Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao is seeking an enthusiastic and creative food & beverage (F&B) entrepreneur to develop and operate a family-friendly restaurant concept as part of a planned Heritage Experience Center at Landhuis Jan Kok.
The goal is to start the F&B operation at the beginning of 2027.
The Opportunity
We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative F&B entrepreneur to establish and operate a restaurant at Landhuis Jan Kok.
Not a conventional hospitality location, but an opportunity to become part of a broader destination where heritage, nature, and community are being thoughtfully brought together.
The selected operator will provide a welcoming, accessible, and high-quality food concept that complements the character of the landhuis and its surroundings. Flexibility is central to the vision. It can be as simple as a food truck-style kitchen, a cold kitchen integrated in one of the existing outbuildings on the property, or a family-style outdoor BBQ setup. Involvement of the Willibrordus and wider Bandabou Community is valued.
Guests will be welcomed into an outdoor environment defined by openness and calm: a spacious terrace, shaded by mature trees, with views toward the surrounding landscape of Seru Largu National Park.
The intended concept is a family-friendly restaurant with a balanced price vs. quality offering approachable in character yet firmly rooted in the identity of Bandabou and Curaçao.
A Concept Rooted in Story and Place
We are looking for an entrepreneur who understands food as a form of storytelling and experience that connects people to places, memory, and culture.
This may be expressed through interpretations of local dishes and traditions, such as a codfish (bakijou) sandwich inspired by Curaçao’s salt heritage, or arepa di pampuna as a reflection of the island’s intangible cultural identity, or pancakes in the form of a monumental facade. It may also take shape in creative presentations that connect cuisine with the history of the landhuis, the surrounding landscape, and the stories embedded in the place. We strive for a clear and distinctive restaurant concept.
We welcome a range of rental and investment structures. These will be developed in dialogue with the selected operator, based on the proposed concept and business case. This flexibility is intended to support both established hospitality entrepreneurs and emerging talent with a compelling vision.
About Landhuis Jan Kok
Perched above and overlooking the salt pans of Rif Sint Marie, where flamingos move quietly across the horizon and the landscape opens toward the sea and sky, Landhuis Jan Kok stands as one of Curaçao’s most distinctive heritage sites.
Located in the Sint Willibrordus area, the landhuis is surrounded by the natural beauty of Bandabou and carries centuries of history. Since 1999, the plantation, including the landhuis and salt pans, has been owned by Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao, ensuring its preservation.
Together with Carmabi, the site is being developed into a Heritage Experience Center, forming part of a broader vision for the area that includes the nearby Seru Largu National Park. (https://www.serulargupark.org/)
This development aims to create a destination where visitors can engage with Curaçao’s built, cultural, and natural heritage in a cohesive and meaningful way.
Who Should Apply?
We are seeking Food & Beverage entrepreneurs who combine operational strength with creative vision.
This opportunity is well suited for:
- Experienced hospitality entrepreneurs
- Chefs with a clear and distinctive culinary concept
Beyond experience, we value curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to contribute to a shared vision for the site.
Join the Information Session
We invite interested candidates to join an information session on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao office, located at Scharlooweg 13.
This session is an opportunity to learn more about the vision for Landhuis Jan Kok and the broader direction of this emerging destination. It will offer insight into the layers that shape the project from its evolving role within Bandabou, to the people and experiences it seeks to welcome.
We will share more context on:
- The current and future development of Landhuis Jan Kok
- The character of the location and its possibilities
- The intended positioning and audience of the restaurant
- The expectations and guiding principles for the F&B concept
- The application and selection process
To attend, registration is required by scanning the QR code.
An Invitation to Shape What Comes Next
Bring your vision. Tell your story. Become part of Landhuis Jan Kok’s next chapter. This is a place that does not ask to be replicated, but reimagined. A landscape where time, taste, and heritage meet. Step forward if you are ready to build something that will outlast you, rooted in land, shaped by culture, and carried by those who come after.
For those ready to explore this opportunity further, we welcome you to get in touch with Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao via [email protected] or by sending a WhatsApp message to our helpdesk number at +5999 513 2020.