Michel van Riswijk has been chef at The Bloemenbeek for 35 years

'Immensely proud!' This is how hotelier Raymond Strikker described his feelings in Twents regional dialect in response to the 35th working anniversary of his chef de cuisine Michel van Riswijk. Where do you see that these days, that someone remains loyal to a place for so long and with so much energy? That says something about the person and about the environment in which Michel has been active for 35 years. That environment is Twente. De Lutte, to be precise.

Close to the German border. Here, life is good. This hotel and restaurant is surrounded by nature. Just take a look at the menu of Michel and his team. It is full of the finest Twentse regional products. From Twente bunker cheese to Dinkeldal beef with Twente shiitake. On the edible estate of de Bloemenbeek itself, all sorts of things grow and bloom as well. The rich variety of herbs are gratefully used by Michel and his team. It is no coincidence that Michel describes his cuisine as botanical gastronomy, based on French-Mediterranean cuisine and with endless respect for animals and nature. The matching motto: 'Taste and experience the region in its every facet'.

And if your name is Michel, you are of course well on your way to a MICHELin star. For 12 consecutive years now, Michel has managed to keep the star, since 2011. Michel is still enthusiastic about his profession: "After all, everything comes together in our kitchen. Just think of all those wonderful crafts like baker, butcher, hunter, and fisherman. We enrich that with our passion and creativity."

So if you want to escape the city altogether, come to De Bloemenbeek.