Indonesia Expat - Issue 154

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FR EE ! I S S U E N O . 15 4 | 18 N O V E M B E R – 1 D E C E M B E R 2 0 15

J A K A R TA • J AVA • B A L I • L O M B O K • K A L I M A N TA N • S U M AT R A • S U L A W E S I • W E S T PA P U A

W W W. I N D O N E S I A E X PAT. B I Z

BREAKFAST AT MONOLOG MEET WILL MEYRICK THE STREET FOOD CHEF INDONESIA'S FOOD IMPORT RESTRICTIONS THE FOOD TRUCK FAD

the foodie issue

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Indonesia expat issue 154


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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers,

A trend from the US taking Indonesia by storm is the almighty food truck. Lina Natalia visits several trucks in Jakarta to find out more about their operations, including challenges with obtaining proper licensing.

Editor in Chief

Angela Richardson angela@indonesiaexpat.biz

Editorial Assistant

Caranissa Djatmiko letters@indonesiaexpat.biz

Management

Edo Frese edo@indonesiaexpat.biz

Sales

Dian Mardianingsih ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

Distribution & Admin

Juni Setiawan admin@indonesiaexpat.biz

Graphics

Frederick Ng

Finance

Lini Verawaty finance@indonesiaexpat.biz

Contributors Abigail Chapman Gail Collins Karen Davis Alice Jay Lina Natalia Simon Pitchforth Eamonn Sadler Ardi Wirdana Kenneth Yeung

Circulation Enquiries

Food, glorious food. In the nearly six years I’ve spent living in Jakarta, I’ve noticed countless new restaurants opening up, and many more closing down – especially with our offices being based in the nightlife hub of Kemang. This city has food for almost every kind of palate, including my vegan one, although these eateries exist few and far between unless you take a trip to Bali, where they are bountiful. What does it take to run and manage a successful eatery? For those who import goods in Indonesia, this can be a tricky task, as we see in our Feature Story, where we discuss the tightening of import regulations in the food and beverage sector. In the name of being a selfsufficient country, Indonesia has made changes to import permits as well as import tariffs, affecting many restaurateurs across the nation. Ardi Wirdana investigates.

Unless you never dine out, the name Will Meyrick should ring a few bells. We meet this seasoned traveller to find out about his passion for cultural cuisine and street foods, discovering his reasons for opening his renowned restaurants in Bali and Jakarta. Karen Davis has the lowdown. We also meet the people behind the popular coffee shop cum diner, Monolog in Jakarta, whose dishes feature on our cover this issue. Monolog’s kitchen, believe it or not, is run by a Japanese chef, Takashi Iwasawa. We discuss the ins and outs of their very successful business on page 10.

(Indonesia eats vegetables) has taken social media by storm. Caranissa Djatmiko finds out more, including the truth about protein in this interesting read. We hope our Foodie Issue whets your appetite!

Sophie Navita is a well known Indonesian chef and an advocate for consuming a plant-based diet. Her community Indonesia Makan Sayur

Angela Richardson Editor in Chief

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

info@indonesiaexpat.biz

Subscriptions

subscriptions@indonesiaexpat.biz

Events

events@indonesiaexpat.biz

Published by

PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia Graha Eka Formula Building 3rd floor, #302 Jl. Bangka Raya No. 2 Kemang, Jakarta T: 021 719 5908 (sales/editorial) 021 719 3409 (admin/finance) F: 021 719 3409 Office hours: 09.00–17.00 Monday–Friday INDONESIA EXPAT IS PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY BY PT. KOLEKSI KLASIK INDONESIA. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION ARE THOSE OF THE WRITERS AND THE PUBLISHER DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMMISIONS, OR COMPLAINTS ARISING THERE FROM.

Dear Angela,

Dear Eve,

Being a frequent visitor to Bali, I really identified with your editorial in Indonesia Expat, issue 152.

I'm very happy to hear that you could identify with my editorial note and have been carrying out your own clean-ups, too! :)

Last June, I decided to travel to the east coast of Bali for the first time, and stayed at a hotel in Lipah. Whilst roaming the local tiny little area, I was shocked at the huge amounts of rubbish strewn along the whole length of the otherwise pretty street.

Our Clean Up Day in Jakarta has had a knock-on effect, with Tabalong in Kalimantan running a city-wide clean-up with 7,000 volunteers the weekend after, and Bandung keen to start in 2016. It would be great to get Bali on board in 2016 as well.

I felt I had to take action and asked some local gardeners if they had a rake and some bags I could use, and without delay started to sweep and clean the street. The local guys just stared at me in amazement, but after about 30 minutes they started to join in! Soon there were about four men helping out and after about four hours, the difference was extraordinary. Here in Sanur, there is also a massive problem, but I often see groups of young local people walking the streets, picking up rubbish. So maybe things are changing. Plastic is the major problem, and all we can do is refuse the endless bags offered in shops.

It's lovely to hear from someone that understands how change takes small, baby steps, and that nothing will change overnight. We first have to make people realize that there is actually a problem - most people don't even see the trash! Then we can work on changing their mentalities towards rubbish and learn about separating waste at home.

NO PARTS OF THIS PUBLICATION CAN BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN PRINT OR ELECTRONICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. ALL TRADEMARKS, LOGOS, BRANDS AND

Thanks again for your lovely letter and do let me know when if and when you do another impromptu clean-up. We love to share the positive news in our Dua Tangan Cukup column.

Thank you for bringing this terrible problem to the attention of the public via your publication.

DESIGNS ARE COPYRIGHT AND FULLY RESERVED BY PT. KOLEKSI KLASIK

Yours most sincerely, Eve B.

INDONESIA.

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The Cover

Dining at Monolog, Jakarta. Photo by Monolog Coffee Co.

