Stefan van Sprang

The Path

The earliest professional ground was Maison van den Boer, where Stefan van Sprang worked as a cook and where service rhythm, precision, and discipline would have been absorbed into daily habit. He then moved to Kitchen of Cas Spijkers as cook, a setting tied to a standard of culinary seriousness that would have tightened his sense of craft. From there he worked in the kitchen at Ron Blaauw, continuing a progression that reads less like a series of jumps than a deliberate build, each stop adding another layer. Those named kitchens formed a clear ascent. The pattern is familiar to any trade: long hours, repetition, pressure, and the requirement for exactness do not simply pass through a cook; they shape the work ethic and the way a chef carries a room. In Stefan van Sprang’s case, that progression produced not just technical confidence, but the steadiness required to take on ownership and leadership with a clear direction. Since 2007, Stefan van Sprang has been owner and head chef / patron-cook of Aan de Poel. The role carries both authorship and responsibility: creative control in the kitchen, and stewardship of the house around it. In Amstelveen, this has been the fixed point where his training, experience, and point of view come together.

The Work Today

At Aan de Poel, the work is the combined duties of owner and head chef, with Stefan van Sprang also identified as patron-cook. That arrangement keeps the kitchen close to the restaurant’s identity; it is not a separate machine, but the centre of the operation. The result is a style defined by control, familiarity, and precision, with the confidence that comes from knowing the house from the inside. His references extend beyond the Netherlands, and the choice is specific. Asked where he would love to go, Stefan van Sprang named Maaemo from Esben Holmboe Bang in Oslo, Norway, and said he likes the Nordic style of cuisine because the team at Maaemo “really know their stuff.” The answer points to a practical curiosity: a clear respect for a style of cooking that speaks to him, and a directness in the way he names what he values. Asked for a favourite, his answer was equally spare: “Without a doubt, langoustines and lime.” The pairing is simple and exact. It suggests a palate drawn to brightness, marine sweetness, and sharp citrus contrast.

Signature

Stefan's signature dishes include Signature, KLC, Spicy langoustine, Stir-fried lobster, and Carrot & tandoori. The list shows a cook moving across different registers, from the plainly named to the more suggestive, with ingredients and seasonings that hint at clarity, heat, and composed contrast. Spicy langoustine and Stir-fried lobster point to seafood handled with confidence, while Carrot & tandoori brings sweetness and spice into the same frame. Even the title Signature reads as a quiet marker of consistency.

In Their Words “I would love to go to Maaemo from Esben Holmboe Bang in Oslo, Norway. I really like the Nordic style of cuisine and the guys at Maaemo really know their stuff.”