Meet the Chefs

ERIK VAN ALPHEN

Erik Van Alphen was born in The Netherlands in 1956 and spent his formative years training as a classical French chef, working with some of the best European chefs in the world including Alain Chapel, Alain Senderens and Francois Thurier. 

Erik’s love affair with Australia began with a year long contract teaching French cuisine.  He went on to spend the next decade in some of Sydney and Melbourne’s highest profile restaurants including Le Trianon and eventually setting up Gekko’s in Sydney’s Neutral Bay.

Unable to resist the lure of Europe, Erik returned with an ‘east meets west’ concept introducing Australian and Asian produce to old European traditions in what we know today as ‘Modern Australian Cuisine’.  In 1990, he was involved in the opening of Sydney Street, one of London’s first Australian restaurants offering a combination of Australian & French ingredients.  Sydney Street achieved outstanding success with a Michelin star and attracting many high profile celebrities including Princess Diana.  Erik repeated this concept with The Lido in Amsterdam with the first importation of Australian and Pacific Rim produce to a European restaurant.  The Lido was also awarded a Michelin star.

Always conflicted between working in the busy, bright lights of Europe and living in the vast green spaces of Australia, Erik is now fulfilling his passion for teaching and is dedicated to passing on his professional skills and love of fresh Australian ingredients.