In 1992, the influential Dutch magazine Lekker named Halvemaan chef of the year, but ever since his influence has fallen dramatically. How can this be the case?
Back in the nineties, Halvemaan was revered for his subtle modernizations of modern classics. His food was thought to be creative and original, but once chefs such as Sergio Herman or Jonnie Boer appeared on the culinary scene, things changed. Complex dishes, often consisting of tens of ingredients are what Dutch chefs do well these days. The minimalistic food of Halvemaan therefore has relatively little sex appeal, given the competition. In the space of a few years, it seemed like his restaurant had stopped to exist.
And yet, it does. There are faults with it, which might help explain the little media coverage it gets. First of all, the service isn't the most consistent and the mark-ups on the wine list are steep. Finally, even if the restaurant has a lovely terrace and a fairly handsome dining room, the atmosphere here is arguably the weakest point of Halvemaan: It is sterile and lifeless.
That being said, Halvemaan was a famous chef for good reasons. His food is still delicious as his classics show. These are his most convincing dishes by far and anyone who comes here ought to order some of them to understand what his cuisine is all about.
The most accomplished dish on the menu could well be one of the simplest: A steak tartar with oysters, and an oyster mayonnaise. This could easily be one of the most famous Dutch dishes, as it is complete and technically faultless. The flavours are simple, but strong; the iodine oysters giving the meaty beef a perfect counterpoint. This is a strong dish; one that has stood the test of time.
Another signature dish of John Halvemaan is a foie gras brûlé with balsamic and peppers. Nothing new (Jean Georges does it too), this convinces because of the solid execution. Just like the oysters help lift the tartar, in this case the peppers give the whole dish a little bit of a special note that makes it stand out.
The last dish that really stands out on Halvemaan's menu is a French toast of admirable quality. This is not far from Mugaritz's stellar French Toast, and offers a perfect texture, beautiful seasoning and pretty much everything you want from a French toast.
Eating food like this, it's a pity to see restaurants such as Halveman loose their reputation, and fame. The cooking here is clever, simple and ought to be praised. Also, one shouldn't forget the terrace: lunching there a warm summer's day is quite a treat.
Clever, and simple food 
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