Herman van Ham
Birth date16 April 1931[1]
Birth placeNijehaske, The Netherlands
Death date2 August 2012 (aged 81)
Death placeWellerlooi, The Netherlands[2]
Known forMichelin star
EmployerHostellerie De Hamert
OccupationChef
SuccessorBertus Liefting[3]
PartnerRiek Schoester

Herman van Ham (16 April 1931 – 2 August 2012) was a Dutch head chef. He worked in the Michelin starred Hostellerie De Hamert, in Wellerlooi, the Netherlands, when it earned his stars in the period 1963-1989.

In 1952, Van Ham started working at De Hamert as an assistant. Soon after that he took over as head chef and stayed till his retirement in 1988.[4]

Herman van Ham specialized in asparagus to such an extent that he had several nicknames related to this. He was named as De Ongekroonde Koning van de Asperge (Eng.:The uncrowned king of Asparagus),[5] Asperge Paus (Eng.:Asparagus Pope)[6] and Mister Asperge (Eng.: Mister Asparagus).[7] One of his famous asparagus dishes was the "Cocktail Prins Alexander", a combination of chicken, asparagus and oranges, created in 1967 in celebration of the birth of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange.[8][9]

After his retirement, Van Ham started collecting asparagus dishes. His collection went on display in Keramiekcentrum Tiendschuur Tegelen in 2012 under the name "Het keramische bedje voor de asperge." (Eng.: The ceramic bed for the asparagus.)[10] Earlier, in 2008, his collection was on display in Aspergemuseum De Locht[11]

Herman van Ham died on 2 August 2012, after an illness.[12]

Awards

  • Michelin star 1963–1988[13]
  • Prix d'Escoffier de l'Alliance Gastronomique Néerlandaise/Alliance-Escoffier Prijs: 1988[14]
  • Chevalier de Confrérie de l'asperge de Limbourgondie[15]
  • Eremedaille in goud Oranje Nassau[16]
  • Chevalier de Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.[17]

Books

  • Het aspergesboek : heerlijke gerechten met de koningin der groenten; Wiel Basten and Herman van Ham, M & P, 1989[18]
  • Het aspergeboek; Herman van Ham and Wiel Basten, Van Dishoeck, 2005[19]
  • Het aspergekookboek; Herman van Ham and Wiel Basten, Van Reemst, 1998[20]

References

  1. ^ (in Dutch) Rouwkaart
  2. ^ "Herman van Ham overleden" (in Dutch). Dagblad de Limburger. 4 August 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  3. ^ Huygens, Stan (6 May 1989). "Een heerlijke spijs voor lekkerbekken" (in Dutch). De Telegraaf. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  4. ^ Leonards, Rik (6 August 2012). "Herman van Ham overleden" (in Dutch). Misset Horeca. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Hollandse asperges produkt koude grond" (in Dutch). Limburgsch Dagblad. 17 April 1991. Retrieved 6 August 2012.[dead link]
  6. ^ Klompenhouwer, Huub (12 May 1990). "Asperges sporen absoluut niet met onze zuinige volksaard" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  7. ^ "'Aspergepionier' Herman van Ham overleden" (in Dutch). Horeca Entree. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  8. ^ Leonards, Rik (6 August 2012). "Herman van Ham overleden" (in Dutch). Misset Horeca. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Herman van Ham overleden" (in Dutch). Dagblad de Limburger. 4 August 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  10. ^ (in Dutch) Het keramische bedje voor de asperge.[dead link]
  11. ^ (in Dutch) Aspergeschalen
  12. ^ "Limburgse aspergekok Van Ham overleden" (in Dutch). Dagblad De Limburger. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Kasteel Wittem en De Hamert leveren Michelin-ster in" (in Dutch). Limburgsch Dagblad. 23 February 1990. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  14. ^ "Chef-kok van 'de Hamert' onderscheiden" (in Dutch). Limburgsch Dagblad. 12 November 1986. Retrieved 6 August 2012.[dead link]
  15. ^ (in Dutch) Herman van (de) Ham(ert) Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Interview with Herman van Ham. Better source requested.
  16. ^ (in Dutch) Rouwkaart
  17. ^ Huygens, Stan (29 December 1992). "Smullen op Curaçao" (in Dutch). De Telegraaf. Retrieved 6 August 2012.[dead link]
  18. ^ Worldcat - Het aspergesboek : heerlijke gerechten met de koningin der groenten
  19. ^ Worldcat - Het Aspergeboek
  20. ^ Worldcat - Het aspergekookboek