Sergio Herman en Zijn Strijd Tegen Huidkanker - Een Diepgaande Inzichten

Sergio Herman: Seeing light at the end of the tunnel

When Sergio Herman stunned the culinary world in 2013 by announcing that he would close his famous restaurant Oud Sluis, few people could understand his decision. But, as he told Food and Wine Gazette, once he had achieved all his objectives he no longer felt motivated. “I could have gone on for another five or 10 more years but would it have been fun? For me the answer was no. I also wanted to find balance in life.”

He still works extremely hard and opening The Jane, a stunning restaurant in an old church in Antwerp with chef Nick Bril was no walk in the park. “It was very hard to set this up. I was here every day before its opening. But now I can say that after nearly a year open, I have more balance and I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel.”

For 26 years, he was cooking day and night at his restaurant Oud Sluis in Zeeland, the Netherlands. 18 to 20 hour days were the order of the day. Listed among the top 20 restaurants in the world, with 3 Michelin stars and one of only two chefs in the world to receive the maximum number of points in the food guide Gault Millau, this talented chef decided to close his restaurant.

A man with an incredible work ethic, he is revealing his story to the world in the soon to be released Sergio Herman Fucking Perfect, a documentary by film-maker Willemiek Kluijfhout who follows him from the moment when he announces the decision to close the restaurant.

The world’s top chefs can be considered to be stars in their own right, but what message did Sergio want to convey in the documentary? “It is not only glitter and glamour. You also get to see the other side of our life. Working in the kitchens is very hard work. It’s a lot of effort by many people. Guests are coming to the restaurant and they pay x money for a meal but what they don’t realise is that there is an incredible amount of work by many people in a team at the back end before the meal even starts.”

Die Entwicklung als Koch

A. Autodidaktische Ausbildung

Sergio Herman, ein niederländischer Spitzenkoch, hat sich autodidaktisch in der Welt der Gastronomie entwickelt. Anders als viele andere Köche hat er keine formelle Kochausbildung absolviert, sondern lediglich ein Praktikum absolviert. Diese autodidaktische Herangehensweise hat es ihm ermöglicht, seinen eigenen Stil zu entwickeln und seine Kreativität in der Küche auszuleben.

B. Der Weg zum Michelin-Stern

1990 begann Sergio Herman im Familienbetrieb zu kochen, der sich zu einem bekannten Muschelrestaurant entwickelt hatte. Sein Talent und seine Leidenschaft für die Küche führten dazu, dass sein Restaurant im Jahr 1995 mit einem Michelin-Stern ausgezeichnet wurde. Dies war nur der Anfang seiner Erfolgsgeschichte.

Im Laufe der Jahre erhielt sein Restaurant weitere Auszeichnungen und wurde schließlich 2005 mit der höchsten Bewertung von drei Michelin-Sternen ausgezeichnet. Sergio Hermans Fähigkeit, innovative Gerichte zu kreieren und regionale Zutaten mit internationalen Einflüssen zu kombinieren, brachte ihm Anerkennung und Lob von Kritikern und Gästen ein.

Seine Leidenschaft für die Küche führte Sergio Herman dazu, sein eigenes Restaurant zu eröffnen, das auf Platz 23 der besten Restaurants weltweit gelistet ist. Darüber hinaus betreibt er auch eine Brasserie und eine Fastfood-Kette. Sein Erfolg als Spitzenkoch hat ihn zu einem Superstar in der Gastronomiebranche gemacht.

Die Familie spielt eine wichtige Rolle im Leben von Sergio Herman. Er ist mit der TV-Moderatorin Ellemieke Vermolen verheiratet und sie haben zusammen zwei Söhne. Trotz seines geschäftigen Lebensstils legt Sergio Herman großen Wert darauf, Zeit mit seiner Familie zu verbringen und sich selbst weiterzuentwickeln.

Sergio Hermans außergewöhnliche Karriere als Spitzenkoch ist ein inspirierendes Beispiel für die Bedeutung von Leidenschaft, Kreativität und harter Arbeit. Seine autodidaktische Ausbildung und sein Streben nach Perfektion haben ihn zu einem der angesehensten Köche weltweit gemacht.

Citruses, Mozambique Scampi, French Turbot, and Duck Highlight Buona Terra's Refreshed Menu

One-MICHELIN-Starred Buona Terra ushers in the new year and the season of winter with a new menu crafted by chef Denis Lucchi. Available from now until March 2023, for both lunch and dinner.

Dishes highlighted are the Carpaccio, which is a celebration of the season’s citruses at their peak. Slices of raw Amberjack intermingle with Calabrian mandarin orange segments, confit Buddha’s hand, citrus caviar, lime powder, and Amalfi lemon purée, finished with horseradish snow and dogfennel.

The Scampi features bincho-grilled Mozambique scampi overlaid with a translucent sheath of lardo, accompanied by sliced puntarelle rolled with Artigiana burrata, and alongside a punteralle salad, preserved Amalfi lemon skin, and black garlic purée. The scampi is matched with a rich winter "baugna cauda" anchovy sauce.

Buona Terra is located at 29 Scotts Road, 228224, Singapore. Book a table here.

Sergio Herman will open the Singapore post of his Antwerp restaurant, Le Pristine, at the Grand Hyatt Singapore in the third quarter of 2023.

Catalan Cuisine Lovers, Chef Carles Gaig will Present a One-Night-Only Dinner Featuring the Gaig Barcelona Favourites

For one night only on 19 January 2023, MICHELIN-listed Restaurant Gaig celebrates the homecoming of chef Carles Gaig whose name is synonymous with Catalan cuisine. An advocator dedicating his life to preserving the culinary traditions of Catalonia while forging new and innovative gastronomic experiences, Gaig revolutionised his 120-year-old family business in 1989.

For one night only, Restaurant Gaig presents an immersive repertoire showcasing favourite dishes from Restaurant Gaig Barcelona in the MICHELIN-listed Singapore location.

Starting the evening is the Cauliflower Royale with black truffle, followed by Carabinero prawn carpaccio, avocado, corn, apple and caviar, inspired by Gaig's signature dish — Trio of Seafood Tartare. The main course features veal head, tripe, and leg with chorizo and chickpeas, where the traditional head-to-tail recipe encapsulates flavours dating back to more than a century ago. The evening ends with a dessert, paying homage to the winter fruit, Mandarin orange. Crafted in various iterations — sorbet, sponge, and fresh segments, topped with persimmon gel.

Gaig is located at 16 Stanley Street, 068735, Singapore. Book your seat for this special evening here.

All images are from the restaurants.

Mikka Wee is the Digital Editor of MICHELIN Guides Asia (Singapore). An explorer of the world, she goes wherever her appetite for adventure takes her. In all of her travels, she has learned that food is a delicious way to bring people together and is the best expression of one's culture and heart.