Robèrt van Beckhoven, bij Robèrt

The masterful Robèrt van Beckhoven on the tastiest craft in the world

Long before Robèrt van Beckhoven made his successful debut on Dutch television in 2013, he was already creating a furore in the bread and pastry world. You could say he was groomed for the baking trade. Robèrt learned the craft from a young age from his father, took over the family bakery and won several international baking awards. He is now the only person in the Netherlands to hold both the title of Master Baker and Master Pastry Chef. On the way to those Master titles, Robèrt was introduced to the best ingredients in the world. ‘Once you have tasted the world's best ingredients, you don't want anything else. The same goes for Lavazza coffee’, explains Van Beckhoven.

‘You don't become a baker, you are a baker.’

Yet it was not love at first sight. ‘Only gradually did I begin to appreciate the craft and learn that being a baker is much more than just baking bread and cakes. Eventually I realised: you don't become a baker, you are a baker. The dynamism, simplicity and logic of banquet are fascinating. All recipes can be baked with just four ingredients; flour, butter, eggs and sugar. Enough to excite all the senses. Coffee and chocolate I use a lot to add nuance. Both contain both acidity and bitterness, two extreme flavours that go beautifully together. You should try our pastries with coffee cream or our drained coffee beans!’

Heel Holland Bakt (the Great Dutch Bake Off)

Ten years ago, Robèrt was asked to present the TV programme CupCakeCup. Heel Holland Bakt followed a year later. ‘I have always enjoyed preaching for the world's tastiest profession and imparting knowledge. And where better to do that than on television?’ Robèrt grew to become the figurehead of the baking world and the best-known baker and patissier in the country.

‘I soon realised that the coffee on the set of Heel Holland Bakt could be better’, van Beckhoven continued. ‘Initially, I took my coffee machine and Lavazza coffee to the jury room. Soon a fair share of production knew how to find my coffee machine.’ Laughing: ‘I called Lavazza, and next season we will all be drinking Lavazza coffee on set.’ 

Premium raw materials and origins

When visiting the bakery, you can see the bread and pastry bakers at work through a 45-metre-long glass wall. ‘Because’, says Robèrt, ‘We are proud of our craft and love to show how we work!’ In addition, people can take various baking courses from Robèrt and his team. And De Kazerne, the former base of the fire brigade on the leather factory site, serves morning coffees, high teas and lunch tastings. Everything fresh from their own bakery.

How do Robèrt and his team make a difference? ‘All our products are truly homemade, from honest and high-quality products’, says Robèrt. ‘Quality, that's what it's all about. Craftsmanship and first-class raw materials are indispensable here. We buy directly from the farmers. The nuts in Italy, the oranges in Corsica, the milk and cream travel here from a distance. I want to know where something comes from to make sure the farmer gets a fair price. That's where Lavazza fits in perfectly." With this in mind, Robèrt has chosen several coffees from Lavazza La Reserva de ¡Tierra! in his catering business. Coffee farmers get the price they deserve and receive the support they need for a better future.

Photos: Jos Elve; Raoul Hollants