Bij Jef

High quality cooking

Located on the outskirts of Den Hoorn is restaurant Bij Jef, helmed by SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur and SVH Master Hostess and Sommelier Nadine Mögling. Where Texel’s tranquility and gastronomic ambition come together. The setting is idyllic: a traditional village facade at the front, overlooking a lush 7,000-square-meter kitchen garden at the rear. Here, ingredients are grown, bloom, and harvested before making their subtle appearance on the plate. Sustainable, local, and prepared with deep respect for the provenance of each ingredient. The experience begins brilliantly: three meticulously crafted amuse-bouches showcase technical skill and intrigue, featuring raw razor clams, lamb skin seasoned with chorizo spices, and new-season Dutch herring in cucumber juice as flavorful precursors. The four-course bread arrangement (baking is the chef’s hobby), which includes a fantastic flaky brioche, deserves special mention. Every dish demonstrates creativity. Standouts include the house-smoked red bream with fermented radish and a line-caught sea bass served with cockle foam and tender sauerkraut. Paired with a slightly cloudy and refreshing Weissburgunder Tuniberg 2023 from Gebrüder Mathis in Germany. Slightly less successful is the frequent use of acidic elements, particularly pickles, which feature too prominently across several courses and occasionally disrupt the balance. The wine list is bold, international, and largely well-matched, though the pacing of pours is occasionally too rapid. The finale, an impressive cheese platter from the Wadden Islands, perfectly encapsulates the house philosophy: World Heritage on your plate. Kudos to the young kitchen brigade, whose expertise and craftsmanship shine through, whose warmth is palpable, and who make every guest feel truly welcome. At Bij Jef, a generous and meticulously crafted overall experience places the identity of Texel firmly at its core. The emphasis on local produce and genuine hospitality turn the evening into a memorable experience that lingers long after. Rated a solid 13.

There are many reasons why a visit to Texel is recommended, not least for what Chef Jef Schuur and master hostess Nadine Mögling offer on a culinary level. The finest local ingredients, a cooking style...

The modern dining room radiates serene calm, as do SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur and his partner, SVH Master Hostess and sommelier Nadine Mögling. He is relaxed and down-to-earth; she is warm and witty. All that is beautiful about Texel comes together here: tranquility, spaciousness, and exceptional produce from land and sea. Harvested or caught in the morning, plated by evening. Jef’s cooking style is characterized by subtle flavors, vibrant accents, and inventive pairings. As part of our aperitif with Taittinger champagne, we are treated to: razor clam tartare with lime zest; wink clams with cucumber juice and pepper; traditional Dutch new herring with horseradish and dill foam; and finally, buttery-soft beetroot with orange vinaigrette. Our starter, whelk tartare with caviar, buttermilk cream, and horseradish, is enhanced by a brioche roll. Each subsequent course also features a different bread roll (the chef’s personal hobby), adding another layer to the overall flavor. Take, for example, the puff pastry brioche served with the delicate dish of garden vegetables and herbs paired with clear tomato juice. The wines from the pairing, selected from an exclusively European collection, perfectly complement the dishes: a Sylvaner from Boessneck in Franconia accompanies the whelk; an aromatic 2023 Carricante from Pietro Caciorgna in Sicily pairs with the vegetable course; and a Sangiovese from Podere Forte in Tuscany matches the exquisitely cooked leg of lamb served with parsley root cream, peas, garlic foam, and lamb jus, alongside excellent sourdough bread. After a selection of island cheeses paired with Macvin du Jura, we finish with an inventive dessert based on parsnip and coffee, accompanied by a glass of exquisite Monastrell Dulce from producer Gutiérrez de la Vega. An evening of pure indulgence, complete with a price tag to match. Ranked number 13 this year.