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Indonesia expat issue 154

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All the best, Angela

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Issue 154

Contents

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06

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Feature Story Indonesia's Food Import Restrictions Leave Restaurants with a Loss of Appetite

Expat Business

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19

Meet the Expat Will Meyrick, the Street Food Chef

Expat Outreach

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Scams in the City Stranger Danger

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Featured Food Trucks Boom as Mouths Water on the Streets of Indonesia

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Worthy Causes #IndonesiaMakanSayur: Not Just a Hashtag

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Business Profile Breakfast at Monolog

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Announcements

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Meet the Expat Eliot Sandiford: The Potato Head Story

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Light Entertainment Filling the Grill

Expat Lifestyle

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Humorous Observations App Fap

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Events

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Business Directory

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Classifieds

14

Food Review Jakarta BAM! Tapas and Sake Bar

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Cooking Learning to Cook Up a Storm

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Food Movements Bali's Slow Food Movement

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Food Review Bali Sea-Food and Eat-It: Sardine

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FEATURE STORY

Indonesia’s Food Import Restrictions Leave Restaurants with a Loss of Appetite With tougher restrictions on food imports, restaurateurs in Jakarta prepare for the worst. By Ardi Wirdana

T

he Indonesian food sector has never been more familiar with the term ‘self-sufficiency’. Though the idea of pushing domestic producers has always been important in Indonesia, the current government is adamant about taking it a step further, by significantly curbing foreign food supplies despite loud complaints from trade partners, consumers, and industry players. The move towards self-sufficiency started late in the second term of the previous administration. Indonesia found itself in hot water following complaints by the US to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over horticultural and animal products. This, however, has not deterred the new government from employing similar strategies. Within the first year of President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s first term, the government has issued numerous protectionist policies and regulations on the import of certain food products. Rice, the country’s chief staple, is one of the main products Indonesia is determined to curb. But a number of domesticallyavailable food items, such as mung beans, onions, garlic and corn, have also seen fewer imports under the new government, which is looking to spin these items into export commodities. Eyebrows were raised when import permits for sugar were slashed last year, while those for salt are reportedly set to follow suit. The biggest uproar was arguably the government’s decision early this year to cut the import quota for live cattle by 80 percent – a policy which the government later overturned, following a spike in the price of beef in the country. Changes were not only made to import permits, but also to import tariffs. Soybeans are one of the few food items that have been charged with higher import tariffs in the name of self-sufficiency. An import tax policy in July, which similarly aimed to boost the domestic industry, saw a 30 percent increase in import duties for food and beverage products, such as processed meat, candy, and cookies, while alcoholic drinks are imposed with duties up to 150 percent.

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THE SPIRIT OF NATIONALISM It is apparent that self-sufficiency is the goal, and the supporting policies are protectionist in nature. Many would argue, however, that it all stems from a spirit of nationalism, increasingly identifiable as the hallmark of the new government. Nationalism has always been in Indonesian politics. It is a notion that sells well and appeals to the masses. In last year’s presidential race, both candidates championed the idea in their own way. For Jokowi, it was always going to be there whether he liked it or not, because of the strong nationalistic sentiments of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP). Jokowi’s pro-people approach further reinforced the ideal. For years Indonesians have been accustomed to the doctrine of foreign capitalists acquiring Indonesian assets and attempting to dominate its vast market. This ideological slant has been felt by the foreign community more than any other in Indonesia – a sentiment recently expressed by German-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ekonid) managing director Jan Ronnfeld, at a discussion organised by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. “There is the perception in the foreign community of a growing sense of nationalism and protectionism in Indonesia, and this impacts investment decisions,” said Ronnfeld. A BLOW TO BUSINESSES Such protectionist policies have come as a huge blow to businesses that over the years have relied greatly on imported materials. In the food sector, some popular restaurants in the capital have been gravely affected. Daniel Vigone of Mamma Rosy, an Italian restaurant in South Jakarta, says that not all restaurants can easily switch to using local products as urged by the government. “When you’re making authentic regional food you need to import specific ingredients that are not available from local producers, or the local quality is not at the standard we aim for, then you will start to face problems,” Vigone says.

He adds that the import restrictions have definitely affected customer satisfaction and sales. “When you have in the menu an item like ‘Mozzarella di bufala’ and you want to serve only that specific brand from Campania but for three weeks it has not been available from the supplier and you do not want to replace it with a lower class product, then we need to spend time to explain to customers that it’s not our purchasing [team] forgetting to place the order, but it is the supplier that is not allowed to import that item,” he explains. Wisnu Wardana, from Union Group, another player in the elite restaurant industry, says that he understands and supports the government’s intention of

boosting the local industry, but thinks the focus should be on improving the quality of domestic food before issuing any restrictions on imports. The local alternative, he argues, is not yet ready to substitute the distinct quality that foreign produce offers, which could prove costly for businesses. Wardana adds, however, that the worst impact of the import restriction is that it not only leads to a spike in the price of a particular commodity, but it also seems to somehow affect the prices of others, too. “I honestly don’t know how it works, but that’s how it is in the Indonesian market. This will hurt consumers because once the


An import tax policy in July, which similarly aimed to boost the domestic industry, saw a 30 percent increase in import duties for food and beverage products, such as processed meat, candy, and cookies, while alcoholic drinks are imposed with duties up to 150 percent.

prices go up, it will be hard for them to come down. That’s just the way it is,” says Wardana, whose company owns a chain of top food businesses like Loewy, Union, and Cafe Milano. FINDING A COMPROMISE The government’s import restriction policies have at times been a PR disaster for the country. Experts have warned of the inevitable negative effects of seeking self-sufficiency in the food sector. Dr J. Jackson Ewing, of the RSIS Centre f or Non-Traditional Security Studies, Nanyang Technological University, has said that Indonesia’s heavy reliance on domestic production will cause supply and price fluctuations. He added that import controls are also vulnerable to corrupt practices, as Indonesia has painfully learned after a prominent politician was arrested in 2013 for allegedly accepting bribes for

beef quotas, as well as the current public outcries over an alleged garlic ‘cartel’ responsible for rapid price increases. “Engaging with international communities would be beneficial for Indonesia, but with their nationalistic stance, the best compromise will be to find the right balance,” Dr. Ewing says in an opinioneditorial published in the Food Industry Asia website. “There is a balance to be found, and creating more robust domestic food systems need not come alongside Indonesia’s sweeping abandonment of international markets. Finding the balance will require [...] greater trust in the stability of import access and prices. This will only occur if leaders have reason to view international markets with less rancour, and have the political will and capital to help destigmatize food imports in the eyes of the population,” he said.

