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A Conversation with the Michelin-Starred Restaurant Triptyque on the Balance Between Technological Innovation and Craftsmanship in the Kitchen of Tomorrow
At the Michelin-starred Restaurant Triptyque in Wateringen—named Vegetable Restaurant of the Year 2026 by Gault&Millau—vegetables have played the leading role for years. Chef Niven van Bronckhorst-Kunz and co-owner Virginie van Bronckhorst-Kunz work according to the 80/20 principle: 80 percent vegetables on the plate, complemented by 20 percent fish or meat. At the outset, this style of cooking was far from commonplace, but it has since secured a firm place in the world of fine dining. This approach demonstrates how innovation takes shape at Triptyque: stemming from a clear vision of cooking, with the ingredients and the chef’s creativity as the starting point. At the same time, the professional kitchen is becoming increasingly sophisticated and precise. The question, therefore, is not whether technology plays a role, but where that role ends. When does technology enhance craftsmanship, and when does it threaten to supplant the chef’s creativity and intuition? In conversation with ATAG, Niven and Virginie share their vision of the balance between craftsmanship and innovation in the kitchen of tomorrow.
Both in professional kitchens and at home, increasingly advanced cooking options are becoming available. Appliances offer greater control over the cooking process and can help bring culinary ideas to life with greater precision. Yet, according to Niven and Virginie, true innovation doesn’t start with what an appliance can do, but with knowledge of the product, creativity, and mastery of the craft.
‘You never come up with a dish just because an oven can do something’, says Niven. ‘It works the other way around: I start with the ingredient and then figure out the best way to prepare it and what techniques I have at my disposal.‘
Triptyque recently underwent a renovation, during which the kitchen was also completely refurbished. Since the new kitchen opened, the Triptyque team has been able to control cooking processes down to the exact degree. For example, salmon can now be cooked to the exact desired temperature. That precision doesn’t change where a dish begins, but it does change how a culinary idea can be brought to life. ‘If you can prepare something with greater precision, you’ll also start working differently,’, Niven explains. ‘You’ll have more opportunities to put an idea into practice and further refine a recipe.’
Greater technical capabilities do not, therefore, automatically lead to greater creativity, but they can provide opportunities to explore new cooking methods. It is precisely in this approach that Triptyque and ATAG find common ground: craftsmanship remains the foundation, while smart technology helps both professionals and home cooks to cook with greater precision and care.
According to Niven and Virginie, not every development is automatically an enrichment. They see a particular risk—especially with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence—that new possibilities will be used without the necessary expertise.
‘More and more young chefs are using ChatGPT to look up complicated molecular techniques, even though they don’t know how to sear a piece of meat or boil a simple potato,’, says Virginie. ‘Then you’re skipping over the fundamentals entirely. AI can be a valuable tool, but it shouldn’t replace that foundational knowledge.’
It is precisely a thorough understanding of ingredients and flavor combinations, combined with a solid command of fundamental cooking techniques, that makes it possible to consciously apply new techniques. Only then does innovation enhance craftsmanship, rather than replace it. This applies not only to the cooking itself: the attention given to the guest and the creativity behind every dish remain the work of human hands.
The fact that, according to Triptyque, innovation begins with vision and product is evident from the 80/20 principle that Niven has been applying for years. This approach centers on sustainability and culinary quality: less meat and fish, and more emphasis on vegetables and carefully selected ingredients. What was once innovative—and sometimes met with resistance—has since become a much more natural part of the fine dining scene.
‘For me, the challenge lies in elevating a potato, a leek, or a beet,’, Niven says. ‘As a chef, you can be much more creative with that than when you start with lobster or langoustine.’
It’s not just what’s on the plate that’s changing; guests are also seeking more flexibility in how they dine out. Whether it’s a compact three-course lunch, a few smaller dishes in the evening, or a full-course dinner: the meal should suit the occasion. ‘People want flexibility,’, Virginie says. ‘They don’t want to spend more time at the table if they don’t feel like it at that moment.’
Affordability is currently playing a bigger role in guests' decisions. According to Virginie, this not only leads to a greater need for flexibility, but also to more conscious choices: better quality, even if it means less of it.
The collaboration between Triptyque and ATAG clearly reflects a shared commitment to quality and design. ‘ATAG pays a lot of attention to how something works, but also to how it looks,’, says Virginie. ‘That’s exactly what we do at the restaurant: we want the best food on the plate, but it has to look good, too.’
That combination is also evident in the restaurant itself. Triptyque has installed three ATAG 3-zone wine climate cabinets on the premises, in which wines are stored under precisely controlled conditions. The wine climate cabinets complement the restaurant’s open layout, where guests can see the sommelier at work right in the middle of the dining area.
ATAG's Dutch origins also play a role. ‘We enjoy working with local products and partners. The fact that ATAG is a Dutch brand makes this partnership an especially good fit for us.’
Looking ahead, Niven and Virginie remain committed to the conviction with which they began years ago. ‘I still firmly believe in the 80/20 rule,’, says Niven. ‘Less meat and fish, but make sure it’s good quality.’
According to Triptyque, the future lies not in “more,” but in “better”: a greater focus on vegetables and a deeper appreciation for the quality and origin of ingredients. At the same time, Niven and Virginie hope that the barrier to fine dining will continue to disappear.
‘Many people find dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant intimidating or too fancy, even though the dishes often feature very familiar ingredients,’, Virginie says. ‘I hope it becomes more common to stop by for a three-course meal as well.’
For more information about Triptyque and ATAG, visit: www.triptyque.nl and www.atag.nl
