The men were born and raised in Den Helder, along with their brother Bram, also a well-known hospitality entrepreneur in the city. Kees has always continued to live here. Chef Mario lived in Alkmaar for two and a half years. “Because of work. But eventually, I came back anyway. That had to do with a job, but also because I have my staff here and basically everything I need. I missed the fresh air, and price-wise, Den Helder was naturally more attractive than Alkmaar. I now have five times more floor space than I did back then and still pay less.” Kees studied in Utrecht and Amsterdam but never lived in student accommodation. “I never minded the traveling, and when I stepped off the train here after a day in the big city, I was happy to breathe clean air.”

Mario has always been a hospitality man. He started as a dishwasher at fourteen and subsequently worked his way up through all the steps and disciplines. “In the first year of my education, I already said that I wanted to have my own restaurant someday.” He could not have imagined then that it would be with his brother Kees. Kees recounts: “I really did all sorts of things. First I got kicked out of secondary school, then I got my diploma anyway, started a teacher training course, trained to become a bailiff… At one point, I had a side job on the beach. Renting out sunbeds at Paal 6, with our oldest brother. Gradually, it grew to the point where I started doing the bookkeeping, because I happened to be good with numbers. Alongside that, I rolled into service and became a manager.” He had found his place. “Yes, hospitality really captivated me. It is simply an incredibly beautiful profession. Hard work, lots of nice people.”

Eventually, they joined forces in Nozems. “We had talked about it quite often, you know. But there was no rush,” says Mario. “At one point, I had to undergo surgery and was out of action for six months. That gave me time to think and, from there, to write a plan.”

Different and surprising

They informed the Housing Foundation that they were looking for premises. A spacious area for one or more businesses was to be created on the ground floor of the new De Kamerheer development. The observant reader and many other Jutters might suspect that their father played a role in this. Henk van der Veen worked for the Housing Foundation for many years. Kees: “I understand why people think that, but he didn't get involved in this at all. He had already left by then. This was the management with whom we had good contacts.”

It had to be a restaurant like the kind they themselves felt was missing in the city. Mario: “Different from the norm, high quality in the kitchen, high quality service, good service, and everything homemade. That is important to us and sets us apart. Of course, we sell hamburgers, but also very different things that you won't find anywhere else in the city.” That was a bit nerve-wracking in a city where things don't have to be too crazy.
Kees: “Still, it turned out much better than expected. At first, people come out of curiosity, and then a division naturally emerges between people for whom it doesn't fit and people you know: these are our guests. And actually, that still makes up a very diverse group of people. We have something for everyone.” From the hearty hamburger to vegetarian and vegan options and a surprise menu. Three beautifully presented, tasty courses of a high culinary standard: “That is the best thing we have, and many guests keep coming back for it. It isn't just a compilation of dishes on the menu, but truly something different and surprising. At the beginning, people weren't quite ready to try it, but now they tell each other about it.”

Nozems had only just opened when the pandemic broke out. Kees: “Fortunately, we don’t talk about it often anymore. We survived, that’s the most important thing. But normally, you would be about done with payments and such by now. In a way, we are still a new place because we were barely open for the first two years.”
Mario: “It turned out completely differently than we had imagined, but you shouldn’t dwell on that too much. We didn’t do that at the time either. We adapted.” Mario adds, “That did mean there were moments when we had only 100 euros left in the account, while we still had to pay out the salaries.” They offered a takeaway service and a concept of three-course dinners that people could finish at home. Mario: “I am quite proud of that. We had a good concept that we had to completely overhaul after a month. We didn’t want to sell sandwiches. By offering this menu, we could give our future guests a foretaste of what they could expect.” Kees: “I think we won over a lot of guests for the period afterwards during that time.” Furthermore, they could count on the Housing Foundation. “They were incredibly accommodating regarding the rent,” they say. Moreover, they entered into a partnership with a care institution. Kees: “They were able to offer our staff temporary work and thereby covered the wage costs until our employees could start working for us again.”

Jacking up

With entrepreneurial spirit and good connections within the city, Nozems managed to get through it. Now it is behind them. Business is going well, and they are happy to be able to run their business in the city where they were raised. Kees: “The locals are proud of their city, and you can feel that. People coming from outside are surprised, especially if they have been here before and see how it has turned out.” Mario: “It is nice to be part of that. We also wanted to give the city a bit of a boost with Nozems.” That is why they enjoy living in the city center, just a few meters from each other and from the business.
Do they really never get fed up with each other? Kees: “No, actually not. We were just closed for a week to go skiing, but together with each other and some friends. We close for a week twice a year to catch our breath. A bit more of a social life outside of Nozems would be nice. It shouldn't just be this. But we love the business and we are crazy about our work.”

If the men could express one last wish, it would mainly be for staff. “We are really short of someone in the kitchen.” Kees explains: “This is such a beautiful place to work. An open kitchen, people see what you do and admire your work. They make everything themselves, so you really are cooking and the work is truly done with passion.” And all that in a beautiful city, too. Kees: “Sea and sun. Isn’t that wonderful?” Mario: “And peace and quiet. A day in a busy city can be fun, but I’m always happy to be back home.”