Netherlands Burger Duo Eager for First International Victory

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Posted Jul 24, 2015

Netherlands Burger Duo Eager for First International Victory

Pim de Lange and Olaf Oldenburg have already conquered building the best burger in The Netherlands, and they’re planning to create the best burger in the world come Nov. 3-10 when they vie for the title of World Food Champion in Kissimmee, Fla.

Owners of Ter Marsch & Co, a busy restaurant in the center of Rotterdam, de Lange, 29, and Oldenburg, 48, were first inspired to cook as children in their parents’ homes.

“It was always fun in the kitchen, surrounded by people, food and in a good atmosphere,” de Lange said. “Olaf started cooking by making the most beautiful breakfasts for the family. He was 11 years old when he started as a dishwasher in a neighborhood restaurant. The cooks asked him to help them a little bit here and a little bit there, and the passion for cooking was born. Afterwards, it became more and more professional because he got in touch with some grand masters and learned how to bring flavors to a higher level.”

With just a few different turns of the (cork)screw, de Lange and Oldenburg probably would not be developing recipes and making plans for their first international competition. De Lange had dreamed of opening a restaurant named “Prime Cuts,” but a hotel management internship in Dubai and a stint as a resident of Shanghai, China, not only left him unclear as to location, but low on necessary funds.

“I returned disappointed and without any money back to The Netherlands,” he recalled, adding that his path became clear when he found the perfect location for his restaurant that already had the perfect name. “Why come up with a name for your restaurant by yourself if you already find a mysteriously alluring one in a delicate piece of art nouveau stained glass? Ter Marsch & Co used to be a butchery in the 19th century in the current building.”

“Ter Marsch & Co offers a carnivorous menu,” said de Lange. “This means that a substantial part of the menu consists of meat. Besides burgers we have a dry-age cabinet where entrecote and/or rib eye is aging. Olaf also prepares large cuts of meat on the grill or barbecues them and serves them with the right ‘caisson’ – medium is medium and rare is rare.”

Another specialty of Chef Oldenburg are his sauces, which de Lange describes as bursting with “flavors and combinations in order to define the perfect sauce that accompanies a dish.”

De Lange said the most popular menu items are the burgers, and there’s a long line every day of customers waiting to get a taste.

“Waiting guests get a ticket like you used to get at the butcher in the past,” le Lange said. “Name and number are put on a list, and when a seat comes free the guest can move on.”

De Lange said that he and Oldenburg work hard to please their customers, taking time to chat and give personal attention. They are especially appreciative of their regular patrons and those who supported Ter Marsch & Co before the restaurant began to attract publicity for winning competitions.

“The favorite part of competition is working under high pressure and delivering an excellent product with the right “caisson” and taste,” de Lange said. “Winning is the ultimate appreciation for the delivered work. After a lot of research, tasting sessions and inspiration trips, it means that we found the burger that everybody loves and that we created something that makes people happy.”

The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. De Lange lives in an apartment above with girlfriend Linda and relaxes by traveling to different parts of Europe for inspiration. Oldenburg and his family live in a small village nearby and often return to Spain where they once lived for renewal. Both men look forward to traveling to the Championships, and their families and friends are arranging to come to Kissimmee to cheer them on.

“We expect that the competition will be strong,” said de Lange. “On the other hand we have a lot of customers in our store also from abroad and many of them tell us that they had the best burger ever, even Americans.”

See Oldenburg, de Lange and their restaurant, Ter Marsch and Co, here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Hzppjdu9E.

Claudia Johnson, World Food Championships

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Netherlands Burger Duo Eager for First International Victory

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