The Lemon Tree takes guests on a culinary journey
As a young boy, Jelle Postma already dreamed of one day owning his own restaurant. In 2020, he started working at The Lemon Tree. The restaurant, started in 2019 by Valentijn Bergers, managed to keep the business running during the COVID period through creative entrepreneurship.
Established concept
Postma became the maître-sommelier and, shortly thereafter, also co-owner. 'The Lemon Tree concept is now established. We take our guests on a culinary journey based on Nordic dining: pure flavors, seasonal ingredients. We draw inspiration from international influences and serve a 'chef's menu' of four, five, six, or even seven courses that changes every ten weeks. Our team is young, ambitious, and passionate. Guests enjoy the atmosphere we manage to create. It is a fantastic compliment that guests are willing to travel more than 200 kilometers to dine with us.'
Not afraid of a little craziness
Postma: 'I believe you get furthest by seizing the opportunities that come your way. Moreover, that way you keep things sparkling and exciting. And I'm not afraid of a bit of craziness.' Great examples of this are The Lemon Tree's pop-up restaurant at a major international trade fair in Shanghai and the Lemon Tree branch on Curaçao. These adventures align with the ambition to make The Lemon Tree an internationally established brand.
Valuable network
Meanwhile, Postma also wants to offer other young hospitality professionals a valuable network and took the initiative to establish the 'young' section at the Association of Food & Beverage Management (AFBM Young). 'I also find our KHN membership very valuable,' he concludes. 'It is a great community. By uniting as hospitality entrepreneurs, you have more 'bullying power' when our interests need to be represented. That is important, especially now that the hospitality industry is under pressure.'
This article is sponsored by KHN.