ABOUT
Kitchen experience. Operational thinking. Better control.
I'm Hidde Meijers, the chef behind The Dutchman.
I combine more than 11 years of commercial kitchen experience with practical knowledge of systems, processes and operational improvement.
My approach comes from working in busy commercial kitchens, understanding the pressure of daily service and seeing how small operational issues affect the wider business.
High-Volume Production
Experience with demanding production schedules, preparation and large-scale kitchen operations.
Food Cost & Stock
Practical experience with ordering, inventory, waste, portioning and food-cost control.
Teams & Workflow
Understanding how responsibilities, communication and daily routines influence consistency.
Multi-Venue coordination
Managing production, planning and operational requirements across more than one venue.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Experience across very different operations.
Different kitchens bring different challenges. My experience across hospitality operations and digital systems has shaped how I approach them.
Amsterdam
Restaurant and commercial kitchen experience that established my practical hospitality foundations.
Australia
Hands-on experience across different kitchen environments and ways of working.
Systems & technology
Experience with product management, production operations, digital systems, data and process improvement.
Queenstown
Led daily production and planning across two venues serving 600–1,000 covers per day.
HOW I APPROACH PROBLEMS
The kitchen and the numbers have to agree.
Good reporting should reflect what's actually happening in the operation.
I combine financial information with practical kitchen experience to understand why results differ from expectations and what can be improved.
Understand the information
Review purchasing, stock, sales and recipe data to identify inconsistencies and unexpected results.
Find the cause
Look beyond the figures to check ordering, preparation, portions and everyday kitchen practices.
Check the results
Make practical improvements and measure whether they're delivering the intended outcome.
PRACTICAL SYSTEMS
Practical systems, not technology for technology’s sake.
A system is only useful if it works for the people using it.
I focus on solutions that fit the operation, support daily routines and provide reliable information without unnecessary complexity.
Understand the operation
Start with how the team actually works.
Build around real workflows
Improve existing processes and systems before introducing something new.
Keep it practical
Make information easier to maintain, understand and use.
FOUNDING CHEF HARBOUR
Building businesses, not just improving operations.
Alongside The Dutchman, I founded Chef Harbour, a platform helping chefs establish and grow independent businesses and connect directly with hospitality venues.
I've developed its website, professional chef-profile system, venue enquiry pathways and supporting digital processes myself.
Building Chef Harbour reflects the same approach I bring to consulting: understand the problem, create a practical solution and make it work for the people using it.
LASTING IMPROVEMENTS
The goal is not to make the business depend on me.
Good improvements should keep working after my involvement ends.
I focus on clear processes, reliable information and practical systems your team can understand, maintain and use independently.
Know what’s happening. Fix what’s causing it. Put control in place.
FAQ
A little more about how I work.
Practical answers about my background and approach.
What is your hospitality background?
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Are you still hands-on in the kitchen?
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Is your experience only in kitchens?
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Will you work directly with our team?
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Are you a consultant or a relief chef?
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How does pricing work?
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LET’S TALK
Start with what’s happening in the operation.
Whether you need practical improvements or experienced kitchen cover, let's discuss what would help.