Ardi Wirdana is a Jakarta-based journalist covering a variety of topics including business, policy, and news in Indonesia. For more information, visit www.copycollision.com

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EXPAT BUSINESS FEATURED

FOOD TRUCKS BOOM AS MOUTHS WATER ON THE STREETS OF INDONESIA Recent years have seen more unique food trucks turning up throughout Jakarta, with proprietors offering one-of-a-kind dishes to stand out from competitors. By Lina Natalia

retro gourmet food truck (image courtesy of qraved)

F

ood trucks are a relatively new gastronomic concept, having taken America by storm in recent years. Now, they are set to bring unique culinary experiences to the busy, metropolitan life of the average Jakartan. According to the Indonesian Food Truck Association (IFTA), there are 70 mouth-watering food trucks rolling around in the Big Durian, a number which is expected to increase as awareness and popularity spreads. With robust media coverage, city folk are becoming more aware of the metropolis’ mobile munching opportunities. Potential customers can gauge the quality of a truck by counting the number of warm bodies queuing up in front. That said, the presence of food trucks in Jakarta is still young. Foodies are still testing things out, with loyalties not yet established.

in December 2013. Inspired by food trucks in western markets, Gumilang decided to sell American and European food on the streets. American-style fried chicken and grilled beef are some of his customers’ favourites. Patrons also say their favourite food from Jakarta Food Truck is the sloppy joe – a sandwich containing ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun. The truck can be found cruising around South and Central Jakarta, targeting office workers on weekdays and families on weekends. Jakarta Food Truck’s prices range from Rp.15,000 (US$1.33) to Rp.65,000 (US$4.76) per serving.

Food truck owners are trying hard to stand out from the crowd by offering one-of-akind treats that can’t be found anywhere else. Ari Galih Gumilang, owner of Jakarta Food Truck, believes that maintaining the original concept of the business from the US and Europe will do just that.

Elsewhere, food trucks Loco Mama and Taco Truck Indonesia have decided to mix things up by cooking zesty Mexican fare at a reasonable price. Freshly made nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and tacos are most definitely on the menu. In this writer’s opinion, the best dish is a chicken burrito with all the fixings and an ice cold Bintang – or a Corona with lime, if you insist on authenticity (and you should!).

Ari, who used to be a chef at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Jakarta, started Jakarta Food Truck with his best friend Anglia Gordyna

If foodies want fusion, Taco Truck Indonesia gets a little more experimental in its approach, and attempts to marry its host

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country with its adopted cuisine. Quirky examples are rendang tacos and burritos. It also offers crunchy chimichangas (deep fried burritos) and fresh churros for dessert. Prices per dish range from Rp.20,000 (US$1.46) to Rp.35,000 (US$2.56). Aside from Corona, authentic sangria and the Mexican favourite horchata are available on the drinks menu. Andre Tenardi, Taco Truck Indonesia's owner, says he initially wanted to jump into a culinary business that didn’t yet exist in the capital. “I chose to sell tacos because Mexican food, which is trendy abroad, was hard to find in Jakarta," he explains. The Taco Truck moves from one place to another at random times, depending on popular demand from food lovers around town. Originally, it served customers in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, before moving to Menteng, Central Jakarta, and then Kemang, South Jakarta. Currently, Tenardi is feeding customers in Pluit, North Jakarta, from 5pm to 11pm. Another food truck called Machete also serves Mexican cuisine. The chef, Jonaroo K., who studied at Jakarta Culinary Institute, believes street food can be healthy and clean. The team behind Machete says they stand out because all their food is

made from scratch and is served fresh. They make the tortillas, salsa, and guacamole each morning, spending up to four hours alone on preparation. But interesting food itself will not suffice in attracting customers when there are fierce and equally creative competitors afoot. Location ends up being one of the deciding factors for hungry locals who want to visit a food truck. Realtors say “location, location, location” when determining the value of a house. It may be a cliché, but nowhere does it hold truer than in the food truck business. The place a truck decides to park is the most essential factor. This also plays into to the nomadic concept of food trucks. Because Jakarta’s food trucks are mobile, they can execute A/B testing in terms of which places have the most adventurous eaters. Publicized locations of food trucks must be updated frequently, and many visitors have begun making orders via social media or a truck’s own website. Food truck festivals are also becoming trendy. Many vendors see festivals as a great way to debut their mobile restaurants. They also create opportunities for a pumped-up evening of sales, as visitors are more likely to buy from them in a festival rather than a stand-alone truck if still unfamiliar with the concept. Local food truck proprietors say small-bite portions or


Lina Natalia is a Jakarta-based freelance journalist, covering a variety of issues related to news, business, and culture. For more information, visit www.copycollision.com

sampler menus can be simple and effective ways to attract visitors during festivals. A food truck owner might also want to consider implementing a queue management system to avoid chaos during peak hours. If possible, owners should also provide chairs where hungry customers can sit and eat. In the end, however, it all boils down to the menu. While treats from trucks don’t need to be novel to be perfect, they do need to be delicious and reasonably priced. Joining an association like IFTA or the Indonesia Car Business Organization can also be helpful, as participating owners are sure to get the latest information about food truck festivals in the archipelago. All in all, the food truck business is growing as Jakarta is filled with culinary enthusiasts craving the next big thing. Big-name retailers like Bakmi GM and Chatime also plan to enter the food truck business. While the food truck industry in Jakarta may have tremendous market potential, it’s not without its own set of challenges. Difficulties inevitably include finding proper places to park due to the city’s limited space and overpopulation.

Moreover, business owners need to obtain necessary licenses before they can legally operate food trucks. While many proprietors are sure to just start shooting from the hip, legally speaking, food trucks must be registered in accordance with the nation’s Tourism Ministry. Owners have to obtain and file an official registration letter with the Ministry, just like any other restaurant. However, obtaining such a license is often difficult, says Jakarta Food Truck co-owner, Gordyna. "The license is hard. We have to fulfil an operation license and car license. Our company is the prototype for this kind of license. The government is still confused about our business category. We even once were kicked out while parking in the National Monument [Monas] by the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP)," Gordyna says. She also admits Jakarta Food Truck has not yet been able to obtain a license from the Health Ministry, but it’s in the works. "Even though we don't have a license from the Health Ministry, we have the license from IFTA, which now has a standard for food truck cleanliness," Gordyna explains.

