If I Could...

Local café owner and chef Sander de Wildt is a proud Dutchman, passionate about cooking, cheese, football and family. If he could he would travel more, stress a little less and definitely get rid of Blenheim’s nor’westerlies!

If I could spend a day with anyone it would be…

Louis van Gaal, a very inspirational man for me! At the moment he is the manager of the Dutch national football team for his third term (and by the way, we will win the World Cup 22, if you didn’t know yet). He seems to get the best out of people. Completely hard to read as a person in the media, but anyone close to him speaks highly of him. I would love to learn a trick or two from him.

If I could travel anywhere, it would be…

At the moment, we are thinking of travelling through South Korea and having a stop-over in Seoul next year on our way to The Netherlands. Seoul sounds like a very interesting city with an amazing food scene. My brother is getting married next year when we are in Europe. His wedding will be in Italy, so hopefully we get the chance to explore a bit of Italian culture as well, fingers crossed!

If I could change one thing about Marlborough, it would be…

It must be the strong Northwest wind in spring for me, just get rid of it. It seems to really make me tired and agitated!

If I could have any job, it would be…

To work as a chef. I do enjoy making food and being creative with ingredients. It has helped me to travel to fun places around Europe and further afield. One other profession I have always been curious about is being an architect. I almost started studying architecture, as I did sign up for it at a university in Holland, but ended up working as a chef/bartender in an Austrian ski resort for the winter season instead.

If I could swap lives with someone, it would be…

I am not sure about this answer, I can’t think of anyone at the moment. The idea is fun to swap lives with someone famous, but the older I get the more I do realise that everyone has got a load they carry. At least I know which load I carry.

If I could only take one thing to a desert Island, it would be…

One thing I don’t want to miss in the coming months is the Football World Cup, so it would be a TV with a sky decoder. Come on Holland! I don’t want to miss them lifting the trophy this time!

If I could donate $1M to any charity it would be…

Addictions help. The hospitality scene and life, in general, are rife with people needing support, especially post-covid.  I’d feel really good about donating to this cause and St Marks locally who do fantastic work.

If I could visit any country in the world, it would be…

I have always been fascinated with Japan, so one day we will have to go there. Huia used to live there as well. We would love to go and check out the big cities, the food scene and the old city of Kyoto. The gardens and temples look amazing in pictures. One day it will happen.

If I could only eat one meal for the rest of my life it would be…

People that know me well, know that I love cheese. I received my own cheese fridge for Valentine’s Day to keep the family happy! My favourite cheese, which I can’t get enough of, is Morbier, a French semi-soft cheese. Come and try it in our café in town! I eat it with Marco Minghetti’s baguette. If you get the chance to get your hands on his baguette, you should go for it! Fantastic bread that I eat every day.