Meet Tim
Le Nouveau Chef presents a fun and laid-back interview series, featuring dedicated individuals who truly inspire us. Guests respond spontaneously to questions that span topics like food culture, childhood ambitions, breakfast habits, and everything in between.
Tim Golsteijn has been part of Restaurant Bougainville in Amsterdam since 2017, where he now serves as executive chef. Thanks to his leadership, the restaurant proudly holds a Michelin star. Tim's journey is a testament to hard work and passion, starting as a dishwasher and rising through the ranks to become a creative and talented chef. Renowned for his unique culinary style, Tim has ambitious plans, including the dream of opening his own ice cream shop.
Do you prefer New York or Tokyo?
Tokyo. I’ve never been to New York before. I love Asia, and Japan specifically. I think it has the most creative and unique cuisine. So, definitely Tokyo.
If you could be any movie character, who would you be?
That’s a good question! I think I would be Superman, of course.
If you could have one dish every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A Thai curry. Because I love Thai cuisine! It’s simple but has a lot of flavour, a little bit spicy, and healthy. So I really like it! If I had to have it every day, I would definitely add rice, curry, coconut, and a lot of vegetables with different flavours and textures.
Giving up cooking with sugar or salt?
I think I would give up salt. I’m an ambassador for the Kidney Foundation, so I’m already busy cooking with less salt. I’m also a pastry chef, so I love working with sugar. I have a sweet tooth!
What is your favourite spot in the world?
My favourite spot in the world is Amsterdam. I was born and raised there, and of course, I work there every day. I love that city!
Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I’m a dog person. It’s crazy because I grew up with cats. My parents have a dog right now. She’s also a little bit mine, but I don’t have the time to take care of a dog with my job. But I definitely prefer dogs. If you could have any dog, I would choose to have a Rottweiler. People always think they are aggressive or dangerous, but they’re really just big babies.
Are you always on time or fashionably late?
I would be lying if I said I’m always on time. I’m usually a bit late, about 5 to 10 minutes. It’s kind of a royal habit. But I’m always there, so people are used to it.
If you could live in another era, which one would it be?
I’d choose the 80s. I was born in the 80s, and there were a lot of great moments, like when we won the World Cup. I’m curious about how life was back then, before social media and all the technology we have now. Also, the music from that time was amazing. I grew up in the '90s, so I love old-school R&B and hip-hop. I grew up listening to artists like Dr. Dre, Tupac, and Usher.
Best compliment you ever received?
A few years ago, when I started at Bougainville, there was this lady, Dita, who became a good friend of mine. She came in as a guest for the first time. Our sommelier came to me and said, “Chef, you really need to go to the table because we have a lady crying.” I was surprised. He said it was positive; she was overwhelmed by the flavours and memories of that dish. It was a scallop dish, and she still talks about it today.
When she tells people how we met, she says, “I was crying in his restaurant because of that dish.” I think that’s a huge compliment—not only for creating a nice, flavourful dish, but also for connecting with people’s memories.
From that point on, we became friends. She has a lot of history in gastronomy, so we’ve done many events together and still meet up quite often for champagne and good stories.
What was your first job?
Dishwasher! The classic one. It was my first job in the kitchen, and I never left. That’s where it all started. It was just to make money that time, but I quickly grew to love the kitchen environment. I think I was 12 or 13. I was camping in the Netherlands, and I had a small speedboat. My parents said, “It’s nice that you have a speedboat, but if you want to take it in the water, you need to pay for the gas.” So I started looking for a job and found one as a dishwasher in a small American diner in my hometown village. I was always busy, less with school, more with making money.
Do you have any secret talents or hobbies?
I have a lot of hobbies! One secret talent is that I ride a motorbike and have driven on a racetrack before. I'm a bit of, adrenaline junkie. I have my racing licence, but not many people know about this. I don’t do it often any more because I don’t have the time for it, but I would love to do it again. Furthermore, I also own a race car with my father, but there’s never enough time.
What’s your favourite way to relax?
Going to the gym! It really clears my mind. I’m often busy, but I’m a bit crazy; I love to go to the gym after service, because you're still having that adrenaline in your body. And, to get rid of my last energy before going to bed.
Do you have any phobias?
What really irritates me is when people have no passion for what they do. I can’t stand it. I get quickly irritated if people are just indifferent about their work. You have to have passion for everything you do!
It doesn't matter what you do as long as you love it. When your work is driven by passion, it no longer feels like a job. For me, that's cooking. I've been doing this for a long time, and even when I was young, I knew I really enjoyed it. That's why I don't see it as just a job; it's my passion. I'm always engaged with it, and I feel fortunate to have found something I love.
Not everyone is lucky enough to wake up knowing what they want to do for the rest of their life. But it's important to find something that brings a smile to your face.
Do you have a secret guilty pleasure?
I have a lot! One of them is the grilled burger from FEBO. The funny thing is, I only eat it once a year, but when I do, I eat three, four, or five of them. I also have a sweet tooth; I love pastries and candy! My biggest guilty pleasure is ice cream. My dream is to open an ice cream bar someday with unique flavours, not the standard stuff—maybe even protein ice cream.
What was the last thing that made you laugh?
Well, I laugh a lot; I think it’s really important! Yesterday, one of my guys came back from holiday. He has a Moroccan wife, and while he was in Morocco, he texted me pictures and videos of markets and spices, which we both love. He came back and said, “Chef, I have a gift for you.” They always bring me gifts. He brought me some spices and some dried roots, which are like herbal Viagra! It’s quite well known there. But they see me as the old guy in the kitchen. It was funny!
What about movies?
Oh, I love movies! It’s silly, but I usually watch them on aeroplanes. I can’t remember the last one I saw. I recently watched a short documentary about Conor McGregor, and I’ve been reading a book about Ajax and everything that’s happened there in the last ten years.
