Merlet

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Restaurant That Has Earned Its Stars — and Kept Them

Since 1998, Restaurant Merlet has held a Michelin star without interruption — 27 consecutive years, a record the team carries with evident pride. Situated in Schoorl, in the dune landscape of North Holland, the restaurant is part of a larger hotel and estate run by the Van Bourgonje family, yet the fine dining room operates with the focused intensity of a destination in its own right. Michelin's own verdict puts it plainly: "Dining at Merlet is intriguing, from beginning to end."

The Chef: Marco Helsloot

The kitchen is led by Marco Helsloot, born and raised in nearby Volendam. His connection to Merlet runs deep — he first worked here a decade ago, rising to sous-chef under Jonathan Zandbergen. He then broadened his craft at two-Michelin-star restaurants including Het Nonnetje in Harderwijk and 212 in Amsterdam, before returning to take the helm. The résumé speaks for itself: winner of the Gouden Koksmuts, the Zilveren Koksmes, national young chefs champion in 2017 — and, most recently, Gault&Millau's Young Chef of the Year 2025, the same year the guide awarded Merlet 17 points and four toques. His own philosophy is direct: "Cooking must be a reflection of who you are as a person."

Alongside him, sous-chef Rosanne Bos shares the creative process, while maître Rein Denneman — a familiar face at Merlet for over a decade — and wine specialist Jeffrey van der Beek together shape what guests experience front-of-house.

The Menu: Hyper-Local, French-Asian in Spirit

The cooking draws on the immediate landscape of North Holland while reaching into French and Asian technique. The Signature Menu (six courses) might move through wild sea bass from fisherman Jack with green curry, jalapeño and basil; the house signature of Volendam-style braised IJsselmeer eel, served upright; North Holland lamb with lamb neck terrine, wild garlic cream and a jus seasoned with cumin and Belperknolle; and a dessert built around Noorderhoeve farm quark with blueberry sorbet and Schoorl pine. Ingredients are named and traced — the Noorderhoeve farm, Boer Ted's celeriac, the Gouden Engel mill in Koedijk for sourdough flour — giving the French-Asian framework a firmly local foundation.

A full vegetarian menu runs in parallel, earning Merlet four radishes in the Green Guide for its ecological footprint, creative balance and varied textures.

The Wine List

The cellar has been recognised by both the Dutch Star Wine List and, for 2025, the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — the award that brings Merlet to this page. Wine pairing is offered across all menu tiers, and the sommelier team can also compose a non-alcoholic pairing on request.

Setting and Membership

Merlet is a member of Alliance Gastronomique since 2009, a collective of 35 leading restaurants across the Netherlands and Belgium. The restaurant also features in the Lekker 500 at position 33, praised for both location and the passion of its team. The garden terrace, private dining rooms and the broader hotel estate make it a natural choice for longer stays — but the restaurant stands entirely on its own terms.