Since the establishment of Restaurant Hotel Merlet in 1984 by Bert and Nelleke van Bourgonje, Merlet has experienced successful growth in every respect. Below is a brief overview of the most important milestones since its establishment.
1984 Start of business by Nelleke and Bert van Bourgonje: 18 hotel rooms, swimming pool, sauna, restaurant and a meeting room
1986 Merlet acquires exploitation of 't Oude Raadhuisje
1995 Merlet builds a new restaurant with 2 extra halls and the existing restaurant will feature Grand Café Bourgogne
1996 Selected by hotel ANWB as hotel of the year
1998 Awarded Michelin star with chef Alan Pearson
1998 Renovation of swimming pool and sauna
1999 Carla and Martin van Bourgonje take over Merlet
2001 Retain Michelin star with new chef Wilco Berends
2001 Renovation of the restaurant
2003 Realization of 2 meeting rooms in Duinweg 7
2004 Expansion hotel with 7 suites and the Duinblick room
2005 Renovation suites Earth, Air and Lotta
2006 New architect-designed parking space and realization of the Royal Suite
2007 Retain Michelin star with new chef Timo Munts
2007 Expansion with two new Generous Rooms
2007 Appointed new chef Timo Munts
2007 After reaching the age of 65, Bert van Bourgonje steps down from Merlet
2008 Renovation of the restaurant
2008 Renovation of sauna and also expansion with steam cabin, solarium and fitness
2009 The very first Merlet cookbook came out 'A restaurant with ten stars, art in the kitchen of Schoorl'. The proceeds of this cookbook go to the charity department Hematology of the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam
2009 Merlet celebrates its 25th anniversary in April
2009 Membership Alliance Gastronomique 2010 Renovation of the Grand Café
2011 Renovation of Standard rooms and also extension of Standard rooms to Generous rooms
2012 New construction of lounge, Bar de Mer, parking garage, four spacious rooms, two suites and private kitchen for Grand Café Bourgogne
2013 New chef Frank van Enter took office
2015 Appointed new executive chef Jonathan Zandbergen
2016 Standard rooms renewed
2016 Michelin star retained
2016 Risen in the Lekker top 100
2016 Jonathan Zandbergen talented chef of the year - Gault Millau 2017
2017 Marco Helsloot winner of the silver chef's knife - Horecava
2017 Marco Helsloot & Basz Varga third in the national championship for students - Horecava
2017 Merlet exhibits photography by Marco Borsato
2017 Anniversary! Restaurant Merlet received the Michelin star for the 20th consecutive year
2018 Jonathan Zandbergen, Marco Helsloot and Rob Overdevest win the Gouden Koksmuts cooking competition at the Horecava
2019 Restaurant Merlet reopens after a spectacular renovation
2019 Restaurant Merlet receives the De Librije team for a chef's collaboration event
