Thitid Tassanakajohn
Guest Chef December 2024
Guest Chef June 2022: Arjan Speelman
One simply feels on a different level and close to heaven. For one, the restaurant Ciel Bleu is located on the 23rd floor of the luxurious Hotel Okura offering spectacular views over the city of Amsterdam. But more importantly, dining up here is a gourmet experience that will transport you to a whole new sphere when it comes to refined flavours. Head Chef Arjan Speelman and his team remain faithful to traditional French cooking, while also embracing international influences and spices. The cuisine they showcase is one full of guts, love and craftsmanship.
Through ambition and hard work, Arjan Speelman has achieved his goal of reaching the top of his trade. He was apprenticed at the restaurant De Hoefslag before rising to the position of Chef de Partie and Pastry Chef there. In 2003, he was asked to co-lead the kitchen team at Ciel Bleu and took the restaurant to double Michelin stardom by capitalising on the strengths and talents of every team member and orchestrating a group of dedicated and committed invididuals. The coveted stars were gained in 2005 and 2008.
Arjan Speelman and his team aim high. They want to create a world-class dining experience and achieve the ultimate taste through passion, expertise and finesse. The authentic craft of cooking, innovative techniques and surprising elements add up to culinary excellence. Artisanal and traditional cuisine is fused with inspirations from all corners of the world.
Pure, top-quality ingredients, spices and flavours are the base of the unique Ciel Bleu line of cooking. Creamy oysters from Brittany, fish from the surrounding seas and lakes, organic herbs, flowers and vegetables from regional suppliers, and the spices of the Dutch Golden Age accompanied by lush wines create a truly uplifting culinary experience.
The restaurant’s signature dish is king crab, on the menu since 2007, and still undergoing continuous improvement. Pigeon Miéral prepared in salt crust with pistachio, pomegranate and trappeur spices is another signature dish, as is Ciel Bleu’s famous apple pie. All pastry is freshly baked when the service starts.
The sky is the limit when Arjan Speelman takes you on a compelling gastronomic journey through the mouth-watering complexities of international cuisine. Feel on top of the world when refined flavours merge into an unforgettable culinary experience at Restaurant Ikarus in June 2022.
Each month at Salzburg’s two Michelin-starred Restaurant Ikarus, a different top international chef creates the menu. For this globally unique concept, Hangar-7 executive chef Martin Klein visits the cream of the crop, takes a look behind the scenes of haute cuisine, and is let in on some exciting culinary secrets. “Culinary Heights at Ikarus” offers a unique glimpse into the world of high-end cuisine and provides an interesting portrait of each guest chef, their culinary philosophy, and the food culture of their country.