One step across the threshold into Jef’s stately white building in Den Hoorn and you find yourself in another world. Far removed from the daily hustle and bustle. You are immersed in a serene and relaxed atmosphere, fostered by a harmonious, sleek interior design, light color palettes, abstract wall art, a spacious table layout, refined subdued acoustics, and last but not least: a welcoming and authentically down-to-earth demeanor from both SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur and his modest, witty partner, SVH Master Hostess and Sommelier Nadine Mögling. Jef invites us to take our seats in the conservatory, where we enjoy a delicate salmon-hued Taittinger champagne alongside refined amuse-bouches such as sea snails with cucumber and green pepper, seabass liver with star anise and tomato, and winkles with fennel and wasabi. Everything served on stylish white crockery. Jef prepares modern, pure, and creative cuisine at a gastronomic level, utilizing produce from the Wadden Sea and making extensive use of vegetables and herbs from his own garden. We are immediately blown away by the starter. Beneath a transparent jelly resembling cellophane lie artistically draped pan-roasted Wadden sea gurnards with blanched tomato and mint, nestled in a velvety cumin sauce. Garnished with purple edible flowers. Such ingenuity in presentation, and so delicately flavored. This is followed by garden vegetables featuring artichoke, pea pods, Holland lettuce bonbons, and juice of raw tomato and bergamot. Pure flavors, exactly as nature intended, and presented as beautifully as a painting. Nadine pairs it with a straw-yellow, herbaceous 2020 Nosiola. We continue with roasted Texel lamb accompanied by juice from roasted celery root, a vegetable lasagna featuring tomato and zucchini among other ingredients, plus garlic foam. The dessert arrives in two parts. Fresh, juicy strawberries and raspberries in a red fruit sauce, topped with a paper-thin caramel wafer. And a crisp white chocolate mousse on strawberries, crowned with a sweet lattice and elderflower gel domes. Jef rules and climbs no fewer than nine places to reach position 12.

The former parsonage in the picturesque center of Den Hoorn, housing Bij Jef, exudes an almost serene tranquility. This is due in no small part to the charming hospitality of SVH Master Hostess and sommelier Nadine Mögling, who, together with her team, guarantees a relaxed stay brimming with culinary pleasure. The dining room is spacious, modern, and light in its décor, featuring abstract art on the walls. At the back of the restaurant lie twelve luxury suites with views over the Texelian meadows and the impressive organic vegetable garden, created by Jef and Nadine and maintained by a team. It is also a lovely spot to enjoy an aperitif and a fun way to later spot various ingredients from the garden again on your plate. “Local meets cosmopolitan” is the slogan on the daily changing seven-course menu, which does not include the optional cheese course featuring selections from the island and North Holland. SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur heads an exceptionally creative kitchen where local products take the lead. Upon arrival, we are directed to the lounge corner, where we are served exquisite amuse-bouches with our aperitif, such as sea snails on a delicious pepper paste and Wadden Sea prawns with chopped oyster, gherkins, and Texelian 'Rustiek'. This turns out to be a harbinger of a pure gastronomic experience. Juicy North Sea langoustine comes with barbecued beetroot and a paper-thin shaving of it. Nadine pairs it with a rich, mineral, and aromatic white L. d'Ange 2017 from Alexandre Bain. Wine and food seem made for each other, so harmonious. The same applies to the German golden-yellow, lightly buttery Weissburgunder 'Lösswand' 2019 from Köbelin winery, served with the Wadden Sea prawns with kimchi. Every sip is a celebration. A matching roll is served with every dish. Baking is a guilty pleasure of the chef. After a tender slice of Texel beef topped with gently spiced braised oxtail, parsnip elements, and generous black truffle—beautifully presented and sublime in taste—we are certain: Bij Jef deserves a promotion across the board in the Lekker Top-100. Targeting position 00.

SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur guarantees a culinary experience of the highest gastronomic standard. Together with his partner, SVH Master Hostess and sommelier Nadine Mögling, he runs an exceptionally charming restaurant in Den Hoorn on the Wadden island of Texel. The restaurant is housed in the former parsonage, a classic building featuring a sleek, atmospheric, and open interior. Jef cooks with a distinctive, creative flair, employing harmonizing contrasts in flavor and texture. Local produce from the island plays a central role in his cuisine. The menu changes daily, while Nadine curates the wine pairings, seeking out the finest selections, preferably from Europe, often from small-scale organic producers. We begin with four superb amuse-bouches, including an oyster bonbon encased in a ginger tuile alongside Dutch salad. Simply masterful. Throughout the meal, we are treated to no fewer than four different house-baked bread varieties, accompanied by salted butter and a small jug of olive oil. The seven-course menu delivers exquisite dishes. The Wadden cockles with pork belly and roasted celeriac jus are incredibly pure and phenomenally flavorful. The plating is a visual delight. Equally impressive is the cod rolled in seaweed, served with parsley root cream, a potato crisp topped with caviar, crispy cod skin, and a subtle, refined fish sauce. Next comes the lamb shoulder, cured for thirty-six hours and then gently braised for twelve hours, accompanied by garnishes of savoy cabbage and carrots, garden-fresh chard, fermented leek, pickled shallots, mint, and tomato cream with sesame, all presented in a concentrated lamb jus. Paired with this course is an Italian Sangiovese, Rosso di Montalcino 2018 from the Ferrero winery. Overnight stays are available in one of the twelve exclusive suites reserved solely for restaurant guests. A truly outstanding venue!

A restaurant of his own on the island where he grew up. That was Jef Schuur's dream. The restaurant has since become a reality: SVH Master Chef Jef and SVH Master Hostess and Sommelier Nadine Mögling have been running their gastronomic palace in this former parsonage in the center of Den Hoorn for quite some years now. The classic building features a sleek, open layout with plenty of gray and white tones, highlighted by cognac-colored designer chairs as the focal point and modern art adorning the walls. Jef's cooking style, much like himself, is no-nonsense and slightly eccentric. He is always seeking harmonizing contrasts in flavor and texture. Add to that the use of local produce such as Texel lamb, cheeses, crustaceans and shellfish, along with culinary inspiration trips abroad. This results in a "local meets cosmopolitan" concept. Alongside an outstanding kitchen, there is also an exceptional wine list for wine enthusiasts. Nadine is constantly on the lookout for unconventional winemakers who produce innovatively. She favors European wines when doing so. Want to stay overnight after an evening of fine dining? You can do just that in one of the twelve design suites located above the restaurant. Breakfast prepared by Jef awaits you in the morning.

Classic building, modern and open layout, abundant gray and white tones, and artwork on the walls. Owner-chef and SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur, along with SVH Master Hostess Nadine Mögling, excel here with their superb cuisine and design suites. Sweet, sour, and salty flavors weave a consistent thread through various combinations. The salty element complements the Wadden Island setting, and the chef enjoys experimenting with it. After delightful amuse-bouches, we savor North Sea crab with carrot cream, marinated tomato, and buttermilk from Wezenspyk dairy farm. Sommelier Nadine (whose selections prove invariably excellent and original) pairs it with a Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Kabinett Künstler, 2016—a powerful and juicy wine. With the smoked sea bass served alongside an herb salad of radish, watercress, chervil, and kohlrabi broth, she pours a robust Grüner Veltliner by Ludwig Hiedler from the Kamptal region. An even more exquisite dish follows: slow-cooked halibut with white asparagus, fish sauce, and bay leaf oil. Nadine’s choice is an Italian Chardonnay, Massolino, 2016 from the Langhe, which brings out buttery and toasted notes. The main course shifts dramatically in flavor: the veal sweetbreads with veal jus are flawlessly executed and deeply savory, pairing beautifully with the light-bodied Sicilian red Guardolivento 2016 by Caciorgna Pietro. The cheese board showcases regional varieties including Texel red rind cheese, aged sheep cheese, extra-aged goat cheese, raw-milk crumbly cow cheese, and aged Nagelkaas, accompanied by cinnamon-nut bread and a tomato and sereh compote. To finish, confit pear with white chocolate and rum bavarois, and five-spice ice cream. The matching wine is an Austrian Zweigelt Beerenauslese Kracher, 2016, offering cherry and chocolate notes. At Jef's, the price rises to 34.

