Since 2021, restaurants can earn a green Michelin star in addition to the regular star for their commitment to sustainability. For this, Michelin inspectors look at the use of local and seasonal ingredients, ecological footprint, food waste, general waste disposal and recycling, and sustainable management. Fifteen restaurants in the Netherlands now have such a "clover" behind their names. Six chefs talk about the impact of the green star.

What does sustainability mean to you and how do you apply it in work and personal life?

Emile van der Staak: "The most important thing is that we do not shortchange future generations. For me, that is the definition of sustainability. Everyone can contribute to a better world. I can't imagine that if the world is at your feet, then you don't have the will to dedicate your career to the great challenges of our time. And on an individual level, it means I no longer eat meat anyway."
Jos Timmer: "At De Kas, sustainability is woven into everything we do, consciously and unconsciously. The restaurant has been around for over twenty years so it was a forerunner in that area. Wim (de Beer, ed.) and I include sustainability in all the decisions we make. In terms of food and drink, of course, but we also make the menus from waste materials, the staff wears sustainable clothing, and our working days are not too long. Privately, I mainly try to consume less and teach my children to eat mainly vegetarian food."
Martijn Koeleman: "I find that a tricky one. You can do a lot to be sustainable, but yes, I also still drive on petrol. I think it is especially important that we think about it. Why do we do something? At home I try to cook vegetarian meals for the most part, we make sure that the heating is not higher than 18 degrees Celsius and we cycle as much as possible. We do want to make the house more sustainable, but we just finished a complete renovation, so the solar panels and heat pump will have to wait. However, we have prepared everything so that we can make it a gas-free home."
Luc Kusters: "Sustainability for me means looking for everything in the solution to be circular. Privately, that doesn't always work out. Decorating a children's room sustainably, for example, sometimes does not happen in a hurry and in all the hustle and bustle of a household with children. Companies like IKEA must also take responsibility for this, as we do with the restaurant. Those solutions need to be offered more easily."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "We think it's important to be sustainable. When we grow, we do as much as possible ourselves. We look for services or products as close to the door as possible. Local is a very important theme in our lives. Both at work and privately."
Niven Kunz: "Sustainability is central to our lives, although we don't do everything perfectly. We drive up and down between Amsterdam and Wateringen five times a week, and not electrically - that's another area for improvement. But with grocery shopping, we pay attention to buying as many products from the Netherlands as possible. In the supermarket we lift up the bell pepper to see where it comes from. In the restaurant, too, we pay close attention to where the ingredients come from and whether the suppliers work sustainably. For example, we only work with hand-dived scallops, and the farm duck we currently have on the menu is local and organic. Furthermore, we choose dried flowers instead of fresh flowers on the table, our house champagne is sustainable, the paper we use is from tomato pulp, the receipts we don't print out but are digital..."

What green initiative within the restaurant are you most proud of?

Emile van der Staak: "Most recently we started a collaboration with Fabriek Fris and I'm learning a lot about how polluting and degrading the clothing industry is. Of course you know this somewhat if you follow the news about fast fashion, but when you dive deeper into this the scales fall from your eyes."
Jos Timmer: "It's not so much an initiative, but I always feel proud when an inveterate meat eater has eaten completely vegetarian almost unnoticed and at the end of a lunch or dinner says, 'How terribly delicious that was.'"
Martijn Koeleman: "I am especially proud that within a very short period of time we managed to be self-sufficient year-round. We are now 99 percent so with our vegetables and 80 percent so with our fruit. For that we had to study very carefully how to preserve products. What can be pickled and what can't? And what are the pickling techniques? Those have been the biggest challenges."
Luc Kusters: "It used to be our vegetable garden on the Zuidas; that made us really unique. Then the 100 percent vegetable menu, right down to desserts and chocolates. Nowadays it is our sustainable building with circular furnishings. The furniture is not disposable plastic, but is made of wood and sheet steel - they last longer than I do. The cloths that hang here are recyclable. We have a moss wall, which is perfect for acoustics. A lot of restaurants aren't doing that yet. Over time, every five years there's something new that we're leading the way in. In five years I can give an update on this answer."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "From day one we have been working with local suppliers. That has always been the norm for us in our kitchen. But this year we are also going to invest heavily in our monumental building. We are going to make it enormously more sustainable. For example, we are going to work on solar panels, but also install a system that ensures that warm air circulates back into the building and is not blown outside."
Niven Kunz: "I am especially proud of the fact that we continue to take a critical look at ourselves: where can we improve, what can we do just a little bit more sustainably? I am also proud of the fact that we have persevered, that we have never deviated from the 80/20 rule. Eighteen years ago that was so progressive! People even walked away from the table, expecting not vegetables in a star restaurant but langoustines. And finally, it's great to see that we can surprise new guests: often they leave with the comment 'we didn't miss the meat at all, it was so good!'"

