Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved to cook and eat. My mum passed on the passion for good food and cooking, which she in turn got from her mother. Although I used to find the foundation laid by my mother (as a dietician and natural nutritionist) very irritating and exhausting, now I am grateful to her. When I had children of my own, I became more aware of what I eat and what I want to pass on to my children – with now 4 little men (and 1 big child), I spend a lot of hours a day, very happy in the kitchen. Also with them. 10 years ago I changed my career to focus on nutrition. As a chef and trained nutritionist focused on family food I combine the knowledge of nutrition with cooking skills to produce fresh, vibrant, nutritious, yum meals.
Vision
Above all, food needs to taste great, be fresh and needs to provide the nutrition we need. As adults, as teenagers, as children, babies and even as a foetus. Start young and you gain a lifetime of appreciation for real food and flavours.
The love for good food and eating we pass on from generation to generation. With that also the love of what grows and blooms, we show what real food looks like and the taste of pure ingredients. I believe that the best moments in life are spent at the table and we should spend time on good food!
Although I cook a lot of vegetarian food, I never exclude whole food categories. I cook with fresh ingredients, lots of colour, lots of fresh herbs, with spice and it is vibrant. It contains influences from a lot of different cultures. Little to no processed foods and a hero role for vegetables, whole grains, pulses and nuts/seeds.
Facts on Mama’s cooking:
Three of our four boys were born abroad. The years I spent working and living in Paris, Barcelona, London, Switzerland and now in Madrid have shaped the way I look at food, the way I cook. I love experiencing different eating cultures and learning new flavours, techniques and habits. Best of both worlds, and I use this everyday.
Apart from running Mama’s Cooking I cook together with my good friend and chef Anouk in our garden at pop up restaurant “In geval van Noord’ in Amsterdam. We used to live here ourselves in a glass house / container home and now we cook here a couple of times a year for guests.
I studied general management and marketing, but after 12,5 years decided to follow my real passion and trained as a nutritionist and followed several chef courses. There is nothing I find more relaxing and fun than to combine my passion for cooking with knowledge of food and ingredients.
If I were to land on a deserted island and could only bring five ingredients.. They would be lemon, oregano, cumin, bacon (according to my husband Bas) and peanuts (to make peanut butter and ‘saté’ sauce). The rest I hope to catch and grow there.
My ultimate moment of happiness: After a night of cooking for guests, pour a glas of white wine, Spanish music from the stereo and then enjoy until the early hours.
Apart from cooking, making up recipes, raising kids – I also do consulting jobs for corporates, such as the company “Voeding Leeft”, in which we treated (with nutrition, movement, sleep, relaxation) people with chronic diseases. I also do Supermarket safari’s where we look at what and how to buy.
My guilty pleasures: lemon sorbet, lemon pie (basically anything with lemon), ‘bitterballs’ and chicken curry salad.
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