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EXPAT BUSINESS BUSINESS PROFILE

Breakfast at Monolog If you’ve been to Plaza Senayan or Pondok Indah Mall in Jakarta, chances are you’ve been to Monolog; the coffee shop-cum-all-day-diner popular among both Indonesian and expatriate customers. We meet the head chef, Takashi Iwasawa, and director, Evie Karsoho, to discuss the ins and outs of their successful eatery. By Angela Richardson

Chef Iwasawa, you’ve been living in Indonesia for over 18 years. Can you share your story of how you ended up living and working here? Chef Iwasawa: I was eager to see the world. I came to Indonesia back in ‘97 to challenge myself and see how I would sustain living in a foreign country. Jakarta turned up to be my home away from home. Before I joined Monolog, I’ve worked in several restaurants including Italian, Thailand/ Vietnamese, Korean BBQ, Indonesian, and Japanese fusion. You are currently the head chef at Monolog, a very popular coffee shop and restaurant with two branches in Jakarta. Can you explain the restaurant’s concept to us? Evie: Monolog is your neighbourhood coffee shop/all day diner. Over the years Monolog has served as a focal point for guests to enjoy great coffee and comfort food in a cosy and creative environment, where you can bump into your good friends, family, and very possibly, make new friends. Whether guests are looking for a hearty breakfast to start the day or a warm blend of home brew coffee and tea in the afternoon – or even tasty cocktails (PIM branch only) come sundown – Monolog carries an extensively varied menu to cater to all. Monolog is on par with coffee shops in Melbourne, London and Seattle. Why was it important for your team to bring this concept to Jakarta? Evie: We were inspired by the openness, familiarity, and, of course, quality of some coffee shops from around the world. Being in a country that is one of the biggest coffee producing regions, we feel like we have the responsibility to translate and showcase what we in Indonesia are capable of.

The owner of Monolog, Christoph Darjanto, was a finalist in the Indonesia Barista Competition in 2011. What does it take to truly understand coffee and deliver the best cup each time? Evie: We believe in three simple things to serve a great cup of coffee; love, passion and quality. We love our coffee, and that's why we always search for the best quality bean, roasted or even in its raw form. However, great beans can only translate to great cups through passionate and meticulous preparation, and that's why at Monolog Coffee we always train our baristas continuously. This way, we can nurture their passion and love for coffee and we can serve great quality coffees consistently.

What thought and consideration goes into creating each dish on your menu and where do you find your inspiration? Chef Iwasawa: I try to understand the local palate and make sure that the ingredients we use are always fresh. Periodically, Evie and I discuss our menu and carry out tastings; we try not to limit ourselves to certain cuisines in the menu creation process. We get inspired by menus from around the world. What do you think is the secret to the success of Monolog? Evie: I’ll give you the most cliché answer: we love what we do. It always makes our day when we see that smile and nod of approval in our patrons’ faces when they take that sip of cappuccino or a bite of that

Monte Cristo sandwich. We take feedback seriously, whether it comes from our patrons or from our own team. We then evaluate and take action on improvement. Chef Iwasawa: A solid team. Your staff are very efficient. What kind of training do your employees undergo? Chef Iwasawa: We do regular training on our menu to keep the quality consistent and we work with a system. Evie: We have a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for our operational team and we revisit and retrain our team on a regular basis based on the SOP. In the hospitality industry, you are faced with different kinds of people with different kinds of backgrounds every day, therefore flexibility and emotional intelligence is needed. We

BUSINESS SNIPPETS

Amid Rupiah Surge, Drop in Reserves Shows Indonesian Fragility

rupiah, which suggests Bank Indonesia intervened to help its currency hold onto gains after it jumped 9.1 percent in the week through 9 October.

Last month’s drop in Bank Indonesia’s foreign-exchange reserves, even as the rupiah led emerging markets to surge 7 percent, highlights vulnerability in the nation’s increase in US borrowing costs. Falling for its eight month, from US$1 billion to US$100.7 billion, Indonesia’s central bank stockpile figures were released last week. The monetary authority said in a statement that the decline was due to rising costs to service the government’s foreign debt and the use of reserves to stabilize the 10

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© CNBC

At the lowest level since January 2014, reserves are near the US$100 billion level, often cited as a key psychological threshold, reducing the central bank’s buffer for when the Federal Reserve raises interest rates. Futures contracts show the odds of this happening in 2015 has risen to 70 percent, after US jobs data released last week boosted the case for an increase. According to an estimate from Macquarie Bank Ltd., net outflows of US$1.7 billion came from the Indonesian economy in October.


Being in a country that is one of the biggest coffee producing regions, we feel like we have the responsibility to translate and showcase what we in Indonesia are capable of.

encourage our team to articulate their minds and use their skills and knowledge to solve problems.

challenged in delivering service excellence. We turnover more or less 300 patrons per day.

Chef Iwasawa, have you incorporated any Japanese tastes into the menu? Chef Iwasawa: A few, not much – maybe more on the food preparation techniques rather than the taste.

Does PT Gastronomica have any plans to open up a third branch, possibly outside of Jakarta? What are the company’s future plans? Evie: Certainly. When and where, we don’t know yet. But we’ll let you know for sure!

As a chef of a busy restaurant in Jakarta, what obstacles do you face and how do you deal with these? Chef Iwasawa: Because of the cultural and language differences, I have had some issues communicating with people, which has sometimes resulted in miscommunication. This is very crucial, especially in the kitchen, where everything is fast-paced and attention to detail is needed. So, I try to self-introspect, adapt, and keep trying to build a solid team. With open communication and optimism, we now have a good team.

How is the Indonesian diner different to the Australian diner, for example? Chef Iwasawa: Menu wise, here at Monolog, we play around and try to be creative with our menu. We try to incorporate some local flavours into our menu, using local spices and ingredients. What ingredient is the hardest to obtain in Indonesia? Chef Iwasawa: Believe it or not, fresh seafood.

Indonesia seems to be entering the ‘organic foods revolution’. Does Monolog also stock organic produce and if so, where do you source from? Chef Iwasawa: We try to use local products/ produce as much as we can, but not necessarily organic. We work very closely with our suppliers to get the freshest produce and ingredients available in the market. Where are your clientele predominately from and how many patrons do you turnover per day? Evie: We have a very diverse clientele from Australia, Japan, Southeast Asian countries, USA, European countries, and more. We love the diversity here. It keeps us

Do you have any events coming up? Evie: Yes, we have The Local Table on Saturday 5 December at 10am at our Pondok Indah Branch. We will turn our coffee shop into a gastronomic playground. Chef Iwasawa will be bringing Japanese fusion to our guests with a five-course brunch menu, using only ingredients found in local markets. Music will be performed by KIMA!, a ‘90s hip-hop and R&B cover band, and we will have well known hosts such as the singer Febrian and celebrity chef, Yuda Bustara. Besides your own restaurant, where is your favourite place to dine in Jakarta? Chef Iwasawa: Most of the time, I eat at home. I do enjoy the food in Garcon and Olivier.

