i. Biography
At SUIS in Schin op Geul, Netherlands, the cooking is being carried forward by chef Ralf Berendsen with a register shaped in exacting rooms and disciplined service. Restaurant La Source and Restaurant Ralf Berendsen, La Butte aux Bois in Lanaken, Belgium, remain part of the working context: kitchens where polish, control, and repetition matter. The through-line is a measured use of familiar flavors, delicate nuances, and subtle international ingredients. Complexity is present, but it is kept in proportion; the plate is built to read clearly rather than to announce technique.
Coming Up
Detail-driven hospitality formed the early professional ground for Ralf Berendsen as chef at Kasteel Wittem. The work then moved into a more personal register at Restaurant Ralf Berendsen, La Butte aux Bois in Lanaken, Belgium, where he was chef / operator until 2025. That dining room carried his name, but the relevant craft point was its discipline: clarity before excess, precision before spectacle, and recognizable flavor supported by more delicate or international accents. The Lanaken period shows a kitchen identity built through consistency and balance. Novelty was not the main device. The work depended on placement: how one element supports another, how a familiar taste is lifted by a small nuance, and how composition can remain controlled without becoming ornate. That accumulated practice now continues at SUIS, where Ralf is chef / owner since 2026, carrying the same technical restraint into a new address and a closer expression of the work.
Where They Are Now
The current kitchen at SUIS in Schin op Geul, Netherlands, places Berendsen back in a Dutch setting after the Lanaken years. The craft language remains consistent: familiar flavors, delicate nuances, subtle international ingredients, and cooking allowed to be complex without becoming fussy. At SUIS, the role is direct: chef / owner, a shorter name, a new address, and the experience of Michelin-recognized kitchens applied in present tense. The shift reads less as reinvention than as reduction and focus: the same pursuit of balance, sharpened by time and expressed through a smaller frame.
Signature
Signature dishes include Trio of langoustine with tandoori masala. The dish sets luxury against control: langoustine kept recognizable, tandoori masala used as an international point of contrast, and the whole construction held inside the restrained balance associated with Berendsen’s cooking.
In Their Words “It's a never-ending quest for perfection.”
Honors
Ralf Berendsen has received two Michelin stars for Restaurant Ralf Berendsen.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Ralf
What is Ralf Berendsen's current role?
Ralf Berendsen is Chef at SUIS.
Where did Ralf Berendsen work before?
Earlier in their career, Ralf Berendsen worked at Kasteel Wittem and Restaurant Ralf Berendsen, La Butte aux Bois.
What recognition has Ralf Berendsen received?
Retained two Michelin stars for Restaurant Ralf Berendsen (2024).
