Holland-born René started his career at the age of 23 as a Chef de Partie at Michelin-starred La Rive at the Intercontinental Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam. It was here where the young chef developed his passion for classic French cuisine, which continued on to shape his present distinguished cooking style. The Dutch native now combines his French techniques with his love for Asian flavors in French-international fusion cuisine as Executive Chef at Baoase Culinary Beach Restaurant.
Klop first moved to Curaçao 12 years ago to work in the kitchen of the Floris Suite hotel. Four years later, he started working as the Executive Chef of Baoase Luxury Resort. In his kitchen, René strives to excel through simplicity by presenting his guests with dishes using fresh ingredients of exceptional quality.
The chef’s style is both innovative and classical, and in his dishes, the high-quality ingredients take center stage. Using French culinary principles as a foundation and adding the endless supply of local and international produce, he creates dishes that are simple yet elegant with an added Asian twist. René likes to deconstruct recipes, to then reinvent them with products that present exceptional freshness and the most intense of flavors.
Describe your culinary philosophy:
High-quality ingredients, as local and fresh as possible, enjoyable to everyone – no matter your origin, age or gastronomic experience and always giving an exceptional experience in ‘Baoase-style’.
What is your greatest inspiration?
All the chefs I collaborate with during our Vive la Gastronomie events. For every edition, we invite a new Michelin-star chef, and together, we create an exclusive menu for only a few days. We exchange our creative and culinary thoughts. This also means I visit them in their restaurants in The Netherlands and watch them work in their own kitchen.
I’m also always inspired by New York City and the great variety of amazing restaurants and cuisines.
If you could take a plane ride to any restaurant in the world, just for one meal, where would you go and why?
To Hong Kong to eat at restaurant Amber.
What FOUR things would you take to a desert island?
- My family
- A crate of oysters
- A bottle of Chassagne-Montrachet
- A bottle opener
- Baoase Culinary Beach Restaurant voted Best Restaurant in the Caribbean | Caribbean Journal
Baoase Luxury Resort
Winterswijkstraat 2
Curaçao
Dutch Caribbean
Email: info@baoase.com
Tel: + 5999 46 11 799 | + 31 (0) 85 888 0368 | + 1-888-409-3506
Web: www.baoase.com