The restaurant's expansion to include a hotel with no fewer than 12 design suites has proven highly successful for SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur and his partner, SVH Master Hostess and wine specialist Nadine Mögling. The sleekly designed restaurant was fully booked on the Sunday evening of our visit. Jef, who grew up on the island of Texel, cooks with local produce and draws inspiration from both domestic and international sources. One of the set menus on the list, whose dishes can also be ordered individually, is aptly named ‘Local meets cosmopolitan’, so that’s exactly what we choose. After a few palate-awakening amuse-bouches, including a glass of creamy cauliflower mousse with sea snails and a red onion-based vinaigrette, we begin with the first course of the seven-course menu. The North Sea crab tartare with Wadden oyster, ginger gelée, green apple, and pea jus is paired with a fine and fresh 2016 Dr. Heger Ihringer Winklerberg Weissburgunder. This is followed by grilled langoustines topped with melted lardo di colonnata, served on fennel and gherkin with a fennel vinaigrette. The dish is intensely flavored, and the freshness of the vinaigrette complements the soft, sweet, velvety taste of the langoustine beautifully. Every course is accompanied by a special bread roll. Baking bread is one of Jef’s hobbies, as one of the friendly and professional waitresses informs us. The highlight of the evening is softly cooked and confited mackerel, prepared sous vide with fermented leek and a foamy kaffir lime leaf sauce. We would gladly have had another plate of it. Texel lamb is presented in two preparations: loin chops with a salad of morels, spring onions, chervil, and kidney beans, alongside cured lamb shoulder with a lalab of tomato, shallot, mint, and cumin. For the accompanying wine, a 2012 Giacosa Fratelli Barbaresco, we’d gladly return tomorrow. But we’d actually like to come back for the delicious, pure dune water that is generously poured and for which we see a modest charge on the bill. It climbs seven places to number 36.

What a joy to be here, in the old village on the edge of the meadows with a view of the little church and the dunes. Inside, there are wonderfully comfortable chairs, linen-covered tables, and the exquisite Zalto glassware. SVH Master Chef Jef Schuur cooks here in a modern and innovative style, yet always manages to strike the perfect balance in flavor experience, together with his still relatively young white brigade. Partner Nadine Mögling, a winologist and SVH Master Hostess, flawlessly crafts food-and-wine pairings using distinctive, primarily organic wines. Everything fits perfectly here, from the light colors used throughout to the distinctive sheep’s wool wall. The kitchen has also been expanded, and new guest rooms have been added. The amuse-bouches served with the champagne aperitif (Taittinger) are highly promising. Such as the sliced razor clam, cod tartare on dried skin with lemon mousse, a canapé with thinly sliced Texel beef, and vermouth-marinated watermelon. We enjoy Oosterschelde shrimp with tomato, radish, and celery alongside a glass of Soave Classico, followed by gently poached turbot – the cooking technique reveals the chef’s craftsmanship – with cockles, artichoke, and green bean bouillon. We pair it with a white Ourive Godello (Ribeira Sacra, 2015). Equally sublime is the main course of veal shank with green vegetables and roasted garlic jus. Nadine pairs it with a 2011 Hungarian Burgundy Kék that creates a beautiful food-and-wine combination. The cheese trolley at Jef features exclusively Texel and Terschelling cow and sheep milk cheeses, which we thoroughly enjoy. And then comes the sweet dessert featuring, among other things, apple, raisins, yogurt ice cream, vanilla panna cotta, chocolate crème, marinated Texel strawberries, and crème fraîche. Served with a glass of Kracher Beerenauslese. The perfection gives this restaurant wings: At Jef, it climbs three places to 43.