PEOPLE
ARTURO DALHUISEN, THE WHITE ROOM
Arturo Dalhuisen is chef at The White Room in NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, which opened barely three years ago. He earned his first Michelin star in no time. What shaped Arturo's path? In Grand Café Krasnapolsky, the down-to-earth chef from the East talks about his Amsterdam adventure. For him, this is only the beginning.
Arturo Dalhuisen is chef at The White Room restaurant in NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, which opened barely three years ago. Inside no time he received his first Michelin star. Who was Arturo's wheelbarrow? In Grand Café Krasnapolsky, the down-to-earth chef from the East talks about his Amsterdam adventure. For him, this is actually just the beginning.Text: Susan Poeder
Image: Esther Quelle
“My ambition has always been cooking and I also started as a football player, but I eventually got an injury. My muscles grew faster than my kneecaps and so they slowed each other down. Then I had to stop playing football and started cooking 100 percent. I've never done anything else.”
What advice would you give to your 18 year old self?“Make sure you complete your courses well and focus on that. And master more languages. I'm jealous of people who just speak Spanish or Italian fluently. With a little attention I might have been able to get further with that. I never cared about school. I was more of someone who was super good in practice and who passed his theory by dragging his feet. If I had that boy in front of me I would say: do a little more about school. That will really help you later.”
Who was your wheelbarrow?“For me that was really Jacob Jan Boerma. He certainly shaped and motivated me. Because of him I have the guts had to always see it through to the end. At one point he put me here in The White Room. I think that was the final push that got me started in my career. I'm glad I took that step, because I didn't want to do it at first. I thought: Amsterdam... I come from the quiet east and then suddenly you find yourself running a restaurant in the middle of Dam Square. But that turned out well and now we are already 3 years further.”
Have you also been a wheelbarrow for someone?“You naturally want the students in your kitchen to succeed as well as possible. I always liked how Jacob Jan treated me and I want to be the same for others. Give them time and give them time. I hope I can be a good wheelbarrow for right-hand man Randy Karman. He will go far and is only 23. He started working in star businesses at a very young age and always perseveres. I think he will definitely go far.”
Who do you see as inspiration?“That's Rasmus Koefoed (Geranium, Copenhagen). He has such perseverance and he cooks so calmly and cleanly. In the Netherlands I go for Sergio Herman (The Jane, Antwerp). What he has always done with food is... Next Level. He makes beautiful paintings visually, but in terms of taste they are also amazing. I used to really look up to him. Still now, by the way.”
What is your greatest passion in your work?“I think the best thing is that you realize that you are growing. Does that sound crazy? If I compare myself with the first day when I came in here, I am quite satisfied with how things are going now. There is much more to achieve. I'm not done here yet, but I'm very pleased with the progress.”
Finally: what does a chef cook at home?“I don't cook much at home. I generally eat out, but rarely in luxury restaurants. I actually think that's too stiff. I just enjoy eating with a nice Asian. If I may give another tip: Salmuera on the Rozengracht. They have really delicious ceviche there.”
See also: Last year Arturo was elected one of the Masters of LXRY. Carsten Klint took a cooking lesson with him, because he wanted to know how a cooking novice like him could make a Michelin-worthy dish.
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