Afro-Surinamese restaurant opens at Science Park: “Everyone knows roti, but not moksi alesi”
This week, Diana Gambier (61) opened the second branch of her Afro-Surinamese vegan restaurant The Old Soul in Lab42. This is an attempt by the UvA to make catering more sustainable and affordable. “We already lowered the price last week, because people were shocked when they got to the till.”
The corner café of the brand-new Lab42 building has been given a splash of colour. Paintings on the bar, artificial flowers and murals brighten up the previously sterile space. Chef and owner Diana Gambier (61), who has been running the café since this week, brought them in.
Diana, how did you end up here?
“In my restaurant The Old Soul on Hobbemakade in Oud-Zuid, I had a visit from Cirfood (caterer at the UvA, ed.). They told me they were looking for a plant-based concept for the UvA and asked if I was interested. It later turned out that a guest at our restaurant had told Cirfood: you should ask her! I still don’t know which UvA employee that was.”
You worked as a quality manager at KPN for a long time. Why did you decide to change course?
“I was becoming increasingly unhappy in what I was doing and found myself wondering more and more: is this it? I didn’t have to worry about money, but I was missing something. Being creative, working with my hands. I had been doing Surinamese catering for fifteen years and wanted to expand that. When a reorganisation reached my department, I said: I’m leaving.”
Why do you cook vegan?
“I had already stopped eating red meat myself, because of everything that’s going on with animals: swine fever, mad cow disease, bird flu... I didn’t want that in my body. And I didn’t fancy a traditional Surinamese restaurant, what would you add to that? I wanted to be distinctive. Then my daughter said: why not go plant-based? So I started working with tofu, tempeh and beans. For the bakkeljauw (salted and dried cod eaten in heri heri), I use jackfruit with nori sheets and oyster mushrooms.”
What is your favourite dish?
“The pom. A Surinamese oven dish with Creole-Jewish roots. It is made from pomtayer, a tuber from South America.”
How do people react to vegan food?
“People in the Surinamese community are particularly sceptical because we eat a lot of meat, especially chicken. Many people cannot imagine that plant-based food can be tasty, but we prove the opposite. Onions, garlic, allspice and
Madame Jeanette (chilli pepper, ed.) add a lot of flavour.”
“But in general, the reactions are positive. Although there are a few people who, when offered almond milk, oat milk or soya milk with their coffee, say: don’t you have normal milk? I really want to say: “but this is normal”. But we’ve added cow’s milk anyway, because we don’t want to exclude anyone.”
“We do invite people to simply try plant-based food. Many people are resistant to the idea from the outset. But try it first, and judge later.”
How much does lunch cost and how do you keep it affordable?
“A good lunch here costs between €8 and €12. We have a hot buffet with salads. For €2.90 per 100 grams, you can eat everything on offer. We already lowered the price last week because people were shocked at the till.”
“We want to keep it affordable for students. That’s why we try to buy locally and visit the farmers. It’s more affordable than buying from wholesalers. But then again, I have to pay my staff and my mortgage.”
“Because that’s ultimately my goal: to make vegan Afro-Surinamese cuisine accessible to everyone. Everyone knows roti, but almost no one knows Creole moksi alesi, mixed rice with beans or vegetables.”
Is it already taking off?
“We are new and we need to do something to make ourselves known here. Not only among UvA staff and students, but also in the neighbourhood. I just want people to come here to enjoy a good meal and for the place to be packed at lunchtime: that is my wish. And we are still actively looking for students who want to work in the restaurant: here and at the Hobbemakade. So hereby: please apply.”
