AMSTERDAM.- On 1 November the Rijksmuseum will open its new restaurant RIJKS® in the refurbished Philips Wing. RIJKS® has 140 seats, a separate area for 36 guests and a terrace that seats 130. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week, between 11:30am-11:00pm. The menu features dishes that primarily feature products from Dutch soil. A team of top chefs under the supervision of Joris Bijdendijk is reinforced with an internationally renowned guest chef each season. South-Africa’s Margot Janse kicks off in January.

RIJKS® cuisine
The Dutch product is central in RIJKS®. Just as in art, executive chef Joris Bijdendijk (previous employers include Ron Blaauw, Le Jardin des Sens and Bridges) and chefs Wim de Beer (from Bolenius, Parkheuvel and La Rive) and Jos Timmer (from Merkelbach, Vermeer and Ron Gastrobar) are inspired by the wealth of exotic tastes which have influenced the Dutch cuisine over the centuries. Therefore, each season RIJKS® invites an international guest chef, comparable with a guest curator. At the start of January, Margot will shine her light on the menu and create new dishes together with the chefs. Her restaurant, The Tasting Room / Le Quartier Français in the South-African city of Franschhoek, has been in the top 100 of the best restaurants in the world for many years.

Wim Pijbes, Rijksmuseum General Director: 'The Rijksmuseum tells the story of the Netherlands. Influences from countries far and near can be seen here as well. We continue this trend at RIJKS®: quality, authenticity, uniqueness, translated to the cuisine, the chefs, the interior and the location. RIJKS® is the Rijksmuseum on your plate.'

Home-grown slow food
The products and brands used by the Rijks kitchen are of the highest quality, organic and/or locally produced where possible. The chefs share the principles of Slow Food. On the menu you can see this trend returning in dishes which are prepared with ingredients that originate from the Ark of Taste, a list with traditional, artisan ‘forgotten’ local products.

Sharing together
To taste as much as possible of the colourful cuisine, cold and hot dishes are on the menu, which are served to be shared. As an equivalent of the multi-course dinner there is the Rijks table, a table full of small dishes. Naturally one can also order à la carte.

Dutch vineries
RIJKS® serves wines only from Dutch vineries and domain owners all over the world. In addition, the drinks menu contains quality distilled gins and liqueurs from Bols and Van Wees, cocktails and Dutch (special) beers from breweries such as Heineken, La Trappe, De Molen and Jopen Bier. The fruit juices come from Jus de Pommes from Ouddorp.

Paul Linse’s interior and layout
The interior design and layout of Paul Linse, renowned for the interior design of the refurbished Rotterdam Central Station, Brasserie de Plantage at Artis and many projects at Schiphol. Studio Linse designed the café and espresso bars for the Rijksmuseum. A mix of materials such as bronze, oak, marble, blue steel and suede in combination with designer furniture and lamps give RIJKS® a cool and stylish character. In the wide open kitchen you have a view of the cooks at work from the white marble bar. One area can be closed off for a private lunch or dinner for 36 people.

Food and beverage partner Vermaat
RIJKS® is a joint venture of Vermaat Groep and Rijksmuseum. Since 1978, the family company from IJsselstein has developed from a delicatessen to a trend–setting company in the food and beverage and retail concepts. Vermaat works together with the National Military Museum, the Mauritshuis, Booking.com, Vodafone, TNT, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Academic Hospital Maastricht and WTC Schiphol.

Paul Vermaat, general director of Vermaat: 'As a family company we are proud that after our successful collaboration with the Rijksmuseum café we have now created this beautiful restaurant, together with the Rijksmuseum, the architect Paul Linse and all involved.'

Amsterdam Originals from Heineken
Of course, Heineken is also served at RIJKS®, both on draft and in bottles. Beer brewer Gerard Adriaan Heineken was directly involved with the building of the Rijksmuseum at the end of the 19th century. These days Heineken is one of the sponsors of the Rijksmuseum. In honour of the exceptional connection between these two Amsterdam icons, Heineken developed the Amsterdam Originals: a series of seven Heineken bottles which form a unique collection thanks to the surprising use of famous art from the Rijksmuseum.

Special Douwe Egberts coffee blend
In RIJKS®, but also in the café and the espresso bars of the Rijksmuseum, Douwe Egberts has developed a new coffee blend as sponsor of the Rijksmuseum. This D.E. Dutch Master Blend is inspired by the rich history of the Dutch coffee culture. The Mandheling beans with rich spice and wood flavours come from Sumatra. The fruity Colombian and soft Brasil beans come from Central and South America. The new blend can be purchased at the Rijks Shop.

Philips Wing
RIJKS® is located in the Philips Wing, the exhibition wing of the Rijksmuseum. From 1 November the exhibition Modern Times. Photography in the 20th century will be on display. In February the exhibition of 2015 will take place: Late Rembrandt. The section where RIJKS® is located was added to the main building at the start of the 20th century. The restaurant is accessible from the Museumstraat on the Museumplein side.