Former chef of Michelin three-star restaurant De Librije dies suddenly at age 40

Former head chef of three-Michelin-star restaurant De Librije in Zwolle, Maik Kuijpers, died in a coma on Saturday at the age of 40, De Stentor reported. He worked at the restaurant from 2004, when he was 19, to 2018. Over the years, he rose to become the right-hand man of well-known chef Jonnie Boer, who unexpectedly died last year.

A week before his death, on Saturday, Kuijpers ran the Dam tot Damloop in Amsterdam. He reportedly felt unwell after the run, after which he suffered a heart attack. He then fell into a coma and never regained consciousness.

Thérèse Boer, the wife of the late Jonnie Boer, wrote on social media, “Hopefully you are cooking the stars out of the sky up there with Jonnie.” Jonnie Boer died unexpectedly last year in April on Bonaire at the age of 60. The two worked closely in the kitchen. “They were a super duo,” Thérèse said.

“It is terribly intense. Just like last year with Jonnie, I think, "How can this happen?" Thérèse Boer said. “Maik was so young and athletic."

The restaurant retained three Michelin stars last year. At the award ceremony, Thérèse Boer said the team did all their best to keep the stars for Jonnie.