Women who inspire us; Pien Wekking
We stopped by Pien’s vibrant Amsterdam home to chat about her passion for cooking, the things that inspire her and her dreams for the future.
Who is Pien?
I’m a 26 year old Dutch girl, living in Amsterdam. I studied Information Law but during my masters I started an Instagram account called @pienlaathaaretenzien (roughly translated as “Pien shows off her food”) on which I shared daily recipes. Four years forward, I published two cookbooks and now sharing videos and photos of my recipes, tablescapes and travels is my day-to-day job. I would describe myself as enthusiastic, not easily tired, I am always open to new things and eager to learn, work hard and know exactly what I want and how I want it.
Can you tell us where and how you grew up?
I was born in Amsterdam but we moved to Soest, a small village near Utrecht, when I was still very young. Although there was little to do, I am still glad I grew up in Soest (and Baarn) because I feel friendships in villages are much stronger because you are much more reliant on each other.
I grew up with my mom and dad, my older brother and a dachshund named Bink. We moved to Soest because my grandparents have always lived there and we wanted to be closer to them. I have a very special bond with my grandma Jos - everyone that knows me knows my ‘oma’.
Where did your passion for cooking came from?
I think it began with a passion for eating together. As a family, eating together was the most important part of the day. Taking the time to hear about each others’ days, but also going to restaurants or having breakfast together on a Sunday morning. I think because of this, I wanted to learn how to cook so I could also provide people with home cooked meals, beautiful tables and long long conversations.
Who or what inspires you?
I get inspired quickly - by colours, smells, by people, by restaurant menus, ingredients in supermarkets... but mostly I get my inspiration from travelling. If I taste something I love somewhere, I immediately want to recreate it and put my own spin on it. Countries like Spain and Italy inspire me because of their way of simple and pure cooking with fresh ingredients, but also because of their way of life, from which the Dutch can learn a lot: coming together to eat is very important and yes, you do have the best conversations at the table.
What’s your daily workflow?
To be honest, I don't have a daily workflow - every day is different for me. But I often work 2 days a week creating recipes and when I do, I like to get up early, take a walk to clear my head, come home and make a nice cup of coffee and then start preparing everything for the day. We often finish filming around 5 o'clock and then it's time to clean up. In the evenings, I often have to work on writing up the recipes, editing and things like that. On days when I don't have to film or make new recipes, I schedule meetings, answer my e-mails and I make time for other projects that I'm working on.
What’s your recent favourite recipe?
It’s hard to choose because every time I share a recipe, it must be good - otherwise I won’t share it. But two of my recent favorites are this grilled zucchini dish with a crumble of pine nuts, with hot honey and mozzarella and this easy, every day pasta with cherry tomato sauce and mascarpone.
Do you have a morning routine?
Not really, but one thing I swear by: the first thing I do is making myself a cup of coffee and then I take a shower with my coffee. It’s just the best - I look forward to it when I lay down in bed at night.
What do you like most about what you do?
I love the freedom I have to make whatever I feel like. I love cooking and organising dinners and to make that my job is just amazing. But also on a deeper level, I love making creative things like a cookbook, where I can put all my inspiration, my personal stories, my creative choices - just everything. It's very exciting to be able to do all those things you love and enjoy doing most. What I also really like about working for myself is that I know that all the energy and time I put into it will result in a better outcome for myself. That keeps me motivated, even on days when I feel less energetic or have lost my direction for a moment.
Things that you dislike about what you do?
There are not many of them, I always shout that I have the most fun job in the world. But something I definitely struggle with as an online creator is that it's so easy to copy/imitate things these days. Sometimes I have worked on something for a long time and put all my creativity into it and it is something very personal, and then it is copied blindly. I still have to get very used to that. Besides, it's hard to let go of the feeling of always being ‘on’ and online. But if those are the only drawbacks, I'll take it!
What’s your biggest dream?
I have so many, I don't know where to start. For the short term, of course, I would like to make my brand even bigger: more books, more projects, maybe even a TV show, meet inspiring people and travel a lot. For the long term: live somewhere abroad, where it is warmer, the food is better and I have a slower life. But that is a very long-term plan, because right now I am far too busy and I enjoy being all over the place too much.
Do you have any tips for people who would like to start their own business?
Just do it - and enjoy the ride. As easy as that sounds. I did it while studying for my master's degree in Information Law - it was just a hobby of mine that eventually turned into my own business. It wasn't my intention and I actually thought I couldn't make a living out of my hobbies (cooking, hosting dinnerparties, styling tablescapes), but that was really wrongheaded thinking. If you have a passion for something and want to do something with it, just go for it! Don’t expect it too be easy all the time though.
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of myself for not following the beaten path that was set for me, but instead going for something that I chose and created for myself.
Favourite restaurants in Amsterdam?
I think that Amsterdam is doing really well with new restaurants and concepts but I have a few classics I always fall back on. For me, Arles and Buffet van Odette are the best. Oh and for Japanese, definitely try out Umeno. It’s the oldest Japanese restaurant in the Netherlands and it’s so good.
If you could wake up anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
I would love to wake up in Sydney again. I spent 6 months there in 2016 and loved everything about it except the 24-hour flight. I would love to exercise early in the morning, have brunch (Aussies do that best!) and lie on the beach for the rest of the day. And maybe a little road trip to Byron/the Gold Coast while I’m there ;-)
Name your 3 worst habits?
I am extremely clumsy and I hate that about myself. I am also very impatient, and I often unneccesarily have a fierce reaction to things.
What’s your evening/ sleep routine?
After dinner, I often have a cup of tea, I watch a tv show while taking my makeup off and brushing my teeth and I go to bed around 23:00/23:30. I often put in a podcast and fall asleep with the sound of people talking ;-)