Amsterdam (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Jonnie Boer, renowned Dutch chef of De Librije, passed away from pulmonary embolism. His death saddened the culinary world, with tributes from chefs and Michelin.
Jonnie Boer, a famous Dutch chef and owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant De Librije, died on April 24, 2025, on Bonaire. He died from a pulmonary embolism. Jonnie and his wife, Thérèse, were known for their restaurant, which became a symbol of great food in the Netherlands.
Many people are sad about Jonnie’s death. People are putting flowers at De Librije to remember him and all the things he did. De Librije was a very famous restaurant that was known for being one of the best in the Netherlands..
How did Jonnie Boer’s death impact the culinary world?
Jonnie Boer’s family and the world of cooking are very sad about his death. His children, Jimmie and Isabelle, worked with him at the restaurant. Chef Nelson Tanate, who also worked with Jonnie, is also very sad. Many famous chefs are sending their condolences.
Chef Roger van Damme said,
“Man, man, your words are beautiful. My condolences.”
Nick Bril said,
“Strength to all of you.”
Gert De Mangeleer said,
“Rest in peace hero.”
Inge Wales said Jonnie
“brought Dutch gastronomy to great heights.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve given me. I’m going to make you proud, even if you don’t see it. See you soon, old man,”
Jimmie writes on an Instagram photo with his father.
Isabelle Boer shares a photo,
“My dear daddy, how can this be… Can’t wait until we can toast together again. Love you.”
More chefs and people in the food world are talking about how important Jonnie Boer was. People from Michelin said it was “particularly sad” news. Werner Lons, who used to work for Michelin, said Jonnie was very important to Dutch cooking. He said Jonnie was a great chef and a special person.
Lons also said Jonnie used local food and wild plants in his cooking, which made him unique. Chef Hans van Wolde, who also has 2 Michelin stars, said he was cooking with tears in his eyes. Many people are very sad about Jonnie Boer’s death. Marcelo Ballardin emphasises that Jonnie Boer was “ahead of his time”.
“Thank you for inspiring a whole generation”.
Filip Clays of De Jonkman calls it
“a black day”: “There are no words for it”.
Jonnie started working at De Librije in 1987 and became the head chef 2 years later. He and Thérèse took over the restaurant in 1993 and made it very successful. De Librije earned 3 Michelin stars, which is the highest rating a restaurant can get.
Jonnie Boer’s restaurant, De Librije, was originally in a building that used to be a monastery in Zwolle. In 2015, they moved it to a building that was once a women’s prison. They also added a hotel there.
Jonnie and Thérèse were always looking for new ways to do things, but they never forgot where they came from. They opened restaurants in Bonaire and Curacao, which made them even more famous around the world.
2 months ago, he told De Telegraaf:
“After working very hard, we are now gradually taking a step back. It is nice when something that we have built up over 35 years can remain in the family.”
