The Municipality of Groningen has stimulated the use of regional products in restaurant meals and by catering companies. This was done by promoting the label ‘Dutch Cuisine’. The label helps SMEs such as restaurants and catering companies to highlight their commitment to regional cuisine, including regionally sustainable produced food. This leads to greater consumer awareness about the quality and importance of regional food and sustainable food consumption. Thus the direct demand from restaurants and catering companies for regional food, can lead to a growing overall regional demand.
Introduction Dutch cuisine
Dutch Cuisine places Dutch regional gastronomy and food culture both on the regional, national and international map. Essential ingredients of Dutch Cuisines are cooking responsibly and healthily with taste, from our creativeperspective, free-thinking, individuality, and pragmatism, andalways according to the principle of ‘less is more’. Groningen adopted the label ‘Dutch Cuisine’ to stimulate the use of regional products in restaurant meals and by catering companies. The label helps SMEs such as restaurants and catering companies to highlight their commitment to regional cuisine, including regionally sustainable produced food.
Five 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.
1. Culture
The dish reflects where we are and which season we are in
Dutch Cuisine is here to promote the Netherlands’ gastronomic culture. Our culture has always been an adoptive one, open and connected with the world. Something we continue to persevere with. Along with that, in the Netherlands we are able to vary our food with seasonal dishes. We’re pretty unique in that aspect. As a rule, nature determines our menu and the dish on our plate reveals where we are and which season we’re in.
Our aim
80% seasonal produce with as much as possible sourced from the Netherlands / 20% out-of- season produce.
2. Health
Good for us and our world
We cook and eat in a way that’s healthy and varied. We use more fruit and vegetables, and less meat and fish. Eating healthily results in feeling good. It’s good for the body, good for the mind and good for the planet!
Our aim
80% fruit and vegetables / 20% meat and fish
3. Nature
Honest, multi-faceted food from what nature offers us
Nature’s biodiversity determines what we have to hand. Honest, multifaceted food from what the land and sea naturally produces through the seasons, without artificial additives. We are creative, in order to use the whole product and not just the parts which are easiest. From head to tail, without waste.
Our aim
Use what nature offers us through the seasons, avoid use of artificial additives, work right through from head to tail and waste nothing.
4. Quality
We purchase, cook and eat with high awareness
We recognise quality and taste. We purchase, cook and eat with high awareness. With respect to the ingredients, the source, the producer and the people we deal with along the way. When buying we therefore don’t just look at the price, but also at the quality. We invest in healthy produce, a healthy way of eating and the knowledge about it.
Our aim
Honest, high-quality produce which is, as far as possible, organic, Fairtrade, kind to animals, pure, fresh, seasonal and regional/local.
5. Value
We work towards tomorrow
As a result of the four previously described principles, we create value which is beneficial all- round. We eat and live healthier, we leave the earth in a better state, we waste less, we pay the producer a fair price and we ensure better animal welfare.
Our aim
Dutch Cuisine is the guardian of the Netherlands’ way of eating and works towards tomorrow. Everything the earth has to offer us is a gift from previous generations, which we have a duty to pass on to the generations of the future.
Dutch Cuisine in the Groningen region – Dutch Cuisine in the Reframe Perspective
The Municipality of Groningen is passionate about Dutch Cuisine because it supports our Reframe efforts. A strong and sustainable regional food economy, with lots of perspectives and innovation potential for SMEs, need a strong and stable demand by urban consumers. The Municipality of Groningen stimulates this demand, but also realizes that different groups of consumers ask for different strategies to stimulate this demand. For instance, the municipality of Groningen reaches out – and sets an example – for large scale consumers, based on corporate social responsibility. An important and often trend-setting group of urban consumers asks for a different approach. These consumers make deliberate choices, value quality, experience and authenticity. In order to stimulate this group to ask for regionally produced food, the Municipality of Groningen uses the label Dutch Cuisine. Depending on the impact and success of the label, the Municipality will study the possibility to set up a specific regional label, such available in partner regions like West Sweden, West- and East Flanders.
Contact information
Anke van Duuren
E-mail: anke.van.duuren@groningen.nl
26 SMEs involved – using the label Dutch Cuisine
Avec Plezier cateraar uit Thesinghe (Ten Boer)
Tweetal, cateraar Groningen
De Goede Vissers, LAuwersoog
Fruitbedrijf Bosschaart uit Noordbroek, fruit en fruitproducten
Wadden vlees, Dokkum
Feithhuis, restaurant Groningen
Piloersemaborg, reaturant Den Ham
Bitter en Zoet, restaurant Veenhuizen
Eetcafé De Toeter, Groningen
Landgoud, producent biologische landbouwproducten (graan, wijn)
De Graanrepubliek, Bad Nieuweschans, producent en verwerker biologische graanproducnten
AmbachtelijkebakkerijPeters,Leens
AbrahamsMosterdmakerijenRestaurant,Eenrum
Goudgewas,Roodeschool
Waddenmax,Hornhuizen,biologischeveehouderij,zuivelproducten
Kleikracht, kaasmakerij Winsum
Kippenkieftpluimveebedrijf,eierenenstreekproducten,Winschoten
Rineke Dijkinga, Veendam duurzame lokale voedingsproducten
BakkerijBlancheGroningen
Bio bakker van Esch, Tolbert
Ommelandermarkt,productenuitderegio
Familie Bosma, diverse groenten en fruit, Bedum
Tuinen van Weldadigheid, leverancier van diverse bijzondere groenten, fruit en kruiden aan horeca
Restaurant Block & Barrels, Groningen
Restaurant Voila, Groningen
Restaurant Het Zusje van André Dokter, Groningen
