Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
I help food and kitchen brands turn consumer insight into tested concepts — bridging the gap between how people actually cook, what technology makes possible, and what the market needs. For 20 years that has meant combining industrial design engineering, culinary depth, and hands-on user research in real cooking situations. Increasingly, it also means helping innovation teams work differently. --- I'm an industrial design engineer (MSc TU Delft) and certified chef, with a career spanning kitchen appliances, food products, food-tech platforms, and consumer research. That includes two engagements at Philips — first as Product Research Manager for Kitchen Appliances, advising R&D and marketing on cooking behavior, food trends, and appliance validation; later returning as a freelance specialist to restructure recipe content and build a community for the NutriU platform (Airfryer). My work sits where innovation projects often get stuck: between a promising insight and a concept that holds up in the real world. I help teams move through that space — developing concepts grounded in real human needs, then testing them in real kitchens, with real recipes, with real users. I work embedded in innovation teams or as a project partner on concept development, in-context field research, trend and market context, and recipe development. Based in Germany, Dutch by background — I work across both markets fluently. If you're building or evaluating something in kitchen appliances or food innovation, I'd like to hear what you're working on.
Foodsigns Studio helps food and kitchen brands move from consumer insight to tested concept — through research, concept development, and user / cooking expert validation. Drawing on engineering judgment (MSc TU Delft), culinary depth (SVH certified chef), and consumer research experience, concepts are stress-tested against real cooking situations, real user behavior, and real market conditions. We work embedded in innovation teams or as a project partner on: - Insight & research — trend research, user research, market validation, competitive benchmarking - Concept development — translating insights into testable food, appliance, or hospitality concepts - Validation & testing — in-context testing in real kitchens, with real recipes, with real users
Kookinspiratie is my long-running independent practice through which I have developed and applied food, cooking, and design expertise across different phases of my career. Phase 1 — Food Design & Hospitality Concepts (2007–2010): Worked across food design, catering concepts, restaurant menu development, and cultural food projects in the Netherlands and Europe — integrating culinary craft with industrial design thinking. Phase 2 — Food & Appliance Innovation Consultancy (2013–Present): After my role at Philips, Kookinspiratie evolved into a senior consultancy supporting brands and platforms with appliance application testing, culinary content strategy, consumer research, and user-centered food innovation. Clients have included Philips, Heineken, Morphy Richards, Westland Kaas, Dutch Embassy Berlin, and Theaters Tilburg.
Returned to DISH Digital Solutions (part of METRO GROUP) for a second engagement Brought in to support implementation of a Dutch POS product on their digital hospitality platform. Beyond the technical scope, I served as a cultural and linguistic bridge between Dutch and German teams, streamlining cross-market working processes and accelerating delivery. Relevant to: digital hospitality platforms, POS systems, EU market localization, cross-cultural team alignment.
Brought in by METRO GROUP's digital hospitality platform to help build community and engagement infrastructure from the ground up. Phase 1: Led user research and conceptualization of a community ecosystem — defining user needs, mapping engagement models, and developing the strategic framework. Phase 2: Took on the dual role of Content & Community Lead and Product Owner, building and running the DISH blog and webinar program, while managing content workflows, contributor alignment, and audience growth. This engagement combined product ownership, content strategy, and community architecture — directly relevant to any brand building engagement layers on top of a digital platform.
Returned to Philips as a freelance specialist. Scope included taking over branded recipe production for the Airfryer platform, building and growing the German NutriU app community, and restructuring recipe content workflows for scale and consistency. Beyond content, I worked closely with the team on data tracking alignment, product safety protocols, and community moderation standards — bridging culinary knowledge with platform operations. Relevant to: connected cooking platforms, branded content systems, appliance community strategy, recipe pipeline architecture.