, i think. That also makes me happy: a dish should look like a painting.’