To get in touch, please e-mail: people@monolog-coffee.com Monolog Plaza Senayan CP 101 B, Palm Gate Entrance Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8 - Jakarta 10270 Phone: +62(0)215725144

According to median estimates from Bloomberg surveys, the currency will weaken to Rp.14,034 by the end 2015 and to Rp.14,500 by mid-2016. The rupiah fell 0.6 percent to Rp.13,650 a dollar at the close in Jakarta after dropping as much as 1.2 percent earlier, according to prices from local banks. Since its intraday peak in October of Rp.13,228, it has lost 3.1 percent. The rupiah’s rally in October was aided by overseas funds unwinding hedges to take advantage of the reduced cost of protecting their currency exposure, said Nizam Idris, head of currencies and fixed-income strategy at Macquarie in Singapore. Data

Street Gallery 1st floor No. 101 B, Pondok Indah Mall 1 Jl. Metro Pondok Indah - Jakarta 12310 Phone: +62(0)2129529775

compiled by Bloomberg shows that the rupiah’s one-month onshore implied yield, a gauge of expected interest rates and fluctuations used to price forwards that are used to hedge against exchange-rate losses, was 9.6 percent on 2 November, down from 15.98 on 30 September. “Hedging needs might come back so that would put pressure on the rupiah to weaken,” Idris said. “The pressure on the currency isn’t over.” Source: Bloomberg

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EXPAT BUSINESS MEET THE EXPAT

Tell us about your background in the food and drink industry. I have spent most of my career working in public relations for luxury brands, particularly the lifestyle and hospitality worlds. In London I was lucky enough to work for such amazing companies as Langham Hotels, Nobu, Soho House Group and The Lanesborough. Working with chefs has always been a passion of mine and I have represented people like Giorgio Locatelli, Nobu-San and Thomas Keller, which was a huge honour. In Hong Kong I worked with Aqua Restaurant Group, who has 15 restaurants, including the hugely successful Aqua and Hutong sites in Hong Kong and London. Can you tell us why the name Potato Head? The first Potato Head restaurant was the much-loved site in Pacific Place, opened in 2009. While the site was being built, the project needed a code name and at the time most of the restaurants being opened had very classic and minimalist interiors, with names to match. Potato Head’s aesthetic was going to be very daring and innovative with the industrial interiors we now all know so well, as such they chose a unique name, Potato Head. The feedback was so good they decided to keep it officially. Can you share with us the story of the birth of the PTT brand by the founders Ronald Akili and Jason Gunawan? Ronald and Jason were both educated abroad but returned and founded the company in 2009. Not just business partners but friends also, Ronald and Jason collaborated to create the first restaurant with Ronald’s wife, Sandra as head chef. In particular, Ronald and Jason share a passion for creating projects that are unique, and never copies of anything else – this is one of the founding principles or PTT Family. In addition they are committed to showcasing Indonesian culture through their own contemporary context, in the worlds of food, mixology, music fashion and art. The PTT Family are known for throwing excellent live shows, especially at Potato Head Beach Club. What does it take to deliver such memorable experiences? The vision for the group, and, of course, the Beach Club was always to create something that could hold its own on the international 12

Indonesia expat issue 154

Meet Eliot Sandiford

The Potato Head Story Eliot Sandiford is the Communications Director of Potato Head Family, the group behind the renowned Potato Head Beach Club in Bali and Jakarta’s Potato Head Brasserie and Potato Head Garage. The British expat was living in Hong Kong and holidaying in Bali in 2014 when he discovered Potato Head Beach Club. So impressed by the venue, he immediately applied for the position of PR and Communications Director and moved to Indonesia a couple of months later. By Angela Richardson

stage. As such, we have always looked to deliver artists and performers that can create that memorable experience. For our larger scale performances, we often partner with Ismaya Live, who are fantastic to work with and we have a dedicated creative and production team in Bali and Jakarta who work incredibly hard to pull off the shows. Your group is venturing out into the hotel industry. Tell us a bit about your upcoming projects in Bali. We are all incredibly excited to be opening our first hotel, Katamama, in Bali in January 2016. Ronald’s family background is in the travel industry and he has always wanted to be an hotelier, and it is a very natural progression for the group to be making this step. The Katamama will really be quite different to what is already available for visitors to Bali. The 58-suite boutique hotel is located next to the Beach Club on one of the last

parcels of ocean-side land in Seminyak, and has been created using ‘home’ as a watchword. All aspects of the hotel’s design and experience are based on this philosophy, with every facet personally designed and created by Indonesia’s finest craftsmen, utilising the dying arts and artisan practices that are unique to the country. To find out more, visit www. katamama.com. How has the response been to Potato Head Folk in Singapore’s China Town? We are very happy with the way Potato Head Folk has been received since we opened last June. The site in China Town is a heritage building built in 1939, so we were honoured to be given the opportunity to look after and bring new life to such an iconic location in Singapore. It's a multifaceted site with the restaurant, bar and rooftop bar, and so much to explore. We have a great team in Singapore who are constantly keeping things fresh – from a

Those values are to be passionate about creating original concepts and delivering genuine hospitality, to strive for excellence while having fun in what we do.

new burger to an amazing collaboration with cult Japanese brand Neighborhood – so we certainly don't rest on our laurels. What do you think is the secret to the group’s success? Put simply, and this is just my opinion, I would say that the fact that everything we do is done in accordance with the group’s ethos – our Family Values as we call them, plays a large part. Those values are to be passionate about creating original concepts and delivering genuine hospitality, to strive for excellence while having fun in what we do. In addition, like a family, we care for one another, our ‘homes’ or venues and treat our guests as though they were family friends. Is it true you are planning to open another beach club in Bali? Yes, but this is still a long way off – the next big project in Bali is our second hotel, opening in 2018 and designed by Rem Koolhas. What’s the most exciting aspect of working in the PTT Family? For me, being a part of an organization that is expanding so rapidly is very exciting; I am continually learning new skills and gaining new knowledge on the journey. Also, the fact that we collaborate with such talented individuals from all fields, be it our architects, designers, chefs or mixologists from Indonesia or internationally, means every day there is something new and exciting to work on. Besides your group’s restaurants, where is your favourite place to dine in Jakarta and in Bali and why? I am very happy to be able to say hand on heart that our restaurants really are my favourites. However, variety is the spice of life, so I do have other places I like to visit, too. I really enjoy the atmosphere and buzz at Union and Loewy is good for a night out. Turquaz has excellent food and Social House is a good spot for brunch. In Bali, it’s hard to drag me away from the Beach Club, but I think Bambu has great service and a lovely atmosphere, and Locavore in Ubud is exciting. I do love some Martabak (savoury) as well! Thanks, Eliot! To get in touch, please e-mail: eliot@pttfamily.com


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EXPAT LIFESTYLE

FOOD REVIEW JAKARTA Abigail Chapman is a journalist who loves to write, eat and travel.

