While in Zurich, we were fortunate enough to visit with Walter Alfare at Gate Gourmet and get a backstage glimpse of the gourmet services catering to the top airlines, including Swiss of course.

Join us as we wet our appetites being shown some of the culinary treats offered in first and business class dining on Swiss International long haul flights. Then go behind the scenes with us as we see what goes into feeding all those hungry air travelers!

In Amsterdam, the Hippy Gourmet is clearly in his element! Everything in Holland just makes sense, from the light rail, to the wind and solar powered landscape, to the overall relaxed and accepting nature of the Dutch people.

In this episode we tool around Amsterdam, learning our way around the canals and discovering one of the worlds first planned cities! What better way to the full Holland experience than to go directly to the source of organic and delicious recipes and spend some time with our friends at Restaurant De Kas.

De Kas actually translates into greenhouse, and literally this restaurant is located directly in the middle of a greenhouse. Although it may feel like De Kas is situated in the countryside somewhere, it’s actually in center of Amsterdam.

The serene lily ponds and tall grass hosts a variety of wildlife, surrounding this one-of-a-kind gourmet restaurant in a pristine beauty that instantly relaxes the spirit. Inside, the restaurant serves a multi-course meal, either for lunch or dinner, including of course all the organic ingredients grown right there in their own greenhouse.

We interview owner Gert Jan as walks us through the greenhouse and gardens while telling us about his inspiration and epiphany for founding De Kas Restaurant. Later we visit with Walter on the larger farm just north of Amsterdam where he shows us how all the organic vegetables and berries are grown and harvested.

Then we are truly privileged to have chef Martijn prepare one of the house vegetarian specialties, the most amazing Beet Root Tart! Combined with the Organic Lemon Thyme, Greens and edible Flowers from their gardens, this is an incredible delicious, yet very simple recipe!

Make sure you make your reservations early, because such an incredible dining experience in Amsterdam has quite a long wait…but well worth it!

Katwouder Molen
Later that day we discovered a working windmill called Katwouder Molen, managed by Mr. Boulengier, learning all about the power of the wind and how it’s used to manage water levels for crops and canals. Far out stuff man! Alternative energy, invented back when all there was were alternatives!

NH Barbizon Palace
Staying in Amsterdam, there are a myriad of choices for lodging that fit every budget. On our first few days in this great city we were so fortunate to experience the warm hospitality and utter professionalism of the NH Barbizon Palace Hotel.

Being centrally located across from Central Station, this hotel property is unlike any other in the world. Having the Queen’s blessing to combine seventeen buildings together, (some of which date back to the 16th century), this ultra elegant, yet completely laid-back environment is right in the heart of it all!

Just an hour or so by fast train from Amsterdam Central Station, we find ourselves in Den Hague, the city known for housing the international Peace Palace, where world justice has its voice.

The Hague is also blessed with some incredible dining, including the first visit to Djawa, or Java in English which is an Indonesian restaurant. Located in a quaint part of the Hague, in a closed pedestrian walkway, Restaurant Djawa is hosted by Owner Ulpho van der Zalm who was gracious and warm in receiving our crew to his family-style restaurant.

Inside, Restaurant Djawa is adorned with Indonesian art and sculptures and has a close and personal charm that is unmistakable. Outside, diners are greeted by café style table settings for summer time dining.

Ulpho was kind enough to invite us into his kitchen to watch as the chefs prepared the savory, sweet and sometimes spicy delicacies. With so many dishes to choose from, starting with the Tapas-style appetizers and going all the way through to the variety of Vegetarian, Seafood and indoor barbequed Chicken, there is a perfect match for anyone in your party.

The amazing thing about Restaurant Djawa is that even with twelve to fifteen dishes filling the table- each and every one had its own distinctive aroma, garnish and taste! So when in The Hague, you definitely need to make reservations and check out Restaurant Djawa!

Also in this episode, a tour of The Hague’s museum district, including a visit to the Escher Museum! Strolling the streets and alley ways of The Hague is a cultural experience unfolding with every foot step. Sculptures large and small, sidewalk art attractions and galleries of all shapes and sizes line each street there.

Staying in The Hague is simple. The Crowne Plaza Hotel is centrally located to both the main city center and also very close to the beach at the North Sea via a quick and reliable tram system. The Crowne Plaza is a tranquil spot that offers a wide array of amenities, including deluxe accommodations, a full breakfast buffet and sauna/fitness rooms.