THE BERNARDUS EXPERIENCE

Chef Tom Schoonus, the culinary force behind Nami at Bernardus Golf.

Introduction

At Golf Kitchen, we believe that the future of private club dining is being shaped by chefs who bring global curiosity, technical mastery, and a deep respect for hospitality to the table. These are the culinary leaders redefining what a golf experience can be, not just a round of play, but a full-day immersion in food, wine, culture, and community.

At Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, that vision is embodied by Chef Tom Schoonus, a young, ambitious, globally influenced chef whose journey from childhood curiosity to Michelin-level leadership has helped make Bernardus one of Europe’s most compelling golf and lifestyle destinations.

This is his story, and the story of a property where golf, cuisine, wine, and hospitality come together as one unforgettable experience.

A Childhood Spark

From the time he was six years old, Tom Schoonus knew exactly where he belonged: in a kitchen, surrounded by pots, pans, and the thrill of creating something from nothing. “I was always making things, most of them terrible,” he laughs. But even then, the spark was unmistakable.

When Jamie Oliver burst onto Dutch television, Tom found a culinary hero. The energy, the accessibility, the joy, it all made sense. By thirteen, he was working in a local snack bar and attending culinary school, determined to turn curiosity into craft. 

“I knew early that if I became a chef, I wanted to be one of the best, not just good enough.”
​~Chef Tom Schoonus.

The Amstel Awakening

At eighteen, Tom stepped into the legendary Amstel Hotel, then home to two Michelin stars. The experience was transformative, and it shaped everything that followed. “The perfection there was unbelievable,” he says. “I learned what it takes to be truly great, and also what kind of chef I didn’t want to become.”

The long days and relentless pressure shaped him, but they didn’t harden him. Instead, they clarified his values: excellence without ego, discipline without cruelty, and a kitchen where people could work hard and still enjoy the craft. It was also where he met the mentor who changed his life, the chef who later brought him to Brabant, then to Bernardus, and helped him step into the role of chef. Within ten months, Tom earned a Michelin star.

Sabine Riezebos, General Manager of Bernardus Golf.

Becoming Bernardus

Eight years ago, Tom arrived at Bernardus as a sous chef. Today, he is the culinary voice of a property recognized as the best golf course in the Netherlands for three consecutive years, and that evolution shapes everything here.

“A golf course works almost like a big hotel,” he explains. “Events, restaurants, cafés, large-scale service. We tried things, we failed sometimes, but we learned. And now we do it well.”

Bernardus is not a typical golf club, and Tom is not a typical golf club chef. His approach is global and seasonal, rooted in the belief that food should elevate the entire golf experience.

Nami: A New Identity

Following a major renovation in April, Bernardus unveiled Nami, a restaurant concept inspired by Nikkei cuisine — the vibrant intersection of Japanese precision and Peruvian heat. The new direction feels natural for Tom’s vision.

Tom’s connection to the style is personal. Over the past several years, he has traveled extensively through South America — Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, Argentina, Mexico — tasting, studying, absorbing.

“Every flavor I tried there stayed with me,” he says. “The freshness, the acidity, the peppers, the herbs, it all made sense with what we were already doing.”

Nami is built on brightness, fire, and shareable plates, refined yet joyful, elegant yet approachable.

The Solheim Cup Stage

As Bernardus prepares to host the Solheim Cup, Tom’s role expands beyond the restaurant. The clubhouse becomes the heart of hospitality, a VIP environment where guests enjoy Bernardus wine and a steady flow of dishes inspired by Nami.

“People should be able to watch golf, relax, and enjoy great food all day,” Tom says. “It should feel like one of the best days of their lives.” His team will also prepare meals for the Junior PING Cup players, a responsibility he takes seriously. “They need good food to perform,” he says.

The intimate counter-style dining room at Nami, Bernardus Golf’s Michelin-starred Nikkei restaurant. Open from Wednesday to Sunday. Photography by Bluemonque Creatives.

The Wine Legacy

Wine is deeply woven into Bernardus’s identity. The vineyard sits in California’s Carmel Valley, where Bernardus wines were first produced in the 1980s and 90s, and the golf course’s owner later connected with the vineyard’s founder to create a unified lifestyle brand.

Today, Bernardus wines are sold widely in the United States, and the brand continues to innovate, including a new nonalcoholic rosé bubble created for the Solheim Cup.

Inside Nami, Tom works closely with the restaurant’s new sommelier, Kostas, who brings a global perspective and ambitious vision.

“We want to be on the great wine lists in the coming years,” Tom says. “That’s a dream for us.”

“The wine, the food, the golf, it all belongs together. It’s one experience.”
~Edwin Bernardus Marketing Team.

A Team That Thinks Differently

Much of Bernardus’ evolution is driven by a leadership team willing to think beyond traditional golf club boundaries. A key figure is Sabine Riezebos, whose hospitality-driven approach has helped shape the property’s identity.

“She didn’t come from the golf world,” Tom says. “And maybe that’s our biggest advantage. We weren’t stuck in the box of what a golf course is supposed to be. We wanted to be different.”

Her vision, combined with the operational expertise of colleagues like Nala, has created a culture where golf and dining are intertwined with expressions of the Bernardus lifestyle.

Challenges and Momentum

Despite its prestige, Bernardus faces the same staffing challenges seen across the global hospitality industry. The property sits twenty minutes from the nearest town, and transportation barriers make recruitment difficult.

Still, the momentum is undeniable. The restaurant, the wine program, the golf course, and the hospitality vision are no longer separate entities; they are intentionally woven together into a single lifestyle experience.

“Everything should feel equally important,” the team says. “Golf, food, wine, service, it all creates a memory for a lifetime.”

A Global Connection

As our conversation wound down, we spoke about the global reach of the golf and culinary world, a world where a magazine printed in the UK can end up on a luxury yacht in Monaco, where chefs collaborate across continents, and where a truffle producer in New York can send a gift package to a chef in the Netherlands simply because the connection feels right.

Tom smiled at that. The idea that Bernardus, with its wine, its restaurant, its terrace, its Solheim Cup stage, could be part of that global conversation clearly resonated with him.

Eight years in, Tom has become more than the chef of Bernardus; he has become one of the defining voices shaping its future, and the journey feels only just beginning.

THE BERNARDUS EXPERIENCE

A place where golf, cuisine, wine, and hospitality come together as one unforgettable journey.

Full story with recipes in our digital edition. 

The Solheim Cup trophy at Bernardus Golf, host venue for the 2026 tournament.