4 - Recognised
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The kitchen demonstrates strong practice across five areas of responsible cooking, earning a four-planet rating. Ingredients are sourced from named regional producers, including Boerderij Landzicht, a Dutch organic family farm, and Dapp, a company based in Utrecht that makes organic fries and delivers by cargo bike. The menu follows the seasons, built around what is available from local growers and organic suppliers.
Waste reduction is structured around specific partnerships: The Clique collects separated residuals several times a week, converting coffee grounds into oyster mushroom cultivation and orange peels into hand soap. The restaurant runs on green energy and uses biodegradable packaging. The entire menu is built around plants, with every dish vegan by default and Dutch Cuisine 'Biodiversity on Your Plate' membership confirming a commitment to biodiversity across the menu.
Gys won the Gaia Green Award in 2017, recognising it as one of the most responsible restaurants in the Netherlands, and was a finalist again in 2023. The restaurant holds the EKO Quality Mark Horeca Gold for 100% organic food.
The impact dimensions
Low waste & circular practices✓
Sustainable animal products✓
Named local suppliers (Boerderij Landzicht, Dapp, Budels Brewery) and sourcing partnership with Udea organic wholesaler.
Gys names several local and regional suppliers: Boerderij Landzicht Biologisch (organic Dutch family farm), Dapp (Utrecht based organic fries, delivered by cargo bike), Budels Brewery (local, organic, climate neutral), and De Groene Slijter (wine).
Udea, an organic wholesaler, supplies most of their products, working with local farmers with fair pricing. The Dutch Cuisine 'Biodiversity on Your Plate' membership reflects a commitment to local, biodiversity-friendly sourcing across an estimated 30 to 50% of key categories.
Menu changes regularly with seasonal availability; Dutch Cuisine membership confirms seasonal practice.
The restaurant states the menu changes regularly based on seasonal produce availability, describing 'seasonal dishes that change frequently, ensuring fresh, exciting flavours.'
The Dutch Cuisine 'Biodiversity on Your Plate' membership supports a seasonal approach, confirming seasonal practice across the menu.
Structured waste partnership (The Clique), upcycling (coffee to mushrooms, peels to soap), green energy, recycled materials; Gaia Green Award winner.
The kitchen works with The Clique to collect separated residuals multiple times weekly. Coffee grounds are converted into oyster mushroom cultivation, orange peels are processed into hand soap, and doggy bags are encouraged. Packaging is entirely biodegradable, and Dapp delivers organic fries by cargo bike.
Green energy powers the restaurant. Furniture is made from recycled materials and fallen tree wood, with renovation by Groengebouwd (a green furniture maker). The restaurant won the Gaia Green Award in 2017 and was a finalist in 2023, recognising its environmental practices.
Fully plant-based kitchen; dimension not applicable.
Gys is a fully plant-based restaurant. No meat, poultry, fish or seafood appears on any menu. The only animal products available are optional cow's milk for coffee and an optional egg with shakshuka.
Per the SEERO rubric, this dimension does not apply to fully plant-based kitchens. The restaurant qualifies for a covered dimension marking through this plant-based design.
Stated workplace values and community programmes (Sustainable Sundays, Community Table).
The Our Story page expresses workplace values: 'a workplace where you can develop yourself, earn a good salary, and truly make a difference.' The restaurant also runs 'Sustainable Sundays' plant-based breakfast events and a 'Community Table' tasting programme.
Fully plant-based since 2019; every dish vegan by default; independently confirmed.
Gys is fully plant-based by design. Every dish on the menu is vegan by default, with only optional cow's milk for coffee and an optional egg with shakshuka. The kitchen's identity is centred around plant-based comfort food: mushroom satay, celeriac steak, tempeh kapsalon, loaded fries. The restaurant has been fully vegetarian since December 2019.
Dutch Cuisine 'Biodiversity on Your Plate' membership confirms at least 50% biodiversity-friendly dishes. The Green List describes Gys as certified organic and plant-based. Visit Utrecht Region (tourism board) categorises it as specialising in 'vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free comfort food.'
Sourcing signals
✓
Certified organic ingredients
✓
Direct named-farm sourcing
✓
Low-impact beverage program
EKO Quality Mark Horeca Gold 100%, certified by Skal Biocontrole; all ingredients and products certified organic (Dutch organic equivalent to EU organic).
Boerderij Landzicht Biologisch (Dutch organic family farm), Dapp (Utrecht, organic fries, bike delivery), Budels Brewery (local, organic, climate neutral), De Groene Slijter (wine).
All food and beverages homemade from certified organic products; exceptions named: fries from Dapp, wine from De Groene Slijter, beverages from NapKing.
Homemade lemonades and juices (craft sodas); Budels Brewery supplies organic, climate-neutral local beer; De Groene Slijter named wine supplier.
