Restauranteurs walk away from Michelin star to open friendlier spot for all

One of the top eateries in Amersfoort says it no longer wants its Michelin star. The owners of Blok’s Restaurant, which was first awarded its star in 2013, will close permanently on December 29 so the owners can start over with a new restaurant.

Marco and Ingeborgh Blok will open their new restaurant, MEI, at the same Krommestraat where Blok’s Restaurant is shutting its doors. “It must be greener, more organic, more sustainable, more open, more accessible, and freer,” they told AD. They plan to use natural, seasonal ingredients presented in a less rigid menu than before.

The couple say the last thing they want is to give the impression they are “giving back” their star, or that they are ungrateful. “Of course it brought us a lot, but a Michelin star was never the goal. It has never been what we aimed for,” they told the newspaper

Instead, they hope the new restaurant will be a destination for hungry locals, not just those looking for a special occasion feast. They want what they’ve always wanted, that their hotspot is open and inviting for everyone in the area.

MEI is expected to launch on January 20 with a completely redesigned interior.

Blok's Restaurant is the second Dutch Michelin star restaurant to announce that it is closing in a matter of weeks. Early in October, Jacob Jan Boerma and Kim Veldman announced that their three Michelin star restaurant De Leest in Vaassen is closing its doors. They will start a new culinary adventure with the launch of a concept restaurant in Amsterdam early next year.