Sustainable event catering? It’s possible!

Before we delve into sustainable event catering, we would like to introduce you to the new chef at NBC and Green Village: Robbert van Dijk. If you have been a client or guest of NBC for some time, this will be big news. It means that Vincent van der Wal is no longer leading the kitchen, and Robbert has taken over this role as of this summer. After twenty wonderful years at NBC, Vincent was ready for a new challenge, which he has now found.

Fortunately, the position of chef for our two event locations did not remain vacant for long, as Robbert eagerly stepped into the role. Robbert started with us twenty years ago as an apprentice chef and has learned all the tricks of the trade over the years. He initially worked within NBC’s kitchen team, where he progressed to sous chef. In 2018, he “transitioned” to Green Village, where he served as head chef. The step up to the position of head chef for both of our locations is a logical next step.

Renewed and sustainable culinary offerings

With a new chef and a completely revamped location, a new culinary direction naturally follows! Sustainability is at the forefront of our offerings. For example, our standard culinary selection is 80% vegetarian or vegan. This reverses the demand for sustainable catering—you don’t need to ask for a more sustainable option, as we already serve it as standard. However, as a client, you can choose to make it even more sustainable by opting for a fully vegan menu, for instance.

Additionally, we always present a seasonal and as much as possible locally sourced culinary offering. This is not only delicious but also less taxing on the environment. It reduces energy consumption for cultivation, requires less transport, leads to less waste, and ensures that seasonal ingredients provide better nutritional value and more flavor.

Looking beyond just ‘less meat’

According to Robbert, sustainability is more than just offering less meat and cooking with seasonal ingredients. “It’s not only about the dish itself and the origin of the ingredients, but also about the entire process surrounding it. How sustainable and efficient can something be prepared? For example, consider making a flavorful rendang. This could be the only meat dish in an otherwise vegetarian menu. However, to make a good rendang, the dish needs to stew for an entire day. Add to that the fact that we prepare this dish for up to 2,000 guests at a time, and you can quickly calculate that the process is not sustainable. The kitchen installation has to run all day, and in typical kitchens, the gas would be on. We have been a gas-free location since 2019, so we don’t use gas, but our electricity consumption on such a day is naturally higher than necessary. So, if you really want to cook sustainably, you need to look not only at the ingredients but also at the preparation and how it impacts the cooking process.”

For the new culinary direction at NBC and Green Village, Robbert and his team have gone all out in the kitchen. “I think we’ve pulled out all the stops to not only make the ingredients and dishes more sustainable but also the way we prepare them. In the case of the rendang, for example, we have come up with rendang made from yellow beetroot. This vegetable lends itself perfectly to the flavor of this dish and has a much shorter cooking time. Yellow beet rendang only needs to cook for 15 minutes to achieve ultimate flavor. Additionally, it is grown in the Netherlands and is available almost all year round. That’s not two, but four birds with one stone!”

I have yet to meet the first ‘meat-eater’ who doesn’t enjoy the yellow beet rendang

Inclusivity and exceeding expectations

In addition to optimizing the entire kitchen process, our culinary offerings are becoming even more inclusive for our guests. Allergies, food preferences, and diets are given more attention during catering moments. “We pay attention to everyone. Whether you have lactose intolerance, eat halal, have a gluten allergy, or follow a sugar-free diet, you receive just as much attention as other guests—often even a bit more! We want to ensure that all guests can enjoy dishes that align with their preferences and needs. This ultimately has a significant impact on the success of the event. And that’s what it’s all about for us: exceeding expectations and creating a successful event together.”