The family of Jonnie Boer found the attention for his passing “very special, but also hectic.” The top chef suddenly passed away last month.
That Boer’s passing “touched so many people was very special. We didn’t expect that,” said daughter Isabelle. Boer’s family was on the talk show Eva on Tuesday evening. “It’s also a nice feeling.” Brother Jimmie added that it was “also hectic.”
About two thousand people attended Boer’s farewell. Many messages of support also came in online, and many people stood along the route the coffin took through Zwolle.
Boer passed away on April 23 on Bonaire, where the whole family was at the time. His wife Thérèse was actually glad they were still on Bonaire because she was immediately called by various media outlets. “It was very intense,” says Thérèse about it. On Bonaire, the family could remain out of the spotlight for a few more days and then “take Jonnie home.”
Boer’s wife spoke of a “rollercoaster of emotions that you don’t understand.” But she also said she drew strength from her children and chef Nelson Tanate. Thérèse is determined to continue with the Librije. The three-star restaurant in Zwolle reopened two weeks ago. “On the first day, I could feel Jonnie’s presence.”