Het Seminar

The Seminar is housed in the former monastery just outside Zenderen and Almelo. The large dining room exudes a modern and stylish atmosphere, featuring an open kitchen, spacious wine cabinets, and herringbone parquet flooring. The round banquettes create an intimate setting, while the colorful armchairs and ambient lighting add warmth to the space. The kitchen is French-inspired and revolves around sustainability and locally sourced produce. Chef Daniël Schutte works with vegetables from the garden, meat from his own livestock, and cheeses from the adjacent cheesemaker. There is an à la carte menu that rotates every two months, centering on three starters, intermezzos, main courses, and desserts. After an aperitif accompanied by simple yet flavorful amuse-bouches, the Coppa del Seminar arrives, prepared from their own Gasconne pig, served with zucchini, hangop, and rocket pesto. The Sicilian Trisole complements this dish with notes of white peach. The trout ceviche with beetroot, pickled onion, and Chinese cabbage offers a fresh, tangy pairing with the Château de Chamirey 2022 Chardonnay from Burgundy. Among the main courses, the cod with fennel, dill, and orange in green herb oil is particularly convincing. The beef tongue in Madeira sauce with quinoa and pesto proves slightly too complex in flavor, whereas the picanha from Jersey cows is delightfully juicy, accompanied by polenta, pumpkin, and peas that perfectly rounds out the dish. The Valpolicella Volavia 2022 pairs with it in a velvety smooth manner. We conclude with a selection of cheeses from their own cheesemaker, supplemented with Munster and Bleu d’Auvergne, once again accompanied by the Valpolicella. Service is led by Lennart Faber and is marked by warmth, expertise, and thorough explanations of the dishes and wines. We are impressed by the frequent use of sustainable, locally sourced ingredients, and the bill leaves us satisfied. Welcome to Lekker!

As part of the overarching organization ‘Het Ideaal’, Het Seminar in Zenderen primarily prepares dishes using produce from its own farm. SVH master chef Jelle Wagenaar cooks under the motto ‘from farm to fork’, making as much use as possible of daily fresh products from his own garden and livestock. The restaurant – located in a former monastery – is spacious, with views of the large open kitchen. Rather than listing individual dishes, the menu is tailored to the seasonal harvest and availability. The wine list features primarily house-label wines, and a wine pairing option is available. We enjoy a delicious homemade white roll with corn and a slice of fruit-and-nut bread, served with cultured butter, olive oil, and fleur de sel. The starter features salmon glazed with apple syrup and citrus, accompanied by a crisp shortbread tart topped with ras el hanout, green apple, salmon mousse, red onion, fennel, and sea beans. Delicious and notably refreshing. The 2020 Vouvray is an excellent match. We continue with veal shank and a lavash jus, alongside leeks, Brussels sprouts, and melon onions. Paired with a glass of rich Valpolicella Ripasso. The welcoming and friendly staff ensure everything runs smoothly and every guest’s needs are met. A charming venue.

The old monastery in a leafy setting, which gives Het Seminar its name, appears ruinous on the outside but is far from it indoors. The very spacious dining room features a modern interior that contrasts pleasantly with the building's exterior. Chairs in a variety of colors add a warm and cheerful touch. Smoked glass lamps in various shapes hang above the tables. Meals here are consistently excellent. Owner and SVH Master Chef Jelle Wagenaar is a highly skilled professional. Promoting self-sufficiency while caring for the well-being of people, animals, and nature is exactly what 'Het Ideaal', the holding company to which Het Seminar belongs, stands for. Guided by the motto 'from farm to table,' they cook with ultra-fresh ingredients, largely sourced from their own vegetable gardens, orchards, and livestock, including cows, pigs, and chickens. They view cultivating their own fish, crustaceans, and shellfish as a future challenge. The starter—a pike perch ceviche served with a tomato and red pepper vinaigrette, basil cream, and an orzo salad—is very enjoyable. The dessert is truly delightful. It features verbena foam paired with olive oil ice cream, lemon curd mousse cups, and a yuzu dressing. The main course is slightly less impressive. The Brandrode beef rump is beautifully cooked medium-rare but slightly tough. The absolute highlight of the evening is the vegetarian intermezzo, starring celeriac, macadamia nut crumble, chive cream, and a fantastic dressing that successfully marries classic beurre blanc, dashi, and ponzu. It’s an absolutely delicious dish, elevated further by a pairing with Osoti white Rioja, made from the relatively rare white Tempranillo grape. The service is friendly and highly attentive. Tip: skip the extra charge for a side of fries and simply increase the menu price slightly if needed.

