In our Faces of De Plantage series, we get to know the people behind the Plantage neighborhood. This time we speak with Remi Oerlemans, owner of De Deli Plantage on the Plantage Middenlaan. An entrepreneur with a long career in events and marketing, who now pours his energy into a welcoming neighborhood café where experience and quality come first.
Who are you and what do you do? What gives you energy in your work?
I get energy from creating things that don’t yet exist – adding something that makes people experience more than they expected. I learned that from twenty years of organizing events: under-promise, over-deliver. In hospitality, it’s exactly the same: the right timing, the right atmosphere, quality on the plate, and someone who asks at just the right moment if you’d like something more. That’s when I think: this was worth it.
How did De Deli come about?
When we started under the name Borrl Kitchen, we were searching for what truly worked. During the pandemic, we changed everything: opened the doors, added delicacies, turned on the music, fired up the grill, and created a walking route – in short, an experience. It immediately resonated with the neighborhood. After that came a rebranding, and more recently a rapid renovation in just 14 days. Now we have a venue that can move forward for years to come.
How would you describe your way of doing business?
Entrepreneurship is about doing: changing, moving, and adjusting when something isn’t right. We learn, adapt, and stay close to what we personally enjoy and believe in. That keeps us sharp and engaged.
What are you most proud of?
That we’ve created a place where quality and hospitality come together – and that the neighborhood has embraced us. For five years we also did the catering for RTL Laat, which was recorded just around the corner; a great proof that we can deliver at a high level.
What might neighborhood fans not yet know about you (but should)?
We open at 8 AM and bake our own viennoiserie: we let the dough rise ourselves and only bake it off afterward.
You can also celebrate your birthday or evening drinks with us: after 6 PM, the place is exclusively yours, with a clear all-inclusive price upfront.
Deli = eat & take away: everything you taste here – from quality hams to pickled vegetables – is also available to take home as delicacies. And in December, we prepare unique festive deli gift boxes.
What is your hidden gem in the Plantage?
The little wall by the flamingos in ARTIS. Sitting there, watching, breathing – it’s wonderful. That’s where my best ideas are born.
What does the Plantage community mean to you?
You can’t do this alone. It’s the connection between entrepreneurs, museums, and residents that creates the magic. It might just be the most beautiful neighborhood in Amsterdam – and you can feel that pride everywhere.
The previous interviewee, Melvin Creemers from the City of Amsterdam, had a question for you:
“Which sandwich best represents the Plantage, and why?”
Our Deli Baked Bun (Sabich). It’s a rich mix: homemade pickled vegetables, soft egg, amba sauce, crispy eggplant – and we press the bun in a Korean sandwich grill. You taste four or five layers: tangy, creamy, warm, and crunchy – just like the Plantage itself: a blend of worlds and cultures.
Who would you like to pass the baton to, and what would you ask them?
To the H’ART Museum. You transformed from a traditional to a new museological concept. How did you make that transition work in practice – and what was the key element that kept everything connected?