World Famous Fishmonger

A nice Hamachi. Delicious in both raw (Hamachi Nigiri) and cooked (hamachi kama) dishes

Seven years ago, fish specialist R. Koelewijn & Son took over the market place in Amstelveen from Jaap and Richard Waasdorp. After the takeover, Richard Waasdorp continued to work for the company and speaks Japanese. Because of the many Japanese communities in Amstelveen, he started to learn the language, which is how he attracts many Japanese customers.

Richard knows exactly what the Japanese likes to eat and helps them carefully. The Japanese are very fond of the quality, because in Japanese cuisine a lot of fish is eaten raw (sashimi). At the stall they therefore ensure that they always have different types of fish in the range that are normally difficult to obtain in the region. Fish like: Hamachi, beautiful tuna, salmon, turbot, mackerel, sea bass and dorade.

Thanks to the knowledge and the product range, a very nice Japanese clientele has arisen. But also by people of Chinese, Indian, Moroccan, Turkish descent, there are too many to mention. Moroccan and Turkish people again like to eat Sardines, anchovies, small horse mackerel, whiting and mackerel.

The Friday weekmarket Amstelveen

These people come from a completely different culture and ask for a completely different variety of fish, which is why Koelewijn also have these kinds of fish in the assortment at the stall. Indians like to eat pomfret, kingfish or tilapia. This is something completely different and the way they prepare it is also completely different.

Elbert Jan Koelewijn (left) & Richard Waasdorp (right).

Selling fish is in Elbert's blood. “My father Roelof started selling fish on campsites around the 1980s, this was seasonal work. He was around forty at the time and I was a 13-year-old boy and I often went along on Saturdays. Over the years I got a few more pitches and I really enjoying going with him."

"Around the age of 16 I left school and started working for my father on a permanent basis. During that time I registered myself on all kinds of waiting lists for markets. Over the years I got markets to my name. In the meantime I bought a company building, where we our trade and stuff. The markets expanded, but we have always gone for improvement, not immediately for expansion. In this way, we have always kept good control over the quality of trade. Today we stand on nine beautiful markets and we ensure a beautiful unpacking and good quality every time!”