The story
At Restaurant Éclusier in Bloemendaal, French cooking blends with international techniques under chef Yorick de Groot. He launched the venue in 2024 alongside partner Michelle Leone, whose service expertise recently earned her a National Hennessy Hospitality Award finalist nomination. The establishment takes its name from a lock keeper who guides vessels between water levels, a concept Groot translates into balanced flavor progressions.
Guests begin with a parade of amuses that flow into tuna tartare dressed with toasted sesame and chilled silver onion ice. The French-inspired cuisine continues with North Sea crab resting on sorrel and kohlrabi, followed by crispy chanterelles paired with a delicate quail egg. Flaky ravioli filled with braised oxtail receives a tableside pour of reduced veal jus and sambai. The main course presents lamb prepared across three textures, resting beside an artichoke stuffed with paprika mousse and green olives.
The dining room maintains an understated palette that keeps attention fixed on the food and curated wine pairings. A quiet bar area offers space for aperitifs before the full evening unfolds. This deliberate pacing aligns with the restaurant’s recent inclusion in the Lekker500 Top 500 guide, rewarding guests who take their time.
Recognition
Details
History
Éclusier means 'lock keeper', a person who operates a lock to move vessels from one water level to another. This translates loosely into the culinary style of young, ambitious chef Yorick de Groot, who merges classical French techniques with international influences. In 2024, alongside his partner, maître d’ and sommelier Michelle Leone (a finalist in the 2025 National Hennessy Hospitality Award), whom he originally met at restaurant De Bokkedoorns, he opened his fine-dining establishment in the heart of Bloemendaal. The ambiance is warm and relaxed, the interior deliberately understated. Guests can also grab a drink at the bar. We begin the evening with a parade of amuse-bouches; the tuna tartare with sesame and silver onion ice immediately makes an impression. The six-course menu kicks off with a North Sea crab salad dressed with sorrel, kohlrabi, and cucumber. Dollops of ponzu sit atop the salad, encircled by a crisp cucumber dressing. Michelle pours an aromatic Albariño Granbazán that pairs perfectly. Next come pan-seared chanterelles with a quail egg, resting on a brunoise of mixed vegetables and hollandaise sauce. Paper-thin ravioli stuffed with succulent oxtail, crowned with fried langoustine, and finished tableside with veal jus swirled with sambai receives loud applause—it is a genuine flavor bomb. The pièce de résistance showcases lamb in three preparations: a crisply roasted shoulder, a perfectly medium-rare filet, and pork belly cooked exactly as it should be—lightly crackling on the outside, meltingly soft within. It arrives alongside an artichoke stuffed with pepper mousse and green olives. The accompanying lamb jus is glossy and deeply aromatic. Take your time; dining at Éclusier is a full-evening experience. But absolutely worth every minute. Welcome to Lekker!
In the picturesque center of Bloemendaal sits Eclusier, where young chef Yorick de Groot serves refined French dishes with a personal twist. Smoked eel with lightly charred oyster on potato salad and buttermilk vinaigrette cr...
