Amsterdam’s Riches at Rijks at Rijksmuseum

In keeping with Amsterdam’s heightened culinary reputation, this year’s presentation of Michelin stars for the Michelin Guide 2016 Netherlands was held, for the first time, in the capital of the Netherlands at the DeLaMar Theater, where numerous Dutch chefs received their coveted Michelin stars and Bib Gourmands.

One of the many glories of the newly reconceived Rijksmuseum on Museumplein is the restaurant Rijks helmed by Joris Bijdendijk, the Michelin-starred chef of Bridges located at The Grand Amsterdam.

As the premier museum in the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum’s mission is to tell the story of the Netherlands and its import throughout history. In keeping with the museum’s mission, the restaurant Rijks uses locally sourced Dutch ingredients wherever possible, and seeks inspiration in the range of flavors that have influenced Dutch cuisine across the centuries.

As the culinary mastermind behind the restaurant, Bijdendijk insures that culinary influences from countries far and near are evident throughout the meal, thereby offering diners at Rijks an opportunity to imagine some of the Rijksmuseum’s treasures as if served on a plate.

Soon after seating, guests are served a small plate of kohlrabi chips, each dusted with salted vinegar dust, which arrive on a wedge of petrified wood. A single la fine de claire oyster comes encased in a meringue of lemon and shallot vinegar that nicely complements the oyster’s indigenous marine flavor and balanced salinity.

Throughout the meal, the chefs at Rijks emphasize the quality and authenticity of each ingredient, alongside its uniqueness. The restaurant’s “Perfect Egg” is an inspired take on mushroom broth: a fungus tea with leek oil that cradles the perfect egg, which oozes a velvety richness into the clear soup. A roasted langoustine tail rests on a bed of spelt flakes and trout eggs in a small pool of curry cream.

Streamlined and modern, the dining room’s décor provides a refined refuge from inclement weather—while its civilized acoustics enable conversation amidst the buzz of a fashionable clientele. The polished service and gracious staff reflect Amsterdam’s long history of welcoming its guests with generous hospitality.

Apart from Rijks, the Rijksmuseum also houses a grand café in the main lobby, as well as two espresso bars in the museum and another in the garden.