The story
Restaurant Éclusier sits at Kerkplein 16A in Bloemendaal, where chef Yorick de Groot runs a French kitchen that earned 14 points in the Gault&Millau guide for 2026. The restaurant opened in 2024 in the town centre, and its menus pair French technique with a more personal streak.
Yorick de Groot cooks with classical French technique and influences from further afield. He buys from local suppliers and regional producers, and fresh, bright ingredients carry much of the flavour. His menus shift with the seasons, so the plates keep changing as the produce does.
The evening often opens with a parade of amuse-bouches, including a tuna tartare with sesame and silver onion ice. A North Sea crab salad with sorrel, kohlrabi and cucumber follows, finished with ponzu. Paper-thin ravioli filled with oxtail and topped with fried langoustine arrives with a veal jus that is finished at the table with sambal. The main course serves lamb three ways alongside an artichoke stuffed with pepper mousse.
The dining room is warm, relaxed and understated, and a bar lets guests stop for a drink. Michelle Leone manages the wine list, which combines older European bottles with newer world choices. The Lekker500 guide lists the restaurant in its Top 500 for 2026.
Recognition
Details
History
Éclusier means 'lock keeper', a person who operates a lock to move vessels from one water level to another. This translates loosely into the culinary style of young, ambitious chef Yorick de Groot, who merges classical French techniques with international influences. In 2024, alongside his partner, maître d’ and sommelier Michelle Leone (a finalist in the 2025 National Hennessy Hospitality Award), whom he originally met at restaurant De Bokkedoorns, he opened his fine-dining establishment in the heart of Bloemendaal. The ambiance is warm and relaxed, the interior deliberately understated. Guests can also grab a drink at the bar. We begin the evening with a parade of amuse-bouches; the tuna tartare with sesame and silver onion ice immediately makes an impression. The six-course menu kicks off with a North Sea crab salad dressed with sorrel, kohlrabi, and cucumber. Dollops of ponzu sit atop the salad, encircled by a crisp cucumber dressing. Michelle pours an aromatic Albariño Granbazán that pairs perfectly. Next come pan-seared chanterelles with a quail egg, resting on a brunoise of mixed vegetables and hollandaise sauce. Paper-thin ravioli stuffed with succulent oxtail, crowned with fried langoustine, and finished tableside with veal jus swirled with sambai receives loud applause—it is a genuine flavor bomb. The pièce de résistance showcases lamb in three preparations: a crisply roasted shoulder, a perfectly medium-rare filet, and pork belly cooked exactly as it should be—lightly crackling on the outside, meltingly soft within. It arrives alongside an artichoke stuffed with pepper mousse and green olives. The accompanying lamb jus is glossy and deeply aromatic. Take your time; dining at Éclusier is a full-evening experience. But absolutely worth every minute. Welcome to Lekker!
In the picturesque center of Bloemendaal sits Eclusier, where young chef Yorick de Groot serves refined French dishes with a personal twist. Smoked eel with lightly charred oyster on potato salad and buttermilk vinaigrette cr...
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