Steven Andeweg

Pelusa, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tell us about the work at Pelusa over the past nine months.

-Over the past nine months, we have made a conscious effort to strengthen our relationships with suppliers such as Lindenhoff and Buitengewone Varkens, aiming to work as closely and transparently as possible with the people behind our ingredients. In November, we hosted Pork & Cider Night, a five-course menu celebrating the whole pig. Each course, including the accompanying amuses, highlighted a different part of the animal. We even incorporated pork elements into the dessert. We also brought back our annual Offal Dinner, dedicated to highlighting lesser-used cuts that rarely feature on restaurant menus in the Netherlands. It is a unique event that allows us to fully express our creativity and culinary vision.

How has your team developed internally during this time?

-We have not made any major structural changes, but we have focused on strengthening the team through deeper trust, shared responsibility, and day-to-day collaboration. In the kitchen, we have improved our prep systems to reduce waste and increase consistency. We continuously challenge each other to find creative uses for trimmings, offcuts, and ingredients that would otherwise go unused, sometimes even finding a second use for products that have already served their initial purpose.

Since August first, a new chef has joined the team in a leading role. With a strong personal commitment to sustainability, he is helping us take our low-waste philosophy further, while also bringing new energy and structure to the kitchen to help raise the overall level of quality and consistency.

What new initiatives are you planning for the near future?

-Now that the paving around Pelusa is nearly finished, we are planning to create a small herb garden next to the restaurant. This will be both a practical and green addition that supports our seasonal cooking and brings more life to the street. Together with our neighbors, we are currently working on setting up a shared worm composting station, also known as a wormenhotel. This system will allow us, along with others in the neighborhood, to process kitchen and garden waste into compost. Once it is up and running, the compost will be shared within the community and used in local gardens. It is a small but meaningful step toward creating a circular system at street level. These initiatives reflect our continued commitment to integrating sustainability not only into our kitchen but also into the physical and social surroundings of Pelusa.