Restaurant Vannu

Vannu is led by Chef Gijs Kemmeren and hostess Iris Saaman. The kitchen is known for an innovative approach to vegetables where focus and technique take center stage. Vegetables, fruits, and seeds serve as the starting point for dishes...

Vannu is extremely popular, so let’s say it upfront: booking well in advance is recommended. Chef Gijs Kemmeren runs, together with Iris Saaman, a fine-dining, sustainable vegetable restaurant that places great emphasis on regional organic produce. Guests from all over the country flock to it. We therefore enter this beautiful, simply furnished establishment with high expectations. Guests can choose from a multi-course menu starting at three courses and going up to six. A special feature is the accompanying juice pairing developed by Iris for those who prefer not to drink wine. Of the delicious trio of amuse-bouches, the chestnut mousse filled with quince compote and topped with cranberry jelly leaves the strongest impression. What follows is a masterclass in beautiful and, above all, delicious vegetable dishes. Among the starters, the slow-cooked radish with a crust of seaweed and bulgur, accompanied by kohlrabi and a sauce of fermented kohlrabi and chamomile, truly stands out. The texture of the radish is perfect, and thanks to the slow cooking, it is wonderfully rich in flavor. The accompanying Sauvignon Blanc from Domaine Pré Baron pairs seamlessly with the dish and is genuinely delicious. The main course featuring bottle pumpkin is once again absolutely exceptional. The vegetable, glazed with Jerusalem artichoke and then roasted, is combined with delightful earthy elements and a spicy green peppercorn sauce. Here, a true vegetable artist is at work. The savory “cheese” dessert made from various root vegetables tastes good and looks beautiful, yet still feels a bit like a gimmick. The service team is skilled and very welcoming, and details such as the menu card adorned with a dried herb leaf and the vegan Ferrero Rocher served as a parting treat are particularly noteworthy. But most importantly: Vannu fully lives up to its well-deserved reputation as a highly sustainable and outstanding vegetable restaurant. It enters the Top-100 at position 00.

Vegetables at their best” is the personal motto of passionate chef Gijs Kemmeren, who recently co-founded an innovative and sustainable vegetable restaurant with Iris Saaman in Bavel, North Brabant. He had already cut his teeth at, among other places, the vegetarian restaurant Herberg de Kop van ’t Land in Dordrecht, where Gijs honed his craft with vegetables and pioneered the now-famous preparation of ‘dry-aged’ red beet, or beet block—a whole beet that is cooked, pickled, and dried to achieve a distinctly meat-like texture. It was there that he met Iris, who was captivated by plant-based seasonal ingredients and grew into a highly creative chef. At Vannu, Iris now specializes in crafting complementary juice pairings and, alongside host Willem Paulussen, oversees guest service. Dutch ingredients take center stage in the kitchen led by Gijs and his sous-chef, Pierre van der Zee, and the frequently rotating vegetable menu can be ordered across multiple courses. The aperitif is a surprising choice: a sparkling red wine, Dassemus Brut Red, from the Dassemus vineyard, which sits just steps away in what amounts to Vannu’s backyard. We are immediately struck by a dish featuring fennel and Swiss chard. The stewed stems and fennel are topped with sliced raw chard leaves, which are then drizzled at the table with warm fennel sauce and Dutch saffron. Ostensibly simple, yet packed with rich, earthy flavors and a subtle hint of anise. The main course earns high marks as well: millet paired with barbecue vegetables, kale cream, spinach oil, pickled cucumber, sea aster, and a chanterelle jus. Such creativity on the plate. You can taste the passion for Dutch produce in every aspect, along with the skill of elevating flavors to new heights. Vannu is definitely a restaurant to watch. Welcome to Lekker!