4 - Recognised
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De Heeren van Montfoort has documented responsible practices across sourcing, seasonal cooking, waste and energy management, and staff development, and holds a Green Key certificate for its Montfoort premises.
Sourcing is built on named producers in the Utrecht region: meat from Van der Zee Horecaslager and from Den Houdijker, which works with Heydehoeve for pork and Groene Hart for poultry on animal welfare grounds; organic bread from Carl Siegert; cheese from Doruvael; ice cream from IJsboerderij De Morgen, made from the milk of its own herd; and apples, pears and seasonal produce from the Vlooswijk orchards. The menu follows that calendar through the year, and the season decides which fish is served. Fish is bought only from catches the supplier confirms as responsibly landed, and the house lists organic dairy, tea, coffee and wine, and states that a fully organic menu can be served on request.
On waste and energy the building separates plastic, cardboard and glass, buys in bulk rather than single portions, has moved to LED lighting with movement sensors, insulated its pipes and fabric, and fitted water saving taps and a dishwashing line that reuses water between zones. Cleaning products carry an environmental label and reservation correspondence is handled digitally. The stated aim is carbon neutral operation by 2030.
Staff development is set out in the same terms. The house is a recognised training company for culinary apprenticeships, funds external qualifications such as sommelier and barista courses, guarantees full time staff two consecutive days off each week, takes carers, parents and religious observance into account when rostering, and runs an anonymous staff satisfaction survey with follow up actions.
The impact dimensions
Low waste & circular practices✓
Sustainable animal products
Six named regional suppliers across meat, bread, cheese, ice cream and fruit, all within the Utrecht region.
The restaurant's responsibility page names six regional suppliers: Van der Zee Horecaslager and Den Houdijker for meat; Carl Siegert for organic bread; Doruvael for cheese; IJsboerderij De Morgen for ice cream from its own herd's milk; and Vlooswijk Fruit for apples, pears and seasonal produce.
Den Houdijker works with Heydehoeve for pork and Groene Hart for poultry, and Doruvael's cheese carries a regional product award from 2004. All suppliers are Utrecht region businesses chosen, as the restaurant states, for freshness and shorter transport distances.
Strongest source Restaurant submission
À la carte card changes regularly with seasonal products; season determines which fish is served.
The restaurant states that the à la carte card changes regularly with seasonal products and the kitchen cooks with fresh seasonal ingredients. The responsibility material specifies that the season decides which fish is served.
Editorial coverage notes dishes including beetroot salad with chioggia and golden beets, risotto with mushrooms, sea bass with sea vegetables, braised veal cheek, and venison, all consistent with the Dutch autumn and winter calendar.
Strongest source Restaurant submission
Green Key certified since 2016, with separation of plastic, cardboard and glass, LED lighting with movement sensors, water recycling through the dishwashing system, and a carbon neutral target by 2030.
De Heeren van Montfoort holds a Green Key certificate for its Montfoort premises, certified since 2016. Green Key is an audited standard covering waste, energy and water management with named partners and technologies.
Waste practices include separation of plastic, cardboard and glass, bulk purchasing instead of single portions, digital reservation correspondence, double-sided printing on certified paper, and linen hand towels via Initial. Energy and water measures include a full LED conversion with movement sensors, insulated pipes and building fabric, high-performance glazing, efficient appliances, sensor taps, water-recycling dishwashing, and a stated carbon-neutral target by 2030.
Named meat suppliers with welfare emphasis; organic dairy from own-herd producer; responsibly caught fish.
Meat is traced to two named suppliers with welfare commitment. Van der Zee Horecaslager selects meat on animal welfare, responsible feed and lower carbon emissions. Den Houdijker works with Heydehoeve for pork and Groene Hart for poultry, both emphasising welfare-conscious production.
Dairy sourcing is named: IJsboerderij De Morgen makes ice cream from its own herd's milk, and the restaurant lists organic dairy products. Fish is sourced from supplies the restaurant confirms as responsibly caught, with the supplier advising the kitchen on selection.
Strongest source Restaurant submission
Recognised training company with apprenticeships; external qualifications funded; two consecutive days off per week guaranteed; suppliers paid within 14 days.
The restaurant is a recognised training company for culinary and hospitality programmes, running apprenticeships with mentoring roles for experienced staff. It funds external qualifications for employees including sommelier, barista and leadership courses, and maintains personal development plans.
Rostering is explicit: at least two consecutive days off per week for full-time staff, at least one national holiday off during double holidays, and accommodation for carers, parents and religious observance. Formal appraisal interviews are held, and an anonymous employee satisfaction survey with external HR support generates follow-up actions. The restaurant employs around 50 people and pays suppliers within 14 days.
Strongest source Restaurant submission
Vegetarian dishes available on both lunch and dinner menus; several can be ordered as vegetarian versions of standard dishes; no vegan options documented.
The lunch menu offers six items flagged as available in vegetarian versions: mustard soup, club sandwich, eggs benedict, omelette, caprese and the high lunch. The remaining lunch items centre on carpaccio, dry-aged beef, salmon, tuna and shrimp.
On the dinner menu, dishes marked with a tick can be ordered vegetarian, and dedicated vegetarian plates exist in the beetroot salad starter and risotto main, while mains otherwise feature venison, sea bass and braised veal cheek. Vegan options are not documented on any published menu.
Strongest source Restaurant submission
Sourcing signals
✓
Direct named-farm sourcing
Six named regional suppliers are listed on the responsibility page, including Van der Zee Horecaslager, Den Houdijker (with Heydehoeve for pork and Groene Hart for poultry), Carl Siegert for bread, Doruvael for cheese, IJsboerderij De Morgen for ice cream, and Vlooswijk Fruit for orchard fruit. All are verified Utrecht region producers.
The lunch card states that all dishes and sauces are made in house, the basis for accommodating gluten, milk and nut allergies.
