The cold-smoked salmon from Bistrot Neuf’s menu has made lots of people come back over and over again. We wondered what’s the secret behind it?
As part of our commitment to make high-quality, authentic food, Neuf’s team travels around the country to understand the origin and the preparation of the different menu’s items. Where do the products come from and what’s the process before food lands on our guests’ plate? As maintaining a high quality is closely guarded by the Chef, it is paramount to only work with honest people who love their profession.
So, in order to learn more about our delicious and perfectly smoked salmon, we went to meet and greet the people we buy it from, at the fish market on IJ Muiden, 30 km from Amsterdam.
For three generations, the Smeding family has been smoking fresh fish – and still do this by hand. Together with the whole team, we marveled at this unique process.
Despite the increasing mechanization that takes place everywhere, the Smeding family stay committed to their old-fashioned, traditional family methods. They have been smoking fish by the hand since 1933, an expertise that is nearly dead in the Netherlands. According to the Smeding family, smoking by the hand is always better as it allows great control over the entire smoking process, which ultimately results in a higher quality smoked fish.
All year-round fish like mackerel, butterfish, salmon and herring is smoked here. In the season you also find the red mullet in the smoking rooms, and if consumers want to have other kind of fish smoked, they are welcomed to ask for it so that the smoker can prepare it by request.
Despite the traditional, unaltered method of the family business, the Smeding’s keep up with their consumers’ preferences. They have fully renovated their store where they also sell their smoked fish. It’s a great place where visitors can enjoy a freshly baked fish with French fries or just grab a drink. In addition to the love for smoking, the love for Elvis Presley cannot be missed. Next to the smoking rooms, you will find a fully equipped (and well-stocked) bar in Elvis-style including a jukebox that will take you back to the Rock ‘n Roll time.
Get the full experience by taking a trip on one of Smeding fishing boats, to search for mackerel yourself. We did this, and it was a blast! We went on fishing boats, equipped with fishing rods and bait (and beer ?), searching for our own mackerel. The hooked fish only never made it to the Smokery as our chef filleted and divided the fish on the boat to the staff right away. There is no way, you’ll get your fish any fresher than this!
If you don’t have time to go boating and fishing with the Smeding’s, just pop by at Bistrot Neuf to taste our delicious cold-smoked salmon. Trust our word! You’ll love it.
