17 aug 2025
Fine dining amid the greenery at Bite of Amsterdam
Event type
Culinair festival
Visitors
6.000
Duration
4 days
Services
Payment
When people think of a food festival, they often picture food trucks, beer tables, and live music. Fun, but often a bit predictable. Bite of Amsterdam takes a different approach. At this culinary event, visitors can experience fine dining in a relaxed setting. No barriers, but Michelin-starred chefs, exceptional dishes, and unique experiences. All of this takes place during a summer weekend in the green surroundings of Amstelpark.
Marlies van der Ven
Projectmanager Bite
We spoke with Marlies, project manager of Bite of Amsterdam. She is involved in nearly every aspect of the event: from budgeting, safety, and cleaning to mobility, permits, partnerships, and ticket sales. With more than twelve years of experience, Marlies knows exactly what it takes to deliver a successful event. She understands the challenges and everything that comes with it.
A cooking school among the trees
When asked what sets Bite apart from other culinary festivals, she explains:
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“Besides offering an accessible way to experience Michelin-starred restaurants, we also provide unique activities.”
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This year, for example, there was a cooking school led by chef Bart van Berkel, where visitors could get hands-on themselves. There was also a collaboration with the well-known Amsterdam brand Kesbeke, where pickles took center stage as a surprising main ingredient.
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Participation in these activities is free, making the event even more accessible. During the workshops, visitors could also use the latest kitchen equipment from Kenwood, one of the partnerships Bite established this year.
Smart collaborations to stay affordable
There are, of course, challenges. Rising costs for staff, transport, and other expenses cannot simply be passed on to visitors.
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“By working smartly with brands, we create a healthy balance,” Marlies explains. “Especially since we’re still a young event, this is only our second year, it’s important to remain accessible to a broad audience.”
A year of preparation for a few days of celebration
The organization of this multi-day event starts almost a year in advance. In August, the process begins with applying for permits for the next edition. The real preparations kick off in January, with selecting restaurants and setting up partnerships with sponsors.
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The team behind Bite consists of true restaurant enthusiasts. They work closely with their own network and returning partners from previous editions, while always listening to visitor tips to curate a strong and appealing offering.
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“We try to guide restaurants as much as possible,” says Marlies. “It’s very different from cooking in your own familiar kitchen. That’s why we think along with our partners about the layout of their stands and the equipment they need.”
A festival that runs smoothly behind the scenes
This year, Bite partnered with Tactile for payment processing. They provided the payment terminals that enabled transactions. The choice for Tactile was based on competitive pricing and a user-friendly dashboard, allowing the organization to quickly gain insight into revenue, settlements, and distribution among partners. In previous editions, this was still done manually, which was very time-consuming.
The system enables hybrid payments: debit cards and cash cards can be used interchangeably. Visitors who prefer to pay cash receive a card that still allows them to pay digitally. The same cards are also issued to sponsors, preloaded with credit.
A great example of this application was on Monday evening, when a trade fair took place at the RAI. The reception was held at Bite, and exhibition visitors could use their cash cards to end the event on a festive note.
It almost feels like family
When we ask Marlies how she looks back on the past edition, she immediately smiles.
“It was amazing to be at the event, that’s what gives me energy. This is where everything comes together,” she says. “Building a connection with our partners is incredibly valuable. You can feel that we want to support and strengthen each other. It almost feels like family.”