BAM! Tapas & Sake Bar

BAM! That’s a bit what it feels like to eat at this new Jakarta restaurant. You’re not quite sure whether you’ve been hit by a bullet train to Tokyo or by the running bulls of Pamplona, but you’re pretty sure it tastes good up in there somewhere. By Abigail Chapman

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Chef Arturo took great care over the preparation of our next dish, a special Spanish-Japanese paella. Paella is one of those national dishes – like biryani, gumbo and risotto – that has many variations, from region to region. This one was in an authentic paella pan, with the right texture and consistency of rice. There was baby squid, and the stand-out ingredient was the special Spanish sausage Chef Arturo gets from Bali – this was very authentic; chunky, meaty and spicy. On top there was a riot of Japanese mushrooms (enoki, shiitake and shimeji) with fried garlic, rocket, and thin red onion slices. Overall, this was filling, spicy, and more than a little different from your usual Spanish rice dish.

panish-Japanese is what it’s all about – and it’s certainly a combination I haven’t come across before. Here, the idea is to share some small plates of Spanish-inspired food, and pair it with a choice from the extensive sake list. Chef Arturo Godó from Barcelona doesn’t claim to be an expert in all things Japanese – just in good quality food. It is the restaurant’s owners who suspected this Singaporean concept would work well in the middle of Jakarta, in one of its fanciest malls, opening up in June this year. As it turns out, BAM!’s location is key. It must owe a big slice of its success so far to its third-floor position in Plaza Indonesia; Jakarta’s original rich-kid playground. This is evident with one look at the wine list: big-hitting bottles, mostly classic French reds from Margaux to Pauillac, all with hefty price tags. This, however, is nothing compared to the sake list, which is huge, and actually quite reasonable by bottle or carafe. The staff can advise on dryness, sweetness and temperature to fit your food – quite impressive. Going with the flow – when in Rome, after all – we started with some dry, cold sake, and at the chef’s recommendation, the kampung egg with baby sotong (cumicumi in Bahasa – squid) and chorizo. Only the sausage here sounds Spanish, so you’d be forgiven for thinking you were about to taste an Asian sensation. But the dish turned out to be reminiscent of txiperones on the beach in Catalonia, lightly deep-fried and very soft on the inside. This was served rather innovatively at the table by the chef, who broke the yolk of a poached egg, and mixed it with an onion puree, the fried squid, and the pieces of chorizo. It really worked.

“All you need is a pair of castanets and a kimono and you’re good to go.”

Not to be outdone, next up was a lovely small dish of imported Spanish prawns, chargrilled. The chef came over to mix the prawns together with the meat and juices squeezed from out of the heads (every Catalonian knows that’s the best part), and for a zingy local touch, chilli sambal and a squeeze of limau topped things off. Like the kampung egg, this fusion fared well.

Next up was a plate of the good stuff. Tapas is not tapas without pata negra, and you cannot go wrong with top-quality ingredients, simply prepared and presented, as it was with the plate of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (cured ham from acorn-eating pigs) and Pan Con Tomat (bread and tomato) we were presented with. Of course, Chef Arturo must import the ham from Spain, where its production is tightly controlled. It tasted nutty and fatty and wonderful. Apart from here, wherever possible, Chef Arturo uses local ingredients, such as seafood from Lombok and Medan. A real cross-cultural creation came next: a plate of stir-fried Asian veggies, adorned with a porcini mushroom foam, and some Spanish pancetta. Mushroom and bacon-y flavours always work well together, so that part was a success, and it was an interesting mix of local veggies. I can see this appealing to a local audience, as would the Hokkaido scallop, which came presented in a cocktail glass atop an avocado puree, green beans and crusted with some bottarga (a type of cured fish roe). 14

Indonesia expat issue 154

BAM! Tapas and Sake Bar Lantai 3, Plaza Indonesia, Jl. MH Thamrin, Jakarta Pusat Phone: +62(0)2129924222 Web: www.bamtapasandsake.com

Chef arturo godo

Saving the best for last, the star dish was probably the Charcoal Grilled Spanish Pork. Chef Arturo estimates almost every table that comes in orders one of these – and so should you. Thinly sliced and very soft, yet crispy on the top, this flavoursome shoulder was served with a Japanese-influenced mustard mayonnaise, chunks of fennel braised with thyme and a Spanish paprikaspiced balsamic sauce. Muy bueno, arigoto. We would have loved to try the Spanish cheese platter, but with just a little room for something sweet, Chef Arturo offered us a caramelised banana with banana ice cream, chocolate crumbs, and a crème anglaise made with rum. I’ve had banana-based desserts in Java before and recognise them as popular in Asia in general. It wasn’t too sickly or rich, so makes a good option for a light dessert. All in all, BAM! is certainly an interesting new concept for Jakarta’s diners, and one that looks set to be popular. All you need is a pair of castanets and a kimono and you’re good to go.


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EXPAT LIFESTYLE COOKING Gail Collins writes internationally for magazines and has cowritten two books on expat life. She feels writing is the perfect excuse to talk to strangers and know the world around her better.

Learning to Cook Up a Storm Gail Collins discovers the best cooking classes in Jakarta, which teach skills and appreciation for food. By Gail G. Collins

TURKUAZ

Proprietor chef Sezai Zorlu comes from a farmer’s family on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, where he learned basic kitchen skills and authentic recipes, such as chilli paste and pomegranate sauce, while storing the earth’s bounty in preparation for winter. The joyful feasts of his mother and grandmother infused a love of cooking in him. This culture is reflected in the food and furnishings at Turkuaz.

A cooking class at almond zucchini

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n a Saturday evening, couples dressed for a night out instead are in the kitchen, positioned around work stations at Almond Zucchini. Kitted out with prepped ingredients, pans and utensils, they donned their aprons. Let’s get cooking! Mature men asked for and received more help from their wives and the instructing chef. Younger males confessed that they often cook with their partners. All were keen for some fun and a flavourful meal to follow.