"I can't imagine that if the world is at your feet, then you don't have the will to dedicate your career to the great challenges of our time."

 

With the green star, Michelin rewards sustainability within the restaurant industry. In turn, what could/should the government do to promote sustainability within our food culture?

Emile van der Staak: "The government would do well to calculate the real price of dairy and meat. All social costs (hidden healthcare costs, environmental and climate damage and animal welfare) associated with meat production and consumption should be included in the price."
Jos Timmer: "What I always very much believe in is education. So making it clear to children at school from an early age where the food comes from. So that they can consciously make their choices of what to eat and what not to eat."
Martijn Koeleman: "Lower taxes on fruits and vegetables and raise those on unhealthy food. Make sure healthy food becomes accessible to people. And the government could look at a system where they don't accommodate people who have less to spend with a benefit here and there, which they could also spend on chips or tobacco, but that they give a credit that can only be used to get fruits and vegetables."
Luc Kusters: "A new tax system for pure plants, so that people can eat good food cheaply. And a fixed tax on a kilo of meat, although that will be harder to achieve. Because now good expensive meat is taxed more heavily than a plump chicken, because it's settled on the price."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "To make real strides in this, the government should start with education. If we already learn young that it is the norm to be locally focused and if we then also learn more about the production process of products... That is knowledge that will last your whole life. Knowledge that is also easier to transfer to others. The youth is our future. Youth is the future."
Niven Kunz: "Above all, the government must ensure that vegetables become more affordable. 80/20 is an achievable goal, for which people will not dig their heels in. But then it has to become affordable and it shouldn't be the case that the kiloknallers and slavks in economy packs are cheaper than a pack of peppers. And put more Dutch vegetables on the shelves instead of getting them from other countries."

What does the green star mean to you and what impact does it have on the restaurant?

Emile van der Staak: "It's a recognition for us, you hope the green star is an encouragement for others to change behavior."
Jos Timmer: "First of all, it's a super nice compliment from Michelin. The impact on our business is not that big, because we were already working on it long before sustainability became trendy. People already knew about it, so we don't get more of an audience because of that star. And it's also in the name, The Greenhouse: then you know what to expect."
Martijn Koeleman: "The green star has had a big impact on our customer base. After all, our restaurant is kind of in the middle of nowhere. True, you can be in Amsterdam and Leiden in twenty minutes, but just get those people out of town. Because of that star they know where to find us. And it's cool that we get the recognition from Michelin that we are doing things the right way. Not that we doubted our vision, but it's satisfying when the restaurant is well stocked."
Luc Kusters: "The green star means that for our guests it becomes tangible what we are doing. Because if Michelin says it, it's true. What we have been pioneering since 2010 and what was very difficult to express to the big outside world has suddenly become very easy: we have a green star. Doors are opening and it is also a means to take further steps again to be progressive. We were the very first restaurant with a green star and always will be. We got it two weeks before the end of the lockdown. There couldn't have been better timing: all the pots were gone and now we were immediately full for a year. That star feels more like justice than an advantage. We had been working on it for over ten years by then, which is a very long investment. And it's always nice when an investment comes into its own."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "For us, the green star is a sign of recognition and appreciation. So because we have been working with sustainability from the beginning, through our own greenhouse, our own garden and through collaborations with local farmers, it is above all a confirmation that we are doing it right."
Niven Kunz: "The green star means a lot to us. It's recognition from Michelin for how we're doing and what we stand for: sustainability. You also notice that people come to eat with us specifically for that. What exactly does the green star mean? We are therefore busier than before."

To what extent will the green star eventually approach or surpass the Michelin star in recognition?

Emile van der Staak: "Whether such a green star will ever have the prestige that is now associated with the red star, I don't know. However, the relevance is already many times greater now given the challenges we face."
Jos Timmer: "In order to approach the red star, it will first have to become clearer what the criteria for a green star are. So what the restaurants have to do and not do for that. I applaud the initiative, but sometimes you wonder why one restaurant has it and not another. Even for me as a hospitality professional, it's not quite clear at times. The moment people know what a green star stands for, they can also consciously choose to visit a specific restaurant. Then the green star would have more value."
Martijn Koeleman: "I don't know if the green star will eventually surpass the red star. I actually don't think so. But I do think that more people in the future who want to eat out luxuriously will also be willing to pay for sustainability and thus book a restaurant that carries both stars."
Luc Kusters: "I think the green star will surpass the red star in some respects. Take B2B, for example: parties that bring catering in house will still want to hint that they are thinking about their choices. But they also want the quality of the red star. We have both. So last year we did a lot of events business-wise, off-site. In the end, the red star will remain timeless. Partly because there are three grades, a competition. The green star is one emblem: you are or are not a role model for sustainable gastronomy. Originally Michelin, feeling compelled by the zeitgeist to make sustainability visible within restaurants, had devised an emblem that would be given the same value as qualifications such as the cutlery and the Bib Gourmand. The so-called Emblème Durable, in the form of a green clover, was conceived only to give direction. In the vernacular, that soon went by the name a green star, but they never developed it that way. Within six months, Michelin took that over from the public, because it took on a life of its own and became one big success story. They hadn't thought about that at all when developing the emblem. They never thought it would have the power of a star. They embraced that very quickly. And so did I, because the green star has certainly turned out to be just as valuable as the red one."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "We don't think the green star will ever surpass the Michelin star. They are two different movements. They both mean something different. Therefore, it will never be able to replace each other, but more of a complement. Together, the two are a token of ultimate appreciation and recognition."
Niven Kunz: "For guests, both stars are already equal, in our experience. A star is a star. There are even some who think the red star has been replaced by the green one, haha. The green star even has an edge with some guests because it is distinctive: few have been awarded so far. Restaurants with a green star are sparser than those with a red. In any case, we are extremely proud of it!"

