After 10 months we have arrived at our 3rd menu of Bowery. Important to me in the pre-process of a new menu is the brainstorm sessions with my team. During these sessions we focus on the creative part and I clearly give my expectations of what I would like to see in the new menu. A big advantage during the process of this last menu is we have been working in this team for 10 months now and the team is very aware of my vision, flavors and presentation preferences.
I find it very important to use seasonal products and products which have a story to tell. These products need to keep their flavors, pure and original. We create different textures with a product because it is important to create an experience, while maintaining their pure flavors. These flavors complement each other and create a balance in the dish by balancing strong flavors with a touch of freshness or acidity.
Sometimes I give the team new products to work and experiment with. I am always looking for new products and surprising flavors or elements to improve the guest experience.
After the brainstorm sessions the team starts working on dishes they would like to be featured on the new menu. Now a time starts in which I taste many different components, give feedback and create the final versions of our new dishes. It’s a fun and interesting time to see what level my chefs are at and how they learn from the feedback given. We continue to try dishes and change components till the flavors become one and complement each other. Once that stage is completed, we start thinking about presentation and again a process with lots of trying starts. For me it is important all components on the plate are visible and colorful, creating a visually stunning dish.
Finally, a dish has to fit within the philosophy of Bowery, where we cook homemade dishes with mostly local ingredients. We create a large variety of dishes by combining the knowledge of the Asian cuisine with the textures and flavors of Dutch products, allowing us to cater to the different needs of our guests.
I am incredibly proud of this new menu for Bowery, the efforts of my team and the growth we accomplished together. This is our third menu within 10 months of opening and we took it to the next level, again. Everybody worked very hard to accomplish this result and for me as Executive Chef it is amazing to witness all the passion and drive from all my cooks to make this menu a success. Our biggest reward is the positive feedback we have received from our guests since we launched the new menu last week!
Click here for our new menu.
Executive Chef
Edwin van den Heijkant