Meet the team: Chef Axl. From Jember to Rotterdam, and now behind the stoves at Spice by Blake

At Spice by Blake, it’s naturally all about the flavours of Bali, shared dining, and long evenings at the table. But behind every dish, there are people. People with stories, memories, favourite flavours, and sometimes completely chance encounters.

This is why we'd love to take you behind the scenes. Time to meet one of the faces in our kitchen: Axl Alexander Tan, our chef.

Axl is 27 years old, born in Jember, Indonesia, and grew up in Rotterdam. A wonderful combination, because you can feel exactly that mix in his cooking style: Indonesian roots, Rotterdam energy, and a generous dose of love for modern food.

His love for cooking didn't begin in a restaurant, but simply at home.

“From home, I often stood cooking with my grandma,” Axl tells us. “That’s really where it all started.”

He later followed a culinary course and specialised as a chef. But the real foundation? For him, that still lies in the kitchen of the past. Cooking together, tasting, smelling, trying and most importantly: sharing food with the people around you.

And that's precisely what Spice by Blake is all about.

A chance encounter at the bar

Sometimes the best collaborations don't arise from a rigid plan, but simply from a chat at the bar.

In 2018, Axl visited Spice by Chris for the first time. That concept stuck.

“I really loved that then. The flavours, the atmosphere, the whole idea.”

Years later, Axl worked as a head chef at Muller & Co. One day, he struck up a conversation with a guest at the bar. Just like that. But it happened that this guest was involved in the plan to bring the Spice concept to the Netherlands.

From that, one thing led to another. Axl got talking, met Blake when he was in the Netherlands, and cooked a first practice run at Sligro.

“That was super fun. From there, the ball started rolling.”

And so, a chance conversation eventually became the start of a new collaboration.

Indonesian food, but with a new twist

What Axl likes about Spice by Blake? That we get to showcase Indonesian and Balinese flavours in a modern way.

Yes, everyone knows a rijsttafel. And shared dining is essentially already a natural part of that. But according to Axl, the Indonesian cuisine can also be presented a bit more freshly, playfully, and modernly.

“A rijsttafel is of course also shared dining, but it sometimes has a slightly dusty image. At Spice, we're giving Indonesian cuisine a new, hip makeover.”

We do this with the flavours of Bali, but also with European sophistication and ingredients that suit the Dutch market well.

Together with Blake Thornley in Ubud, we are looking at the foundations of the dishes: which flavours are truly characteristic of Bali, which spices are essential, and how can we translate that to Rotterdam?

“We'll create the menu in consultation with Blake in Ubud. This way, we can use authentic Balinese flavours, but also work with products from the Netherlands.”

The result? Dishes that are both familiar and surprising. Warm, spicy, accessible and just a little bit different from what you're used to.

Axl's Favourites

Naturally, we also asked Axl about his favourite dishes from the menu. And he didn't have to think for very long about that.

De rattan is a true classic for him. A dish that always works: deep in flavour, spicy and perfect for sharing.

De seabass it feels more personal to him.

“That reminds me of the barbecues at my parents”.”

And that's exactly what we love about food. Sometimes you don't just taste a dish, but also a memory. Fire, smell, family, sitting around the table together. That feeling perfectly fits with Spice.

From the starters, Axl chooses the Steak tartare. During lunch, we serve these just that little bit more decadently, with chips or bread. Accessible, full of flavour, and perfect for anyone who wants something a bit tastier than usual for lunch.

And to finish? Then he tips it Spiced dessert. Fresh, tropical and completely in the style of Spice by Blake.

Spice through the eyes of Axl

For Axl, Spice by Blake is a place where many things come together: his Indonesian background, his Rotterdam base, his love for cooking, and his collaboration with Blake.

But above all, it is a place where Indonesian food can be experienced in a new way.

Not too stiff. Not too complicated. Full of flavour.

“For me, Indonesian food can be modern, playful, refined, and accessible.”

And that's exactly what we want to show with Spice.

Bali in Rotterdam. But in our own way.