 A serving of Dutch Kapsalon | |
| Type | Fast food |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Netherlands |
| Region or state | Rotterdam |
| Created by | Nataniël ”Tati” Gomes |
| Main ingredients | fries, meat (döner orgyro),Gouda cheese, salad vegetables |
Kapsalon (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈkɑpsaːˌlɔn]ⓘ) is afast food dish created in 2003 inRotterdam,Netherlands. It consists of a layer offrench fries placed into a disposable metal take-away tray, topped withdöner meat, covered with slices ofGouda cheese, and heated in an oven until the cheese melts. Then a layer of shreddediceberg lettuce is added, dressed withgarlic sauce andsambal, ahot sauce.[1] The termkapsalon is Dutch for "hairdressing salon" or barber shop, alluding to the inventor's place of work.[2] The dish is a product of Dutch multiculturalism, combining elements of dishes from multiple cultures. The dish has spread internationally in a relatively short time.[1]
| External videos | |
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 The pinnacle of Dutch cuisine— 2022 short film on kapsalon history with interview of El Aviva owner Derwis Bengu and neighbouring hairdresser Nataniël Gomes |
The dish was conceived in 2003 by Nataniël Gomes, who was aCape Verdean hairdresser in the Rotterdam district ofDelfshaven, who one day at the neighboring shawarma store "El Aviva" asked to combine all his favorite ingredients into one dish. He began to regularly request what the restaurant called "the usual order for thekapsalon". Other customers noticed and started to order thekapsalon too, and it became a hit, soon being demanded in nearby snack bars.[1][3] Gomes reached a measure of international popularity; he died in 2023, aged 47.[4] The dish has since spread around the Netherlands and into Belgium,[5] and several other countries in at least three continents.[6] In some places the shawarma meat may be replaced with chicken, ordoner kebab meat. Thekapsalon has been described as "a typical example of contemporary cultural heritage", and "representative of the transnational nature of the city".[1][7] It has also been described as a "calorie bomb" and "culinary lethal weapon", with high fat content and up to 1,800 kilocalories (7,500 kJ) in a large serving.[3][1]
Kapsalon is a standard menu item in Belgian döner restaurants, both inFlanders andWallonia. Various Turkish restaurants throughout Germany serve the dish, especially in larger cities.[6] The dish can be found in other cities throughout Europe as well, most Polish towns and cities (includingWarsaw,Poznań andKraków), inPrague, Czech Republic,[6] cities in Latvia (includingRiga,Jelgava,Jūrmala,Sigulda)[8][9] inOulu, Finland,[10] and inBrașov, Romania.[11] It has been found in Morocco andCardiff in Wales as well.[6][12]
Thekapsalon reached the Nepalese capital city ofKathmandu in 2017, when a chef returning from a visit to the Netherlands was asked to prepare a "typically Dutch" meal. Now chicken or fish replace the shawarma meat, and a porcelain plate substitutes for the metal tray, but thekapsalon has become fashionable, with many people posting photos and a prominent food blogger describing the dish as "a party in her mouth with her favorite tastes".[13] InVientiane, Laos, similar adaptations of thekapsalon have emerged, featuring alternatives such as tuna and beef to accommodate local culinary preferences.[14]
Media related toKapsalon (food) at Wikimedia CommonsCulture inRotterdam | ||
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