The sustainable island festival Oerol on Terschelling and the Food Inspiration Days in Veghel serve as the testing grounds for sustainable and conscious entrepreneurs from the Wadden region, including the kitchen of the Kook Atelier op Oost. Entrepreneurial couple Valerie Jongeneel and Joram Timmerman will engage in discussions about conscious gastronomy and have their dish tasted by the most aware festival-goers and food professionals in the Netherlands under the banner of Innofest.
Innofest
In a time when challenges transcend borders and generations, companies that pursue both 'profit' and 'purpose' are needed. As a stimulation program, Innofest is a welcome springboard for innovative entrepreneurs aiming to make an impact. Innofest is an organization that gives (starting) entrepreneurs the chance to test innovative prototypes in practice. They do this at festivals and events, including this year at Oerol and the Food Inspiration Days.
Conscious Gastronomy
Innofest approached the entrepreneurial couple following an earlier visit to Texel. Restaurant Kook Atelier runs a conscious kitchen, or as they call it, a nordic & botanical cuisine. The signature menu of patron cuisinier Joram Timmerman is called 'Served by Nature.' Cultivation, preservation, and foraging form the basis. Nature always has the final word. Every step aims for the smallest possible footprint. How? By using short supply chains, homegrown produce, purchasing agreements with local home producers, direct collaboration with farmers, culinary upcycling, and replacing guilty pleasures with conscious alternatives. This approach has earned Kook Atelier the opportunity to showcase culinary innovation at these prestigious events.
Guilty Pleasures
At restaurant Kook Atelier, you won’t find cola or orange soda. They do not serve factory-made soft drinks but homemade non-alcoholic beverages that can even be paired with the menu. Jongeneel: “We offer our guests a conscious alternative. We don’t replicate products but serve a completely new flavor with our botanicals, kombuchas, and water kefir.”
The restaurant also offers an alternative for one of the most culinary guilty pleasures in terms of sustainability: Foie Gras. For many culinary adventurers with a green heart, this dish is an absolute 'no go.' Timmerman has focused on providing a conscious alternative to this culinary guilty pleasure. “We serve a nut pâté that many enthusiasts describe as a vegan foie gras. We don’t want to offer a meat substitute, but a conscious alternative for lovers of the specific taste. When we serve this dish, it always opens up a good conversation.” Timmerman's version has now become a signature dish and is reinvented with every menu. Jongeneel: “During these events, we want to engage in conversations about what conscious gastronomy is. In our view, it starts with what you stand for and the choices you make. We are happy to discuss nature, the impact of choices, and the challenges we face as hospitality entrepreneurs.”
Platform
The Food Inspiration Days will take place on October 17 and 18 for 1,200 food professionals over two days. This event is for decision-makers in food service and food retail who seek information and inspiration about the food world of tomorrow. “It’s a great place to have the conversation about sustainable gastronomy. A unique platform to not only dive into the content but also let professionals taste our dish and botanicals,” says Jongeneel. At the start-up stage of the Food Inspiration Days, companies from the Wadden region present their food innovations. Entrepreneurs receive feedback from food professionals and possibly initiate collaborations. During Oerol, this took place during a special Wadden Edition of Test Teevee, a show developed by Innofest where entrepreneurs let the public test their innovations live. Thus, Oerol serves as a testing ground for food innovations from the Wadden region.
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Kook Atelier was present at Oerol on Terschelling on June 17 & 18 and will be at the Food Inspiration Days in Veghel on October 17 & 18.
Food Inspiration Days 2022 - Home // Innofest // www.kook-atelier.nl