THE MAKING OF

Started with rails and now we're here

COMBEKK became famous in 2016 with the introduction of the “Original Dutch Oven”. A fully cast iron pan is cast in a mould of sand.
An archetypal Dutch invention that dates back to the seventeenth century.

The Dutch Oven became known worldwide in the time that followed but was never produced in the Netherlands. After half a century, COMBEKK brought the production of the Original Dutch Oven back to the Netherlands. Not only that, but the company also introduced the very first Dutch Oven made from 100% recycled materials. Old Dutch rails and prison steel were used for production. We work exclusively with recycled materials. But we always guarantee the highest quality.

Sustainable

Mark Suurbier (founder of COMBEKK) saw a trend in the food industry, where craftsmanship and origin are becoming increasingly important: “Are my vegetables grown locally without pesticides? Is the piece of meat organic and where does it come from?” The talk of the day in both the hospitality industry and the supermarket. Mark Suurbier: “Like many, I saw a trend in the food industry in which the origin and quality of ingredients became increasingly important. As a ‘catering man’ I love to cook and I also prefer to work with local and good quality products. I was surprised that there was not a single cooking or pan brand in the world that uses recycled materials or cares about the origin of the raw materials of its products.

I thought that was a big omission, so I started COMBEKK to show the cooking world that sustainability is also possible in the pan you prepare your dinner or lunch in. What I wanted to avoid was a dusty image. COMBEKK had to be a tough brand with a matching Dutch design, which is sustainable and of high quality. After all, sustainability has not been dusty for a long time.

Each product has been tested by chefs in different restaurants throughout the Netherlands.

Thus, all pans in COMBEKK’s range feature a Dutch design, are made of the highest quality and are made from recycled materials (recognisable by the material stamp on the bottom of the pans).

Material stamp on the bottom of the pan.
After the introduction of the Original Dutch Oven, COMBEKK did not sit still. Always looking for new materials to work with, just like a chef keeps looking for new dishes and variations. And that does not always happen without a struggle. In six years, various flavours have been added to the COMBEKK menu: aluminium, stainless steel, leather, sheet steel, ritchlite, pom and more. Mark Suurbier explains: “It was difficult to introduce new materials because there are no guarantee certificates for recycled products in the pan-industry yet. So we developed all these certificates and documents ourselves. So we created our own ‘recycling’ guarantee certificate. It shows where our material comes from and what requirements it has to meet. When we produced the Original Dutch Oven, we even delivered the material to the factory ourselves. From old train rails to old bicycles from Amsterdam. It takes a lot of work, but it makes the world a nicer place. And that’s why we do it.

Quality checks by chefs
Even more important than the origin of the raw materials is the quality of the pans. Several chefs nowadays use the pans from COMBEKK. From Jonnie Boer to Sidney Schutte. TV chef Miljuschka also likes to cook with them. COMBEKK pots should not only last for a long time (even with daily, frequent use), but they should also continue to perform at the top level. Thus, in November, the company is introducing the SUS-Y PRO, especially for the professional kitchen. A frying pan made of stainless steel, with an extra thick sandwich bottom of over 5 mm without coating and provided with a hollow handle. With perfect heat distribution, it is the ideal pan for a good steak or a tasty fillet of plaice. These specific details characterise the company and show that the products originate from a passion for cooking and culinary experience.

There are various flavours for the professional and home chef: aluminium frying pans with ceramic coating (PFAS and BPA-free), stainless steel cooking and frying pans, stainless steel cutlery, cutting boards made of ritchlight material (produced in the Netherlands), leather cooking aprons and much more.

WITLOFT

COMBEKK Sustainable Cookware has recently acquired the Dutch brand “WITLOFT”. WITLOFT was the first company in the world to introduce the leather apron. Nowadays it is a household name in both the barbecue world and the professional kitchen. WITLOFT originated in a shed in a backyard in Amsterdam, where Frank assembled the very first leather apron by hand with a hammer. And still, the aprons are handmade in the Netherlands. All of WITLOFT’s leather products are given a unique coating that makes the items last a lifetime and makes the leather feel soft to the touch. You can even pass them on to the next generation, as the leather only becomes more beautiful with time. A real traditional, sustainable product. WITLOFT still makes aprons today, but they make a lot more than that these days. Handmade leather aprons, knife rolls, oven gloves, potholders and pouches. The knife rolls are especially popular because those who own good knives want to protect them. WITLOFT not only protects, it also provides a traditional, rugged look.

In addition, Henk Schiffmacher recently introduced his creation in cooperation with WITLOFT. The well-known tattoo artist from Amsterdam tattooed ‘dead skin’ for the first time, which led to two unique WITOFT aprons called Barbecoa and Buccanian Girl.

In addition to leather, WITLOFT has also recently introduced denim aprons made from ‘deadstock’ material. In other words, the material left over after the production of jeans, jackets and the like. The material that would normally end up in the waste pile now becomes aprons.