The annual presentation of the Michelin stars took place in Maastricht on October 7. The culinary top of the Netherlands gathered to honour the best restaurants and chefs. Restaurant Joelia received the Michelin Award for the Young Chef for 31-year-old Sofiane Bons.
At the beginning of this year, Rotterdam chef Sofiane Bons took over the kitchen from Mario Ridder in the Michelin-starred restaurant Joelia. Sofiane was Mario Ridder's right-hand man and sous chef for a year and a half. Before Joelia, he already gained experience in Parkheuvel.
According to the Michelin Guide, Sofiane brings youthful panache to the Michelin star and combines the strength of his French roots with worldly vibrancy. The young chef made an impression and successfully retained Yulia's Michelin star.
Sofiane received the Young Chef award from the gastronomic royal couple Jonnie and Thérèse Boer.
Restaurant Joelia is located in the heart of Rotterdam Centre in the Hilton Hotel. The restaurant was opened in 2015 by Mario Ridder and in 2024 it was taken over by Pieter Timmer, with former chef Sofiane Bons in the kitchen. Sofiane's cooking style combines a classic French base with influences from around the world. Pieter took on the role of Joelia's host.
Also nice to know: all restaurants in the Rotterdam region retained their Michelin stars. This means that you should definitely visit the following places: