Explore the culinary journey of Jan Smink, a chef whose upbringing on a farm influences his Michelin-starred cuisine, rooted in local, fair-trade, and organic ingredients.
Jan Smink grew up as a farmer’s son on a farm in Oldetrijne near Wolvega. And this has greatly influenced his ‘Smink’ style of cooking. ‘The Smink way is cooking with local, fair-trade and mostly organic products. We have our own pick-your-own farm and forest garden, and I use a lot of produce from our farm. But quality comes first. For example, we have pigeon on the menu and I could shoot one right off the roof here. But the best pigeon still comes from France. That’s our priority: quality always wins.’ In 2023, five years after the opening of his restaurant in Wolvega, this vision has earned the now 35-year-old chef his first Michelin star.
‘THE SEASON CHANGES OUR MENU; WE ADAPT ACCORDINGLY.’
In the Frisian town of Wolvega, Jan Smink and his kitchen brigade cook up a sophisticated menu, crafted with boldness and a generous serving of experience. The love for his native Friesland is evident in every bite and he enjoys cooking with the products he grew up with as the son of a farmer. For example, bovine colostrum: the first milk produced by a cow after giving birth.
Seasonal
The love for his native region is clearly evident in his menu. Although not in the usual way. ‘We’re all familiar with the typical Frisian regional products such as sugar loaf. However, I’m mainly on the lookout for local farmers and their products. I work with a few local hunters, who let me know when they have caught something good. I work in a similar way with a small fisherman. It’s a matter of supply and demand and going with what the season gives you. People sometimes ask me how often I change the menu. But it’s the season that changes. The season changes our menu; we adapt accordingly.’ The guests certainly don’t need to adapt in any way, as far as Jan is concerned. ‘Everyone is welcome here. You can come in wearing clogs, in shorts or in a suit. Everyone can feel at home here and we try to treat all our guests the same. As for myself, I am and will always be just Jan-from-the-farm!’
Cooking with colostrum
Thanks to his involvement with farm life, Jan discovered that you can cook with colostrum. ‘Colostrum is the first milk from a cow that has calved for at least the second time. After the birth of the first calf, this milk, called ‘griest’ in Dutch, contains lots of traces of discharged blood. From the second calf onwards, the milk produced during the first 36 hours after delivery is known as colostrum.’ It was by chance that Jan discovered that this colostrum could be used in his kitchen. ‘I had just tasted it once on the farm. The milk from the first 12 hours made me really ill! It is only suitable for a newborn calf. But I find the colostrum between 12 and 24 hours very suitable for human consumption. Colostrum older than this is closer to regular milk. In fact, I only use the colostrum that the calf can spare when the mother produces more than enough. Otherwise, it is just thrown away anyway, because this milk definitely must not end up in the milk tank.’
‘I am and will always be just Jan-from-the-farm.’
JAN SMINK
RESTAURANT SMINK, WOLVEGA, THE NETHERLANDS
‘I always come back to Debic: the quality is second to none.’
Jan pasteurises the colostrum in his kitchen. ‘I think it’s important to cook it slightly. The first time, we used it in 10 different ways in desserts: cream, ice cream, fried milk skin, a meringue, a crêpe, you name it. Now everyone who eats here gets a cookie cone between their main course and the dessert, made using my mother’s recipe. We fill this with a cream of colostrum, often flavoured with a touch of spice. The flavour of the ice cream on top of the cone changes according to the season.’
Dairyman
As a farmer’s son, Jan Smink is perfectly cut out for his role as Debic’s ambassador. ‘My brother took over my parents’ farm and supplies his milk to FrieslandCampina. I think it’s fantastic that I can work with this dairy produce in my restaurant. I’m a big fan of dairy products, I am a true dairyman.’ Jan serves Smink Brown Butter, a real farmhouse butter, on the table. ‘We make our classic beurre blanc with cream and butter, as it should be. I think our cooking tends to be a bit heavier than average in the Netherlands. But I simply love it! I cook whipped cream for a long time, till it is almost caramelised. Delicious with a finely chopped shallot, green herbs, a vegetable and a little bit of that caramelized cream. When you taste that ... it’s so delicious! The cream completely coats the vegetables, heavenly! But be careful, if you let it cook for more than ten seconds, it’s too much. Then the cream gets burnt. In our kitchen, you have to know what you’re doing. It requires the hands of a professional.’ Very occasionally, Jan tries out other suppliers, for example, if the price suits him better. ‘But I always come back to Debic. The quality of these products is second to none. And quality, as I said, always comes first for us in everything we do.’
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