De Leuf Ubachsberg oriental gastronomy in South Limburg

The Heerlen area always takes me back to my time at the Hotel Management School. As a 16-year-old, I was one of the youngest students and still wet behind the ears. I had a fantastic time there and started to pursue my calling. Of course, in addition to studying, there was also a lot of eating and drinking. That had to be paid for and so I worked a lot in the hospitality industry in and around Heerlen. Some classmates also had weekend jobs at places like Restaurant de Boterbloem in Heerlen and some at Restaurant De Leuf in Ubachsberg. My classmates often debated which of the two restaurants was the best, because both had a Michelin star (in the 90s). It was all a long way off for me because I wasn't that interested in it yet.

Restaurant De Boterbloem in Heerlen has been gone for a long time. Chef Leon and his wife are in Spain where he cooks for his guests in a relaxed atmosphere. However, Restaurant de Leuf has stood the test of time. It has had its ups and downs but has never fallen over. De Leuf stands firmly on its pillars, but unfortunately chef-owner Paul van De Bunt passed away far too soon. The De Bunt family has borne grief together and now has a beautiful result. Family is everything and the De Bunt family is a rock in the beautiful hilly town of Ubachsberg. The second generation is about to take over and the third generation has just been born. Passion, love and warmth; these feelings come to the surface when you spend a day (as I did) with this fantastic family in their incredibly beautiful restaurant.

Sandra has been involved in Restaurant De Leuf from the start. Together with her husband, who sadly passed away too soon, she transformed it from an unknown spot in South Limburg. Together they have made De Leuf the gastronomic attraction of this hilly landscape where they have literally experienced mountains and valleys. They have supported each other and shared the grief the family has endured. The energy that has come from this does the family credit. They all share the same mission, and everyone has their own role. When all these elements come together, you can taste the sincere hospitality in the living room of De Leuf. Hospitality and warmth; that is the feeling you get when Sandra opens the door. Sandra: “I am so proud of my children. Over the past two years, we have decided to change course.  We have chosen to clearly divide the roles in the restaurant. Robin is completely in his element in the kitchen. This was a long search for him, and he was able to take his time. The three of us process our emotions in different ways. We do not get in each other's way in this and give each other space in this.

The Van de Bunt family and the restaurant are currently in a positive flow. Fortunately, reservations continue to come in and the team is as solid as a rock. Sandra: 'In addition, I (and Michelle and Robin too) have a wonderful friendship with Marcel van Someren. I get along very well with Robin and Michelle, and Marcel and I have many shared interests and also areas of agreement. You just need that, and it is very nice. He is also a great sparring partner for both Robin and Michelle and I. We both have our own restaurants and love eating out. We recently took a wonderful trip through France, ate delicious food and visited beautiful restaurants. And after such a wonderful trip, I return feeling satisfied and rested and ready to get back to work with full energy. How rich do you feel when you and your children get to share our hospitality every day and let them enjoy our “living room”. For us, that is gastronomy.

Robin has been back in the kitchen of De Leuf since 2018. Before that, he felt that he was not ready and felt the need to observe his colleagues to increase his knowledge through internships in other top establishments. The young chef was not ready. But in 2024 he is completely in his element here and the kitchen of the Leuf is rock solid. The kitchen has taken a new direction, and his signature has been discovered and recognized.

Robin: 'I am extremely happy that I have been given the space to take these steps. It is always difficult to change things, and you are afraid that you might scare people away. That has happened to some extent, but we have gained a completely new group of guests in return. Since 2022, we have really taken this path: Asian, Eastern, warm flavors. What is important is that the guys in the kitchen go along with the process. We are all sponges and inspire each other. That is what you need. That is how you build a good team together. I have also chosen a nice workstation in the restaurant. We finish some dishes there and serve them to the guests. I like to be among our guests, and I like to know who is in the restaurant. I also enjoy connecting with the guests and introducing them to my kitchen full of surprising flavors.”

Gastronomy is in a transition in terms of work ethic. Employees in the hospitality and gastronomy industry have also become more aware of the choices they want to make regarding leisure and work. Robin: 'I understand that on the one hand. I believe that if you want to achieve something, you have to work hard and really go for it. You can't put a number of hours on that, you ultimately decide for yourself how much time you want to spend on it. In addition, the approach to people in the kitchen has also changed. It has become more diplomatic. I look at each individual and treat everyone a little differently. I am quite calm and can read people quickly. If something is not right, I will stand up for myself. It's just that the approach is slightly different.

Enjoying your work is important; we strive for the best and we all have the same goal. There is certainly time for fun and relaxation, but during service I also expect strict discipline, and the guys know that too.'

Michelle also started working as a sommelier at Restaurant De Leuf in 2018. She had completed her education and gained work experience. Michelle: 'This came as a big surprise to my mother. She had not assumed that I also had ambitions to work in top gastronomy. Of course, I was welcomed with open arms, and I wanted to develop myself as a sommelier. Combining flavors in his dishes and discussing them with him and my mother. This is such a fantastic thing to be able to do. But I wanted more than just wine. My interest has grown to include non-alcoholic cocktails. And combining cocktails with dishes. The beauty of this is that you get much closer to the taste of the dishes. I was soon making infusions and reductions as a basis for these cocktails. We would taste them together with Robin and use the same spices that appear in his dishes. This takes food pairing to the next level, and it doesn't always have to be alcoholic.”

It is quite an exceptional situation when you are a family in business, and even more so when you work together with a brother or sister on a daily basis. Michelle: 'For us it really comes naturally. We are both specialists in our field and hardly ever cross each other's boundaries. We are also very honest with each other about tastes and combinations. Of course, we sometimes have discussions about the pairing of food and wine or sake. I don't expect Robin to adjust a dish for a pairing. That would detract from his dish. I see if another drink would be more appropriate, such as a cocktail or sake. I am also very proud of him, how he is currently facing life and combining his fatherhood with his work in the kitchen. I like that we as a family can support him in this, we do that for each other. We have high quality standards, and we monitor them together. His life is a bit upside down at the moment, but he is handling it very well. Robin does not want to short anyone, and that is a great quality. And because of this he is also learning to approach the organization differently, and we see that Cas (sous chef) is a great support in the kitchen.

Michelle is the youngest in the family and you can feel her energy throughout the entire business. She has a flair for things and an eye for detail, and she runs her part of the business with confidence. Michelle: 'The entrepreneurial side of things also appeals to me a little. I feel the need to gradually immerse myself in this. I would eventually like to take over the role from my mother. Entrepreneurship involves many tasks, and I think I can take over this role organically. My mother is also still young and has a lot of energy herself, which makes such a transfer natural. And that does not completely change our division of roles and she (just like with her grandson Lev) has the rewards but not the burdens. How wonderful would it be if we could offer her that in due course.

Source: BCGB Magazine

Restaurant: De Leuf