Portrait of Sebastiaan Pals
i. Biography
In 2025, Sebastiaan Pals moved into the head chef role at De Uitkijk in Hellendoorn, Netherlands, after five years in the kitchen of De Librije in Zwolle. That stretch shaped the core of his working method: tighter attention to detail, cleaner restraint, and the composure that comes from repeated service at a high level.
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The Climb
At De Librije in Zwolle, Sebastiaan Pals worked as chef in a setting that demanded exactness in every pass. The kitchen reinforced habits that matter in this trade: focus, patience, consistency, and the discipline to let preparation and ingredients carry the work without excess. Those years became the base for what followed. Today, Sebastiaan Pals is chef-kok of Landgoed De Uitkijk (since 2025), bringing that same steadiness into Hellendoorn.
Today
Since 2025, he has been chef-kok at Landgoed De Uitkijk. The cooking leans on ingredients that stay recognizably themselves, with herbs from his own garden adding freshness and lift. French refinement is part of the frame, alongside contemporary ideas, but the plates remain direct and satisfying rather than spare for its own sake. At Landgoed De Uitkijk, Sebastiaan Pals works with a style that treats refinement as a tool, not a finish. The result is food that reads as composed and attentive, while still staying grounded and welcoming.
Recognition
The key dated marker in Sebastiaan Pals’s career is the 2025 appointment to lead the kitchen in Hellendoorn after his time in Zwolle. Coming out of De Librije, that move showed how a period of technical training and daily repetition could translate into broader responsibility at Landgoed De Uitkijk.
FAQ
Asked of Sebastiaan
What is Sebastiaan Pals's current role?
As of 2026, Sebastiaan Pals is Head Chef.
Where did Sebastiaan Pals work before?
Sebastiaan Pals's earlier career included De Librije.
What is Sebastiaan Pals known for?
Puts ingredients center stage, incorporates herbs from his own garden, and cooks with French refinement, fresh contemporary ideas, and generous, satisfying dishes.
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Sebastiaan Pals in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
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