Meet the entrepreneur, in this series Simon Witmaar of restaurant Coulisse
History
In the 17th century, the ships of the Dutch East India Company were built on the Eastern Islands in Amsterdam. Here, Paul van Vlissingen laid the foundation for what would later become Werkspoor, which later stretched from Oostenburgergracht 73 to 79. In 1827, Van Vlissingen and Abraham Dudok van Heel started the 'Amsterdamsche Stoombootmaatschappij' (Amsterdam Steamboat Company) and a year later the 'Fabriek van Stoom -en Andere Werktuigen' (Factory for Steam and Other Machinery). From 1891 onwards, it continued with financial assistance from the Stork machine factory as the 'Nederlandsche Fabriek van Werktuigen en spoorwegmaterieel' (Dutch Factory for Machinery and Railway Equipment). At that time, the name on the front of the building was changed to 'Nederlandsche Fabriek van Werktuigen en Spoorwegmaterieel'. In 1929, the official name of the factory became 'Stork Werkspoor'.
Two buildings connected by a modern glass façade, which, both in form and color, forms a harmonious whole with the two adjacent long buildings. This façade has, at least for me, a remarkable mixture of seriousness and joie de vivre, which makes it a pleasure to look at.
First Amsterdam Architecture Prize
In 1952, architect Marius Duintjer (1908-1983) designed a 'recreation room' for Stork Werkspoor employees in building 77, to mark the company's 125th anniversary. Duintjer also designed an entrance/foyer building above the adjacent canal, connecting the main building with the adjoining theater. This foyer building, now known as Number , was awarded the Amsterdam Architecture Prize 1958 on December 19, 1959. It was the first time this prize had been awarded.
The building also served as a gateway to the Werkspoor factory complex behind it. Time clocks hung in the hall. The actual recreation room was in the old building to the right of this building.
In 1989, Het Werktheater moved into the 'recreation room' on Oostenburgergracht.
Coulisse
Simon: "We are both from Amsterdam East/Watergraafsmeer, have known each other since we were18, and had been looking around for a suitable location for a while. We were looking for something special. We spent most of our time looking at a building in Noord. When that fell through, things got difficult. Through mutual acquaintances, we came into contact with Jochem from ..., who was looking for a subtenant for this location. We clicked Immediately fell in love with the building. The location, appearance, Floor area character. Everything was perfect. The layout and Availability the kitchen were also ideal. The renovation was mainly limited to the interior design, which we did with Piet Boon.
Our guests are very enthusiastic when they arrive. They don't expect it. We have virtually no passers-by here, so most of our guests come directly here by bike or car. And then the façade, combined with the height and the interior, is often a big surprise.
We started at an impossible time due to Covid. Despite this, we Immediately received very good press Immediately . Almost all the major newspapers visited us in the beginning and were extremely enthusiastic. We were very lucky in that respect. That probably has to do with our CVs. We have both worked at good establishments. Tim has worked at Spijkervet, Vuurtoreneiland, Bak, and Noma in Copenhagen. I myself have worked at Oud Sluis, Club Trouw, the Jane, Pure C, and Rijks.
Our philosophy is about comfort and creativity.
Easy fine dining
A star is not our holy grail; it is not a goal in itself. If we were to receive one in the future, we would of course be very happy, but we have not necessarily geared our business and philosophy towards it (update: Coulisse received its first star in April 2023!). In terms of quality, we are still making progress. Our philosophy is about comfort and creativity. Comfort in the kitchen refers to comfort food. Good bread with butter or a tasty sauce. Comfort in the restaurant means, for example, a comfortable chair, good acoustics, or a nice wine glass. Creativity applies to the surprising flavors in the kitchen, the way you look at food and dishes, but also collaborations with ceramic makers for our tableware, among other things. The cuisine is often referred to as Nordic cuisine. We don't entirely agree with that. We understand why, but it doesn't apply to certain ingredients we use. If it were truly Nordic, we would limit ourselves to Dutch products only. However, we work with Szechuan peppers and other spices, for example. We also use whatever Available within Europe.
Signature dish
‘We prefer not to label it ourselves. We feel it would limit us too much. Vegetables play an important role in our dishes, Location proteins coming Location. Barbecue preparation is very important. Every menu includes three or four dishes from the grill. It adds flavor and is a great way to cook. Everything that comes off the grill gives you a nice feeling of satisfaction. That's comfort too. Then there's umami and fermentation. We have our own fermentation room and make our own miso, garum, and koji. That adds flavor and depth to our dishes. It also means you don't need too many ingredients for a dish. A pointed cabbage from the barbecue with a nice glaze is enough. Freshness and digestibility are also very important in our kitchen. After a menu, you should still have room for the friandises. It may be a little early, but I think we already have a few signature dishes. Grilled turbot with a sauce made from its own smoked bones. Asparagus carbonara, a pasta dish with white asparagus in a pickled egg yolk sauce. We're not going to get rid of the financiers either.
Wine list
We put together the wine list and pairings together. We only serve European wines. There are so many great wines Available here Available we don't feel the need to import wines from South Africa, for example. It's a mix of classic and modern. 50% classic, 30% soft natural, and 20% funky wines. We just want to have the wines on the list that we drink ourselves. The pairings actually reflect this list. We also think it's important that the wine list starts at 40 euros. I always think of my parents when I do this. What wines would they want to see on the list?
Amuse-bouches:
Chilled Jerusalem artichoke with grilled lemon thyme
Celeriac tartlet with hazelnut
Grilled shiso and eggplant
Menu:
Roasted crapaudine beetroot, Szechuan and coriander
Oyster grilled in cabbage with smoked turbot bone sauce
Cuttlefish with pickled egg yolk and Oscietra caviar
Mushroom tea
Grilled maitake mushrooms
Blood orange, basil, and spice crumble
Pumpkin, mandarin, and white chocolate
Financiers with sea buckthorn berries
Choco bros
Simon and Tim's hotspots:
Food & drink:
Gebroeders Hartering
BAK
Café twee prinsen
Best Döner Dappermarkt
Parlotte
Toscanini
Beer tasting room “In de wildeman”
Groceries:
Dappermarkt
Javastraat
Butcher Cees de Bouter
Noordermarkt
Art & Culture:
Het Hem
Stedelijk Museum
Paradiso
Architecture:
Music Building on the IJ
Amsterdam Central Station
The Westertoren
Coulisse
Oostenburgergracht 75