The Chef
A young chef with Michelin roots.
Tom de Ree is the Head Chef at Restaurant "Verrassing aan de Zaan" in Zaandam, the Netherlands. Trained under some of the most respected names in fine dining, he has spent his career in Michelin-starred kitchens — learning, refining, and developing a voice that is entirely his own.
His cooking is grounded in the Dutch landscape: ingredients sourced from local farms, fish from the IJsselmeer, and herbs foraged from the Zaan region. Every plate tells a story of place and season.
The star is not yet his — but the pursuit of it shapes every dish that leaves his pass.
Signature Plates
The dishes
A selection of plates from the current season. Each one can be replaced with your own photography — simply swap the image links in the code.
Autumn Amuse
Seasonal opener · October
Garden & Soil
Root vegetables, local herbs
Zaansea
Local shellfish, sea herbs
Beef · Pepper
Aged beef, roasted pepper jus
Shrimp · Garden
Cold-water shrimp, seasonal veg
Celery · Steak
Grilled steak, stuffed celery
The Pass
Plated at service
Table
The full tasting experience
Philosophy
Taste the place.
Inspired by season.
A plate is a portrait of a moment. The soil, the weather, the hands that grew it, all find their way into the plate.
Tom works closely with growers within a short radius of Zaandam. The menu follows the harvest, not the calendar.If the beets are ready on Tuesday, they are on the menu by Wednesday.
This is cooking with restraint. Ingredient are celebrated at their peak. No plate stays longer than it should. Every plate reflects the character of the season and the land. The discipline of a Michelin kitchen, guided by the fields and waters of the Zaan region.
The Journey
Kitchens & mentors
The names of kitchens and mentors will be added here. This section is ready for you to fill in the specific restaurants and chefs who shaped the path.
Karel V *
Trained under Leon Mazairac *,. Foundation in classic technique and discipline.
Restaurant De Kas * - Amsterdam
Developed voice under Wim de Beer* and Jos Timmer*. Focus on Farm-to-table sourcing.
Mos * - Amsterdam (Henry Pattiwael)
Chef de Parti. Refined plating, leadership, and menu development.
Verrassing aan de Zaan — Zaandam
Head Chef. Leading the kitchen with a seasonal, locally-driven menu.
Contact
Reservations,
private dinners,
& collaborations.
For booking inquiries, private dining, press, or collaboration proposals, send a message below.