What further green steps do you want to make with the restaurant?

Emile van der Staak: "One day, with my background in civil engineering and construction, I hope to build a completely ecological restaurant. So growing the hemp one year to use it as insulation the next year."
Jos Timmer: "We would like to get even more out of our own gardens. Quantitatively, but also qualitatively - even more special ingredients. To that end, we have entered into a new partnership with BioRomeo, a partnership between thirty-five organic (dynamic) farmers. And in addition, we want to cook even more plant-oriented. That remains an eternal drive of ours. There are always steps to make, you can always improve yourself."
Martijn Koeleman: "We still cook on gas now, we want to get rid of that. But for the short term, with the lean corona years just behind us, that's too big an investment. We hope to make that green step in 2025. We also want to become completely self-sufficient in fruit. That will take a little longer than vegetables because a fruit tree needs time to grow. And for the rest, become even more sustainable in the things we do. Can we insulate better? Are there less harmful cleaning products? There are always things that can be done better."
Luc Kusters: "We are going to expand with the vegetable gardens. Starting next year, a piece of land will be added in Abcoude and there will also be a green space on the Zuidas."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "As mentioned earlier, this year we are going to put an awful lot of work into making the monumental building in which De Librije is located more sustainable. We are also working on Bonaire to create a large farm where we want to grow sustainable food for the population. So basically a local resource, for everyone on Bonaire."
Niven Kunz: "We already do a lot in terms of sustainability. We even turn off the lights and heaters during breaks, being aware that we can't heat continuously. We would love to install double glazing, but it is a listed building, so that is not allowed. A simple step we are going to take: away with the tea lights."

What is your vision for the future of food?

Emile van der Staak: "Fewer animals and more plants."
Jos Timmer: "My vision is that in the future we will eat plant-based food. But when you hear that the average meat consumption is still rising every year, I do get a little worried. We will really all have to make a huge change. Fortunately, more and more restaurants are sharing our vision. And many people say they have started living more sustainably. I hope they really do: fly less, eat less meat, buy less stuff."Martijn Koeleman: "Eventually we will eat more vegetables and more homegrown. We don't have to stop with dairy and meat, but we will have to look at how to make that 'industry' healthy, in a way that it is also good for the animals."
Luc Kusters: "What we are doing will become the standard in gastronomy. I am convinced of that, otherwise I would have done something else. Although alongside local gastronomy concepts like the Chinese or the Pizzeria will continue to exist."
Jonnie & Thérèse Boer: "In the future we are going to pay even more attention to the localness of our food and we are going to work a lot more with vegetables. A trend that of course has been going on for a while, but in our opinion will definitely continue for a while."
Niven Kunz: "Now people still think from meat: we're eating steak tonight, with what to go with it? That will change to: what shall we eat with broccoli tonight? Thinking from vegetables, that's the future of food."

MASTERS Magazine

This article is from MASTERS Magazine. How passion, craftsmanship and enthusiasm can excite the senses. That is the theme of the spring edition of MASTERS, which takes us past many a hospitality entrepreneur: from the big winner of the last Michelin ceremony, Jurgen van der Zalm of Vinkeles, to 'Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year' Herman Hell. Speaking of Michelin, what is actually the impact of the green star, which saw the light of day in 2021? MASTERS put that question to six prominent chefs. Dennis Albada Jelgersma, over a business lunch at Bridges restaurant, explains how he farms as a wine farmer and celebrates life: "Not with a cube of cheese and a lukewarm pipe." That a good outfit is like a feast for the eyes is proven by the appetizing creations in Culinary Couture. David Yarrow's fascinating photography is also a feast for the eyes. We step into the Lucid Air Touring to experience whether the electric car can work on the senses as much as the internal combustion engine. And we enter heaven for audiophiles: Bang & Olufsen Brussee. In short: plenty of stimuli for the reading buds. An issue to savour!

Order MASTERS Magazine #57 here