ALMOND ZUCCHINI

This new venue is a private home in a garden setting with a streamlined space. The gleaming stainless and commercial kitchen offers a central post for the resident chef and contiguous work stations for practicing ones. With flexible aims, the site is suited for team building, events, cooking parties, pop-up restaurants or catering for hire. The chef is sought to fill the bill. Whether budding cooks want to learn Mexican dishes, yeast breads, or cooking the perfect steak – fillet mignon with shallots and red wine sauce on our night – there is space at the hob. Guests can be hands-on or simply watch, learn and dine. The classes play up unique focuses, such as leadership for team building. Teens and up are preferred with a minimum of 12 students and a maximum of 30 per class, utilizing fool-proof recipes. Aprons, utensils and ingredients are included, and a large space invites guests to sup or rehash the acquired skills afterward. www.almondzucchini.com

PANTRY MAGIC

While Pantry Magic has been the ‘Purveyor of Fine Cooking Tools’ since 1968, with stores in Bali and Jakarta, and offering a complete range of tools, cookbooks,

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expertise, advice and events; seven years ago, they also started teaching clients how to wield their wares. A five-burner stove and oven, positioned centre stage in the store, creates an ideal class size of 10. This lends itself more to demonstrations, but a diverse range of skills, such as cake decorating and fondant figurines, or cuisine can be covered, including Turkish, Italian, French, pastry and raw foods. Specialty products, like oils, caviars or molecular items are available for sale and incorporation into menus. All ages are welcome, including youngsters. The shop networks with chefs for recipes, preparation and how-to to keep it lively and fun. www.pantry-magic.com

EPILOGUE

Epilogue operates within a Javanese joglo house, filled with French fusion that knocks on the doors of Thailand, Korea, and, of course, Indonesia. Everything about the arrangement is juxtaposition and just getting started. Chef Sandra Djohan utilizes fresh ingredients and ideas to let her bistro’s chefs shine. With culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu and 7,000 cookbooks on the premises, Djohn also has written five of her own, beginning with From my Kitchen to Yours up to her latest Pan-Asian volume. Still, even she has limits. “I don’t eat durian, and I’m afraid of a live chicken,” Djohan admitted with a grin. Her classes are schedule-driven and dependent on the requests of guests to avoid repetition. Clientele are emailed to engage in classes, and 10 to 20 students are best for a demonstration. Costs run Rp.250-450,000, varying with the ingredients. Importantly, Djohan stressed, “There are no secrets left out. It is fun and informative – we learn about and enjoy many tastes.” www.sandradjohan.com

Demonstration classes with 15 or less guests create an interactive conversation with the chef, and they begin with a welcoming tea or coffee. The meal consists of an appetizer, main course with rice and dessert costing Rp.550,000. Menu examples range from hummus to kofti, kebab and baklava. Following the class, participants celebrate their lunch together. “Preparation of food unites people, whether it is tomatoes and eggplant or milk to make yogurt,” said coowner Yanti Zorlu. Adventurous fare awaits. www.turkuazrst.com

MOLINA HAZURIA

Ibu Molina Hazuria’s cooking classes began three decades ago, as interested groups of friends gathered to learn. They encouraged Hazuria to spread her knowledge of Indonesian cooking, which started with research on spices for authentic flavours. Approached by Unilever Australia, she started preparing recipes as a food consultant of ready packets for soups and pastas with local adaptions. Years

of teaching and cooking in her personal kitchen launched Taste of India, supplying ready-to-eat meals to Jakarta shops. Still, hands-on cooking with guests wins handsdown and is especially effective with Jakarta and British International School students, though larger groups fare better as demonstrations. She prefers 10 to fifteen people maximum and noted everyone likes rolling out naan. The cost runs Rp.300-350,000 with classes on Indian, Lebanese and Indonesian cuisine with a wider variety of catering. “The recipes are simple – tried and true – and they work,” Hazuria said. “I have an appreciation for the food and the task.” www.goodfoodjakarta.com As a foodie, I’ve taken classes in many countries, including Florence, Italy, where our son decided on the culinary arts as a career. Cooking is chemistry and physics in action with a vested interest in the results. Scratch-made meals require chopping, measuring, sautéing, stirring, blending and baking—plenty of tasks to go around—even if it is the lowly, vital chore of dishwashing. There is a pride in preparation, appreciation for the process and skill building for the next recipe. Of course, in all the classes listed, the tantalizing tastes that lingered on the tongue can be recreated with recipes to take home. As Julia Child said, “…try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all, have fun.”


EXPAT LIFESTYLE

FOOD MOVEMENT

When she isn't travelling around Asia, Alice likes spending time with her golden retriever, Gerard.

Bali’s Slow Food Movement

we are w ha t we ea t A number of restaurants on the island of Bali are choosing to take their time to support local producers.

By Alice Jay

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n an age of mass production and fast food, finding eco-conscious, healthy food can be a challenge. Bali’s Slow Food movement is gradually bringing the concept of community back into food by connecting local farmers who grow fresh, healthy and chemically-free produce, restaurant proprietors and foodies who care about what they put on their plate. Originating in Italy in 1989 when a group of protesters took a stand against the opening of McDonalds in the centre of Rome, Slow Food has gradually made its way to Bali. Now active in around 150 counties, the grassroots movement reached the shores of Bali in 2009. To make foodies’ lives easier, Slow Food Bali has created a list of restaurants – both mainstream and off-the-beatenpath – that use at least 75 percent organic, local ingredients.

Here are a few options that have gained Slow Food Bali’s Snail of Approval certification. CUCA - JIMBARAN Cuca specializes in tapas made from fresh ingredients sourced exclusively (100 percent) from Indonesia. This sets the establishment apart from most other restaurants on the island, which import a portion of their ingredients from abroad. “We buy as much as possible directly from local farmers to avoid them being cheated out of their hard work,” says Cuca’s Spanish co-founder Virginia Entizna. “Our ingredients are sourced from across the archipelago including Bali, Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua.” Cuca’s dishes are meant to be shared and the small portions mean that patrons are able to try a wide variety of options on the menu – all made from the finest, freshest local produce. “Our most popular dishes include the barbequed octopus, the crispy fried chicken,” Entizna says. In addition to a stylish dining room and alfresco dining, Cuca offers a more outof-the-box experience for those who prefer to take an active interest in the preparation of their meal. The restaurant’s 8-metre counter offers front row seats to where some of the best ingredients on the island are transformed into culinary masterpieces. LOCAVORE – UBUD With the motto, “Modern Cuisine, Local Produce,” Locavore hasn’t acquired its name by mistake. A locavore is a person whose diets consist mainly of locally (within a 250-kilometre radius) grown or produced food.

