08/02/2025

Michelin experience at restaurant and bar high up in Zalmhaven

Ambitious kitchen team to create elevated dishes using local produce

Celest, the new establishment on the 57th and 58th floors of De Zalmhaven in Rotterdam, is gradually taking shape. A kitchen crew has now been assembled, combining Michelin experience, passion and ambition. The team will serve refined dishes, emphasising local ingredients as much as possible.

Michelin experience

Heading the new team is chef Lars Drost. His track record includes a stint as sous chef at Ciel Bleu (**) in Amsterdam’s Hotel Okura, and representing the Netherlands at the Bocuse d’Or, the Olympics of the culinary world. Celest will also have two experienced sous chefs, Frank van Rijsbergen and Leonardo Sussi, both of whom come from excellent restaurants. The three managers went after the very best and most motivated people in their networks, Drost says. “That’s the advantage of working with two good sous chefs. If everyone brings a few people with them, you end up with a fantastic team eager to serve amazing dishes. We wanted people who felt an emotional connection to the concept, the venue and our way of working. After all, everyone working here serves as an ambassador for Celest.”

International cuisine with local ingredients

The 32-year-old chef is proud of the philosophy that drives Celest. The kitchen team will be serving an à la carte and Celest Seasonal Menu for the restaurant on the 58th floor, with delicious food and excellent wines. The 57th floor is home to a bar offering the best views of Rotterdam, which opens its doors at 10:00 every day to serve an all-day menu, including delicious cocktails and drinks.

The team serves international dishes made using mainly local ingredients. “If you team up with one big supplier, you buy what has already been harvested. We decided to do things the other way around: we visit several selected suppliers before the harvest,” Drost explains. As a result, our menu is always changing. “Our goal is to surprise anyone one who sets foot in the restaurant, whether you’re a first-time guest or a regular. Our approach means that guests will be able to taste all the seasons at Celest.”

The Rotterdam spirit

This ambition to go local is a perfect fit for parent company Magnicity. After all, the global market leader of high-altitude urban tourism makes maximum use of local workers and entrepreneurs in all pf its projects. As such, Celest embodies the Rotterdam spirit: the concept is based on world-famous author Edgar Ellen Poe’s story about Rotterdam-born Hans Pfaall, who journeys from Rotterdam to the moon in a homemade hot-air balloon. During his voyage, he marvels at the earth, oceans, moon, stars and planets: elements you’ll also find at Celest. “For me, the dishes are part of the concept,” Drost points out. “So Hans Pfaall’s story is subtly reflected in what we serve. How? Well, you will just have to wait until the end of the year and see for yourself when we open.”

Celest’s final opening date is yet to be determined, with construction work still to be completed. In any case, Celest will open its doors before the holiday season.

About Magnicity

Magnicity is the market leader in high-altitude urban tourism and one of a handful of companies in the world specialising in the management of panoramic observation towers. It operates the Paris Montparnasse Observatory (Montparnasse Tower) in Paris, France, the Berliner Fernsehturm (TV Tower) in Berlin, Germany, the 360 Chicago Observation Deck at the former John Hancock Center in Chicago, Illinois, the Varso Tower in Warsaw, Poland, the top floors of Rotterdam’s De Zalmhaven, and owns the Euromast in Rotterdam. The Spiral Tower project is part of Magnicity’s CSR strategy for responsible urban tourism that respects the environment and local communities.

Magnicity offers more than just spectacular views of the city; it curates immersive experiences that invite local and international visitors to discover all dimensions of a city (history, culture and city life). Magnicity venues combine educational activities, novel technologies, exhibitions and one-off events to create unforgettable experiences.

In 2023, Magnicity and its 300 employees welcomed more than 3 million visitors.

About Celest

Celest will open its doors in late 2024. The crown jewels of the concept are the most elevated bar and restaurant in the Benelux, situated on the 57th and 58th floors of De Zalmhaven in Rotterdam, respectively. Celest not only offers stunning views of the city, but even takes guests on a journey to the moon, inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall” (1835). The story follows Rotterdam-born Hans Pfaall on his voyage past the earth, oceans, moon, stars and planets in a homemade hot-air balloon: elements that are all featured at Celest.

Celest’s restaurant serves up unforgettable experiences for lunch or dinner, while guests can indulge in delicious drinks, cocktails and food in the bar one floor down. The overall experience goes beyond culinary delights; it is a journey to unprecedented heights. A visit to Celest is a tantalising adventure that will stay with guests forever.

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Magnicity unveils CELEST at the top of the Zalmhaven

News
11.11.24
Magnicity’s new premium restaurant and cocktail bar are set to bring a unique experience to Rotterdam. Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall (1835), Celest will go miles beyond merely offering an astounding culinary experience or breathtaking views of Rotterdam. Through storytelling and spectacular design, Celest will take visitors from Rotterdam to the moon.

Tijden en locatie

Bekijk hier de openingstijden.

Gedempte Zalmhaven 20
3016 DT, Rotterdam

Times and location

Check here for the adjusted opening hours during our soft opening.

Gedempte Zalmhaven 20
3016 DT, Rotterdam