Dutch Cuisine is about placing Dutch gastronomy and food culture both on the national and international map for a wide audience. It is a food culture that is globally unique, and one that we can be proud of. It’s cooking responsibly and healthily with taste, from our creative perspective, free-thinking, individuality, and pragmatism, and always according to the principle of ‘less is more’. These values reflect who we are and what we stand for. They are our identity, our DNA. In addition, we adhere to five principles that are sustainable for people and the environment, and act as guidelines for our daily conduct. These principles are incorporated in our charter.
Why Dutch Cuisine?
Because we want to make tasty, healthy and sustainable food more appealing and accessible, and because our rich Dutch food culture deserves a revolution. Dutch Cuisine, as the connecting chain, can accelerate the change in making food consumption more sustainable, and last but not least because it is good for our economy and for the planet.
We have defined the charter below to outline this, which features a number of top chefs and other professionals from the food sector who wish to place Dutch food culture upon the map.
A New Vision
Dutch Cuisine offers a fresh view of our food culture, which generates new economic value, because our Dutch culture and creativity are serious business. Think Dutch Design, Dutch Architecture and Dutch Fashion, which have now become resounding concepts in a global sense. The government, as well as organisations from every sector related to our nutrition, have joined forces in order to attain this purpose. Dutch Cuisine is a movement with a great deal of potential, and can turn around the current image of our Dutch food culture. From a commonplace cuisine to a creative, sustainable and innovative cuisine with a unique signature that everyone is proud of: the chef with his dishes, the grower with his products, the city with its catering industry and the ‘corporate Netherlands’ with its Holland branding. Under the flag of Dutch Cuisine, we can profile and promote ourselves, both nationally and internationally. Dutch Cuisine is the answer to a clear international need for an overarching lifestyle brand for everyone who provides a contribution towards our gastronomic culture in the Netherlands.
The 5 principles
Dutch Cuisine maintains five principles that are based on the Dutch culinary identity: principles that are sustainable for people, animals and the environment, and act as a guide for our daily conduct. These five principles of Dutch Cuisine are based upon the philosophy of SVH Master Chef Albert Kooy and are defined in a charter.
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2HealthGood for us and our world Our aim |
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4QualityWe purchase, cook and eat with high awareness Our aim |
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Culture
Dutch cuisine, simply a part of our DNA
Our continuous flow of innovation and amazing creativity can be found in our products, and the proof of it is presented on our Dutch Cuisine chefs’ plates – that is where everything comes together. The dish not only shows the Dutch seasons and regions, but also the innovative capacity and creativity in our cuisine – for this defines our food culture.
We can all invest in technology, but let us also invest in our Dutch Cuisine chefs’ creations and their food inspiration, creating awareness and enabling people do to it themselves. Include them and make them participate, and so actively contribute. It’s all about SEEING, DOING and TASTING. If our culture is a reflection of our identity, it shows in our innovative capacity and creativity. It is part of our character – It’s typically Dutch, with a twist.
It’s the common thread displayed by icons like Dutch Design, Dutch Fashion en Dutch Architecture.
Ambassadors
The chefs of Dutch Cuisine are passionate ambassadors of pure Dutch taste. They inspire us to get more involved with wonderful seasonal Dutch products. Dutch Cuisine ambassadors (including chefs, manufacturers, influencers and innovators), sponsors, partners and friends support us towards realising our goals.
Partnerships
Placing the Dutch food culture on the map in a firm and sustainable manner is something that cannot be done alone – it takes collaboration; for instance with chefs and restaurants. But also with other individuals and organisations who influence our eating habits; from manufacturers to wholesale suppliers, and from policymakers to consumers. This diversity is reflected in the composition of the management, and among the ambassadors of Dutch Cuisine, but also in partnerships such as Green Deal, Eten op School (Food at School), and the Green Protein Alliance. It is solely by joining forces and entering into partnerships within all the links of the food chain, that we can genuinely optimise the sustainability of our food consumption.
Organisation
Dutch Cuisine is a foundation with a management that sets out its policies, and oversees the execution of those policies. We work with an Advisory Board that extends advice to the management unit, and helps to realise our objectives. The implementation takes place through a management team and a secretariat. Programme managers enable the development and execution of the projects in conjunction with specialised parties. You can find more information about the Dutch Cuisine remuneration scheme here.
