Forget Michelin stars, Soilmates launches ‘Ugly’ Gems Guide

THE BEST FOOD IS FOUND IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED PLACES

Amsterdam, 8 September 2025 - Chipped paint, sun-faded menus, and flickering neon signs. These are the restaurants that don’t care about style or spectacle, only about what’s on the plate.

Soilmates, the brand known for turning ‘ugly’ avocados into perfect avocado cooking oil, believes “It’s the inside that counts”. Teaming up with Happiness Amsterdam, they continue their mission to challenge society’s narrow definition of beauty, by launching their latest campaign: The ‘Ugly’ Gems Guide. An alternative restaurant guide that celebrates substance over surface. Soilmates hopes to inspire people to look past appearances and discover the quality on the inside.

PURE TASTE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Unlike traditional guides that prioritize aesthetics and prestige, the ‘Ugly’ Gems Guide champions eateries that put food first. These are not the spots you’ll find curated on influencer feeds or celebrated by the Michelin Guide. Instead, they’re hidden local treasures, rough around the edges, but rich in flavour.

Sander Breedveld, Co-Founder Soilmates explains “We all know that one odd little restaurant, tucked away down a back alley, serving the best food in town. A place where it’s truly the inside that counts. Now, there’s a proper guide to celebrate and share those ‘Ugly’ Gems with the world.”

“We all know that one odd little restaurant, tucked away down a back alley, serving the best food in town… Now, there’s a proper guide to celebrate and share those ‘Ugly’ Gems with the world.”

MORE THAN A GUIDE

The ‘Ugly’ Gems Guide is a curated and ever-growing online platform, available at soilmates.com/uglygems, where anyone can add their favourite hidden gems from across the globe.

"The ‘Ugly’ Gems Restaurant Guide inspires people to never judge a book (or restaurant) by its cover."

Nik Sluijs, Creative Partner Happiness Amsterdam adds “After our first campaign challenged beauty standards on a social level, this time we’re proving ‘It’s the inside that counts’ in food culture. The ‘Ugly’ Gems Restaurant Guide inspires people to never judge a book (or restaurant) by its cover. Resulting in a lasting campaign platform that will continue to grow as Soilmates expands globally.”

The campaign goes beyond the digital guide. A smart outdoor activation will transform real ‘Ugly’ Gem restaurants into the media space itself: turning the restaurants into literal billboards for the campaign.

Additionally, a compelling social content series will feature Soilmates ambassador Jono Lancaster, a motivational speaker, author, and BBC presenter who was born with Treacher-Collins syndrome, joining locals in their cities to uncover their favourite ‘Ugly’ Gems. The first two episodes explore the culinary scenes in London and Copenhagen.

The integrated campaign will launch in the UK, Denmark and The Netherlands. With more countries to follow.

FULL CREDITS

HOST

Jono Lancaster

CLIENT

Soilmates

Sander Breedveld

Melis Kolyozyan

AGENCY

Happiness Amsterdam

Nik Sluijs - Creative Partner

Joey Boeters - Creative Partner

Daan de Raaf - Strategy Partner

Iris Minnema - Business Partner

Tyler Hutton - Creative 

Marloes Hartsuiker - Creative 

PRODUCTION

TOKO

Daniel Porcedda - Executive Producer

Marvin The - Creative Director 

Christine Ortiz Aldana - Producer

Sjoerd Wess - Director / DOP

Quinton Dallie Luisa Soares - Editor

Soundsright - Soundmix

DIGITAL AGENCY

Lama Lama

Abel Schupp

Marin van Loo

Nick Castricum

Lisa Stegers

Lars Koelman