Michiel Kruize
Co-founder, Mima
Co-founder of Mima, an Eastern Mediterranean food concept that has become a fixture in Amsterdam’s food landscape. Together with his business partner, Michiel built the company from a simple observation into a growing brand with multiple locations across the city. What began as a side project has evolved into a business centred around quality, hospitality, and creating food that fits the rhythm of modern life.
Lives in Amsterdam.
BUILDING
Mima. An Eastern Mediterranean food concept built around fresh ingredients, thoughtful hospitality, and food designed for everyday life.
FAVOURITE RESTAURANT, AND WHY?
Rijsel. I’m not really drawn to restaurants that make things overly complicated. When a tiny piece of meat or fish arrives with all kinds of foams, dots and delicate little mousses, I often wonder where the rest of the dish went.
Rijsel, to me, is the opposite of that. It serves incredible food without fuss. A beautiful roast chicken, a great sauce, potatoes with homemade mayonnaise, a simple salad with a perfect vinaigrette. What more do you need?
The sommelier always knows exactly what should be poured with the dish, and the atmosphere is relaxed, warm and almost home-like. It feels generous in all the right ways.
A CITY THAT SHAPED ME
Amsterdam. A city that rewards ambition, values quality, and constantly reinvents itself.
A PLACE YOU RETURN TO, WHENEVER YOU CAN?
Lisbon. It’s such a lively, easy city. There are beautiful restaurants and bars, but what I love just as much are the small squares with simple terrace bars under parasols, where you can drink a beer from a plastic cup until late in the evening.
It has that rare mix of beauty and looseness. Nothing feels too polished, but everything feels full of life.
GO-TO DRINK?
An ice-cold beer. It works almost any time. After a hard workout, on a Friday after a long week, or when you sit down with friends on a terrace. It’s simple, refreshing and never tries too hard.
SOMETHING I WEAR THAT FEELS LIKE ME
The navy NASSAU Utility Jacket. Understated, functional, and comfortable. The kind of piece that works as hard as you do.
ANOTHER PIECE I RELY ON
A well-cut pair of jeans. Simple, versatile, and always appropriate.
A WATCH YOU WEAR OR ADMIRE?
A vintage Rolex Datejust 16030 UAE Armed Forces edition. Though lately, a simple Swatch has started to appeal just as much.
AN OBJECT I CARE ABOUT
A well-set table surrounded by friends and family.
A DAILY CONSTANT
Cycling underneath the Rijksmuseum.
A PERFECT EVENING
A summer barbecue with friends and family. Good food, cold drinks, and no reason to look at the time.
A FAVOURITE DISH
The Flatbread Falafel with Mint & Feta.
AN INGREDIENT I NEVER GET TIRED OF
Anchovy.
A FRAGRANCE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH YOURSELF
Bleu de Chanel.
THE MOMENT IT BECAME REAL
For a long time, Mima existed on paper. While both founders were still employed full-time, evenings were spent refining concepts, building spreadsheets, and imagining what the business could become. It felt ambitious, but still theoretical.
That changed at the end of 2021.
“We both quit our jobs,” Michiel says. “The moment we did that, it became real. There was no longer a safety net. Now it had to work.”
Looking back, the decision feels obvious. At the time, it was anything but. Leaving behind stable careers without certainty of income required trust, not only in the business, but in each other.
“It created complete alignment from day one. We were both fully committed.”
SEEING THE GAP
The original spark came years earlier during a work trip to New York.
During his studies, lunch was provided each day. One meal in particular stayed with him: a pita filled with grilled vegetables, hummus, and perfectly cooked chicken.
“It tasted incredible,” he recalls. “Fresh, healthy, and full of flavour. On the flight home, I realised I couldn’t think of anything similar in Amsterdam’s takeaway market.”
What began as a simple observation slowly became a business plan.
Years later, that gap in the market became Mima.
THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST
As the company grows, Michiel remains focused on a principle that sounds simple but becomes increasingly difficult to maintain at scale.
“The customer has to remain central.”
Every Mima location has its own manager responsible for maintaining relationships with guests and monitoring feedback. The goal is not simply operational excellence, but familiarity.
“When people walk through the door, they should feel recognised and appreciated.”
For Michiel, hospitality begins long before the food arrives.
GOOD HOSPITALITY
When asked what hospitality means, he doesn’t talk about interiors or menus.
“It’s making people feel seen.”
He describes returning to the same coffee bar multiple times a week and quietly hoping the barista remembers his order.
That recognition matters.
“If something goes wrong, fix it. Everyone makes mistakes. The way you solve them is what people remember.”
Whether that means replacing a meal or offering it free of charge is secondary. What matters is that the customer leaves feeling valued.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BUSINESS
Today, much of his time is spent thinking about growth. New opportunities. New locations. New possibilities.
But his attention remains fixed on the people who make the business possible.
“The real engine of Mima isn’t our office. It’s the people serving customers every day.”
The company now employs people from eighteen different nationalities. Managing that diversity comes with challenges, but also immense rewards.
“It’s something I’m genuinely proud of. Forty-three people building their lives in Amsterdam through the same company. That’s special.”
WHEN A RESTAURANT BECOMES A BRAND
For Michiel, the answer is remarkably straightforward.
“A restaurant becomes a brand when people know exactly what to expect before they arrive.”
The second signal is language.
“When people start saying, ‘I’m ordering Mima,’ instead of saying they’re ordering Lebanese food, you’ve become something bigger than the category.”
That recognition is earned slowly. Through consistency. Through trust. Through repetition.
GOOD TASTE
His definition of good taste has little to do with luxury.
“It’s knowing when something is already complete.”
The best products, spaces, meals, and brands often share the same quality: restraint.
“It’s not about adding more. It’s about recognising when enough is enough.”
The smallest details often reveal the most care.
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