There is no standard menu here; meals are prepared according to daily offerings. "From farm to table." The culinary approach is diverse, honoring every ingredient that the team sources primarily from its own land and soil in line with this concept. The Seminar by Willem and Leonique Bokhove is part of 'Het Ideaal', an initiative focused on self-sufficiency while caring for the well-being of people, animals, and nature. 'Het Ideaal' encompasses several hospitality venues. They raise their own livestock, and vegetables, fruits, and herbs come from self-maintained kitchen gardens. SVH Master Chef Jelle Wagenaar: "We basically only work with products we produce ourselves, which is quite a lot: we have our own cattle, pigs, lambs, chickens, quails, a vegetable garden, our own beers, our own coffee, and soon even our own crops. The past period has strengthened us in our vision; we want to be self-sufficient in the broadest sense, and we have the space and resources to do so. Because during times of crisis, you shouldn't rely on others. And we've seen that involving employees in tasks like planting strawberry cuttings greatly pleases them, further integrating them into our concept and vision. This way, they witness the growth from cutting to seedling, to blossom, to fruit harvest." A versatile and original menu is prepared daily, tailored to the seasonal harvest and ranging from three to six courses. The menu by Chef Jelle Wagenaar and sous-chef Thomas from het Broek can be expanded with homemade fries and mayonnaise, plus a cheese selection. The Seminar is located in a former monastery in a unique setting on the outskirts of Zenderen. You can relax comfortably on luxury lounge sofas, enjoy a drink by the fireplace, or sit at high-top tables. Kudos to the service staff: Bjorn Sanders, Marijn Hesselink, and Elsemiek Wassen ensure guests lack nothing and are treated like royalty throughout their stay.

From soil to mouth” is the ideal vision of the new owner of the Seminar, an umbrella organization that goes by the name ‘The Ideal’. Driven by a concept designed to maximize self-sufficiency, The Ideal aims to foster purity, honesty, and sustainability. This encompasses raising its own livestock, growing vegetables and fruit, and brewing its own beer. SVH Master Host and sommelier Said Maher acts as an advisor to The Ideal, as does SVH Master Chef Jelle Wagenaar. We begin the evening with cod, leek, quail egg, and a dressing of capers, cornichons, and olives. A colorful dish; the cod is cooked to a fine doneness, and the pairing with the leek and egg is well-balanced. The dressing offers a lovely fresh-tangy counterpoint. It is served with a German Sylvaner from Weinmann. Very tasty. The domestic duck with salsify, Jerusalem artichoke cream, star anise jus, and polenta is a bit flat and less surprising. The dessert of mandarin, blood orange ice cream with an olive oil and passion fruit dressing, is delightfully fresh and packs a bright, tangy kick. Some polishing is still required to reach the final ideal, but the Seminar is well on its way. A place to keep an eye on.

Upon arrival, the former monastery Het Seminar appears stately and serene. Inside, a relaxed atmosphere prevails. Hospitality and attentive care for every guest take precedence. Tonight, dinner is served in the conservatory, where the kitchen of SVH Master Chef Jelle Wagenaar presents a simple salami amuse. Fortunately, the warm, flavorful homemade seminar bread quickly satisfies our initial hunger. Paper-thin slices of tail cut from Lakenvelder beef, accompanied by piccalilli ice and a garnish of marinated cauliflower, breadcrumbs, and radish, make for a promising start. The squab roulade with duck liver and truffle mayonnaise is also prepared succulently, and the duck liver pairs beautifully with the Chilean Chardonnay Leyda Falaris Hill 2016 poured by SVH Master Host Said Maher. We continue with pan-fried cod and eel in a raisin sauce. The cod boasts large, flaky pieces, while the raisin sauce, balanced by capers, is not too sweet but refreshingly bright. The beef entrecôte for the main course is cooked to a perfect medium-rare and served with a velvety-soft sauce featuring a subtle truffle note. The accompanying Joostenberg family blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre from the Western Cape possesses ample character to stand up to the robust flavors of the meat and truffle. We conclude with a fresh and surprising dessert of pandan rice mousse with vanilla, rhubarb, and green sorrel. The chosen formula of 'small' dishes of good quality at reasonable prices is well received. The courteous service is equally appreciated.