In an age dominated by speed and convenience when it comes to food, Foodistorie looks for food-related stories that encourage us to slow down and reflect on what is on our plates. Van Ree organises cooking workshops and does catering jobs for young and old where she places the emphasis on telling stories, preparing food yourself and eating it together. ‘With Foodistorie, I hope to reacquaint people with how enjoyable and delicious it can be to cook by yourself or together’, says Van Ree.

Van Ree has drawn lessons from her humanities background, which she applies to her business. ‘I think there is a wonderful link between the Humanities and entrepreneurship. Humanities studies do not train you for a specific profession, but examine what connects us as human beings. That is something I also try to do as an entrepreneur.’

Breeding ground

Van Ree came into contact with the Humanities Venture Lab through Stichting TechMeUp. ‘The Humanities Venture Lab was involved with TechMeUp from the very beginning. When I stopped working for TechMeUp, I was given the opportunity by the Humanities Venture Lab to set up my own business.'

The Humanities Venture Lab has played an important role in the development of Foodistorie. ‘Humanities Venture Lab is a wonderful breeding ground. As a result of the coaching I received from Marine, the business coach, I was always motivated to keep moving forward and break out of my comfort zone. In March 2025, I organised my first cooking workshop at one of the development programmes of the Humanities Venture Lab. As a result of that, I was able to take a major first step in an accessible way.'

She is enthusiastic about the support provided by the Humanities Venture Lab. ‘If you have just started running a business, I would definitely recommend working with them. It’s also the perfect place if you are looking for like-minded people, or if you have an idea for a business and want to act upon that.’