I was hesitant to serve carrot as the main character. Now I am unstoppable

Chef Steven Klein Neijenhuis of Herberg onder de Linden in the Netherlands

The We’re Smart® Green Guide recognises the efforts of new, newly discovered or re-opened restaurants. In countries with at least three newcomers with three radishes or more, The Discovery of the Year award is presented. Herberg onder de Linden in the Netherlands is #72 of the global top 100. Let’s get to know chef Steven Klein Neijenhuis a bit better.

In the most Northern tip of the Netherlands, between lively Groningen and the Wadden Sea World heritage, Steven Klein Neijenhuis transformed a “classical” restaurant into a boutique hotel and restaurant that excels with a pure plant menu besides a ‘normal’ menu. He explains: “I was nervous to stop serving meat and even more to stop using dairy since creams and butters are the essence of the style of cooking I was taught. We had to learn how to create sauces and cremes without. With trial and error, we now serve a lighter and more modern cuisine than I ever imagined. Last week, more than half of our guests chose the pure plant menu.” 

Herberg onder de Linden, carrots as a hero (photo: Nino Brouwers)

Modern, sustainable and local is the key

The chef describes his style with three words: modern, sustainable and local. “The change was gradual, rooted in a firm belief that we need to change our eating habits. Not just the guests, also my own family and our staff. The staff meal is consciously healthy and follows the 80/20 principles. One day meat, one day chicken and the other two pure plant. Of course it was a change, but now it is an extra reason to work here for young people. Our clientele also became younger. The next big decision was to stop so-called luxury products, often imported from far away. What convinced me was that guests were more impressed with the koji fermented carrot dish with seaweed than my dessert with caviar. Stopping these expensive ingredients allows for better economics too”. 

Prehistoric fishing methods

The omnivore menu uses limited amounts of crustations and fish. Neijenhuis explains: “We only use crab, mussels, oysters, mullet or seabream from de Wadddenzee - when in season of course. Goede Vissers uses ‘standing nets’ -a prehistoric and sustainable way of fishing. So, imagine the crab, with a milk of hazelnuts from Veld4, a garum of mushroom and citrus from the flowering quince. It reminds you of a Tom Ka Khai, yet with all locally sourced in season ingredients.” 

Chef Steven Klein Neijenhuis (photo: Nino Brouwers)

Inspectors report 2025: “ Everything is right at Onder de Linden: the mindset, the exceptional local ingredients, the cooking philosophy, and above all — the taste. A pure plant experience like this doesn’t come along every day…” 

Herberg onder de Linden - Burg. van Barneveldweg 3 - 9831 RD Aduard - The Netherlands

First published on we’re smart world, January 2026