The Potato Eaters

Oftentimes a series, which we work on for months and sometimes even years, is aired in a few hours and then seems to fade away. To make something lasting, we decided to create a book in collaboration with publisher Thomas Rap. A book reviving the 20 dishes from our series. Something we always wanted to do, as this also gave us the chance to use all the research that never made it into the series in a different way.

We created new stories, along with photos taken by Bas during the many trips, columns by Joost and personal travel stories by Joris. A dream came true when artist and friend Emiel Steenhuizen created 20 illustrations for the book. 3 of them are available for sale as screen prints, in limited numbers in our shop.

(B): The friendship with Joris started because of a wrap-party for The Wild Kitchen. We wanted to eat at this well renowned restaurant, Aan de Amstel, owned by Dutch chefs Yvette van Boven and Joris Vermeer. That evening we talked with Joris and he told us he was such a fan of our programme; The Wild Kitchen. After this, me and Joost talked a lot about Joris and how we both felt he should be in front of our camera. It was clear that Wouter Klootwijk (The Wild Kitchen Godfather and host) wanted to travel less and Joris wanted to go on an adventure. So it seemed like a perfect fit. The next moment Joris sold his restaurant and we traveled to more than 25 countries within 3 years. And ever since, we are friends for life.

(J): Yes and at some point you hear that the mafia is active with the cheese trade in Switzerland and then you know you have to make an episode about cheese fondue. Sometimes you have a dish like Moussaka and you think: what sort of story can we derive from this? but you always find something that is special: for example that it’s a French dish originally. And then you can easily make a foray to the Greek salad, which is also just an invented tradition. So it’s part (deep) research and then just going anyway and see what you come across.

(J): We were at a BBQ for three days with a one-legged veteran who served us barbacoa. Suddenly a mariachi band appeared out of a school bus, like it was a miracle box. With three days of sleep deprivation and too much alcohol, such a scene stays with you forever. But by definition, an adventure is no fun if you experience it at that moment. Adventures are always too much work, stressful and inconvenient. And especially when it is dangerous, it’s no fun. At that moment, you’re mostly shattered and too tired. But the next moment you can relax into the knowledge that something is going well; it’s the adventure that is starting.

(J): When we have prepared little to nothing and everything is open. When submarines, dense forests or tall towers are involved. When everyone prefers to stay inside because of bad weather. And it should definitely not get too big. If there’s too many people involved, you always lose what it’s about.