After completing culinary school in the Netherlands, Freek (pronounced “Frake”) Van Den Brenk went backpacking and adventuring for several years throughout Australia, Southeast Asia, Europe, Canada, the United States and South America. He got a taste of the world, and a taste of its cuisine, before ending up on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, preparing food at a beach club.
“As Curaçao is a Dutch island, it was easy to get a work visa,” Van Den Brenk says. “My life was fun, but I knew I needed more of a challenge.”
Curaçao is a popular cruise ship port, and Van Den Brenk applied for a line cook position on the upmarket Seabourn line. He ended up aboard a ship for three years—and met his future wife among the crew. Then,…
