i. Biography
Executive chef of Savelberg in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2014, Henk Savelberg brings a long European line of training into a kitchen built on discipline, precision and restraint. In a dining room that carries his name, the cooking is organized around clarity: formal technique, controlled flavors and the kind of polish that comes from repeated work in demanding rooms.
The Climb
Hotel school in Sittard provided the first professional framework for Henk Savelberg, before service as an enlisted serviceman at Netherlands Marine Corps in Norway added order and endurance to the mix. The kitchen education that followed moved through Bon Ton in Scheveningen, Nostaligia in The Hague and La Grande Bouffe in The Hague, then into work experience at Gérard Pangaud in Paris, Jan Pierre Bioux in Lyon, and Le Chateau de Luca Lonnais in Brittany. Across those rooms, repetition, detail and technical control formed the basis of a style built for consistency. Leadership came through the pass. He later continued as chef at Auberge De Vliethoeve in Rijswijk, adding another stop to a career defined by continuity, exacting standards and movement through formal dining rooms. Today, Henk is owner and head chef of Vreugd & Rust - Savelberg (since 1995) and chef-owner of Savelberg (since 2017), a record that shows the same name carried across successive addresses and business structures.
Today
The Bangkok chapter began with Henk Savelberg’s executive-chef role at Savelberg in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2014, transferring a classical European register into a context far from the kitchens of the Netherlands and France. At Savelberg, the work reads as controlled and deliberate, with construction and flavor kept in balance rather than pushed toward display. Two dishes make that approach legible. Grilled Wild Northern Sea Turbot with Bay Leaves, presented as one of his masterpiece dishes at the Bangkok restaurant, is built with tomatoes, Kalamata olives, anchovies and olive oil, a combination that points to brightness, salinity and restraint. Pork in Cream Sauce with Macaroni moves in a different direction, but with the same discipline: a richer plate that depends on a steady hand to keep the sauce composed.
Signature
Henk's signature dishes include Grilled Wild Northern Sea Turbot with Bay Leaves and Pork in Cream Sauce with Macaroni. Read together, they show a kitchen working in a European register: controlled, assured and precise, with one plate leaning toward brightness and the other toward comfort, both shaped by the same measured hand.
Recognition
Henk's honors include Michelin star, Order of Orange-Nassau (Knight) (2003), and Wine Spectator Grand Award. These awards mark a career recognized on several fronts: formal acknowledgement from his home country in 2003, an established place in Michelin’s system, and a wine program distinguished by one of the industry’s most respected awards.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Henk
What is Henk Savelberg's current role?
As of 2026, Henk Savelberg is Executive Chef.
Where did Henk Savelberg train or study?
Henk Savelberg trained at Hotel school in Sittard.
What recognition has Henk Savelberg received?
Michelin star (1982).
