Member of the Month May 2019: Sem Grotenhuis

The Staff Canteen

Here at The Staff Canteen, we feature a different member every month who we think deserves to be celebrated - this month’s winner is Sem Grotenhuis.

As a regular contributor to The Staff Canteen website via the Chef+ app, Sem will win a copy of MiMi Aye's Mandalay: Recipes & Tales from a Burmese Kitchen and a mug from The Staff Canteen.

Strawberry tatin
Strawberry tatin @semgrotenhuis

Current place of work, position and a brief overview of where you have worked before 

At the moment, I am the head chef at the Brasserie lounge floor in Epe in the beautiful Veluwe region of the Netherlands.

I have worked in several wonderful restaurants including Achter de Poorte in Elburg and restaurant t'Diekhuus in Terwolde. 

What is your cooking style and what can people expect from the food on your menu?

My cooking style is Burgundian - what you see is what you get. I love working with the best vegetables I can get my hands on. 

I am a good all rounder in the kitchen, but I have a soft spot for the dessert section.

What is your favourite dish to cook and why?

I don't have a single favourite dish - I  just love what I do! 

Guilty pleasure name a food item / dish / ingredient that isn’t considered ‘cheffy’ but you love to eat

That's easy - pizza! 

What are your plans for the future? 

I would like to open my own restaurant in the future, but for the time being I am very happy doing what I do. 

burned asparagus dish with slow cooked salmon and peas

Burned asparagus dish,

slow cooked salmon and peas

@semgrotenhuis

What do you do in the kitchen that could be considered 'sustainable practice?'

I work well with my suppliers, every week we are in touch about what produce we should be using hat week. I try to buy everything in precise quantities to avoid throwing anything away. 

I use every part of the vegetables I cook and I try to keep up with the latest sustainable trends, but I'm sure there's more that I could learn about it.  

Do you want to be the next Member of the Month, a feature sponsored by Essential Cuisine? Download the Chef+ app  for free now and share your images, videos and recipes for a chance to win The Staff Canteen mug and an Essential Cuisine goodie bag!

Please note that shipping fees outside of the UK will not be covered by Essential Cuisine. 

>>> For Apple: Click here to redirect to the App Store

>>> For Android: Click here to redirect to Google Play

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall  – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 3rd June 2019

Member of the Month May 2019: Sem Grotenhuis