Afrika Deck sunset view at bambu indah © Djuna Ivereigh

“Our philosophy is to use as much local produce as possible to create modern European dishes,” says the restaurant’s Indonesian chef and co-founder, Ray Adriansyah. To make the most of the local produce, the open-kitchen concept restaurant changes its menu according to the season. “Besides the a la carte menu, we have two tasting menus, a Locavore and a Herbivore menu – each comes in five or seven courses. We try to change a few of the items every Monday just to mix things up a bit,” Adriansyah says. And what about some of the most popular dishes on the menu? “The beef tartare is one of the favourites with our guests. We import the beef from Malang and serve it with wasabi leaf mayonnaise, pickled shallots, radish, and beef lard with herb brioche croutons on the side,” he says. BAMBU INDAH DAPOER – SAYAN Set on the ridge of the Ayung River, 15 minutes from Ubud, Bambu Indah Dapoer is part of the Bambu Indah boutique hotel. The restaurant specializes in authentic Balinese home-style cooking, served amidst beautifully restored antique Javanese teak homes and landscaped gardens. While the intricately designed restaurant is an attraction in itself – think natural stone, bamboo, terracotta floors and antique wood countertops – what is perhaps most significant about Bambu Indah Dapoer is that most of the restaurant’s dishes are made from the seasonal vegetables and herbs grown in the on-site permaculture gardens. “Our team of gardeners turns organic waste into compost and compost into nutritious soil to grow healthy produce that is used in our kitchens and for daily offerings to the island’s gods and goddesses,” says Diane Lion-Giustiniani, Bambu Indah’s operations manager. Lion-Giustiniani believes that most people want to eat local produce but don’t know where to find it. Nevertheless, she says it is important to go the extra mile to support food cultivation methods that preserve the island’s unique culture. “It takes a little bit more research and time than just walking into a supermarket, but sourcing and eating locally is bound to bring more satisfaction with the quality of the produce, and happiness in knowing you are supporting the right people and cooperatives.” SAMADI BALI – CANGGU An organic cafe, as well as a yoga and wellness centre, Samadi Bali delivers on

“Bali’s Slow Food movement is gradually bringing the concept of community back into food by connecting local farmers who grow fresh, healthy and chemically-free produce, restaurant proprietors and foodies who care about what they put on their plate.” all fronts. Not only does Samadi Bali serve delicious, healthy food made from locally sourced ingredients, but the hub also promotes Bali’s producers at its weekly Sunday market. “About 90 percent of our ingredients are sourced from Indonesia. We have a network of local organic farmers and producers who come together to sell their produce to the Canggu community at our market,” says Andréa Drottholm, the co-owner of Samadi Bali. Drottholm says that she wants to show people that organic, vegetarian food need not be bland and boring. While Samadi Bali’s menu is very international, a lot of the recipes are of Indian origin. “Our most popular dishes include the Samadi Fruit Salad and Mysore Dosa,” she says. “We also have dishes that are suitable for people with special culinary preferences. We serve gluten free food, dairy free food, raw food and can cater to people with allergies,” she continues. Drottholm’s dream is to wake people up to the need of taking better care of our surroundings, our nature and our bodies. “It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves. Eating well means that we feel good. When we feel good, we smile and bring joy to those around us.” THE PLANTATION – PAYANGAN A part of the Alila Ubud resort, the Plantation offers authentic Balinese and seasonal French-inspired dishes that celebrate local produce. The Balinese-style restaurant, with lofty coconut pillars and a traditional alang-alang (thatched) roof, sources 80 percent of its produce locally from the Ubud, Bedugul and Jimbaran areas, as well as the resort’s organic garden. The Plantation’s signature offering is the Royal Ubud Rijsttafel, which translates to Rice Table. A smorgasbord of dishes made for sharing with family and friends, the Rijsttafel is a perfect way to sample the traditional flavours of Bali. “All the dishes are made from recipes that have been handed down through generations, and everything is made from produce sourced in Ubud and the surrounding areas,” says Erwan Adri Wijaya, Plantation’s Executive Chef.

While Wijaya laments the disappearance of traditional Balinese cuisine, and the fact that the growth in the number of fast food outlets is changing the island’s food culture, he also says that many people are choosing to return to local, organic produce. “We hold regular cooking classes and events that introduce guests to Balinese products by taking them to the local markets and showing them how to cook traditional food with natural, organic and local products,” he says. “This way we can actively educate people and raise awareness of the benefits of local products.”

bambu indah's satay tusuk beef

samadi bali's fruit salad

cuca's tapas bbq octopus

Slow Food Bali www.slowfoodbali.com

Cuca www.cucaflavor.com

Locavore www.bali-indonesia.com/ magazine/locavore-restaurant.htm

Bambu Indan www.bambuindah.com/ resort/dapoer Samadi Bali www.samadibali.com

Plantation Restaurant at Alila Ubud www.alilahotels.com/ubud/dining

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EXPAT LIFESTYLE

FOOD REVIEW BALI Our Clandestine Critic has dined all over the world, everywhere from threeMichelin starred restaurants in Monaco to street stalls in Shanghai – so this discerning palate has pedigree. The quest for truth and the elimination of mediocrity in Indonesia’s emerging dining scene is finally here!

Sea-food and Eat It

Sardine Seminyak

with some great complimentary focaccia bread and olive oil – I always find this is the harbinger of a kitchen that cares. Whilst deliberating we tried some arak cocktails. They were refreshing and it’s certainly novel, but arak doesn’t quite have enough inherent taste to stand out in a Caipirinha or Daiquiri.

Watch out Indonesia – our expert epicure is on the move, recently roaming the archipelago incognito to bring you the truth about the nation’s dining scene. No spoon is left unturned in the quest for honest, balanced reviews, from long-established favourites to the hottest new tables in town.

This month, fishy fare at Sardine.

Instead, turn your attention to the wine list – and thoroughly ravish it. Choc-a-bloc with extremely well-priced bottles, you’ll have no problem selecting the perfect partner to your marine meal from this selection.

By The Clandestine Critic

up accordingly – as it should be. This is key and they will surely keep it up. Secondly and possibly due to this, it is extremely good value for money. The three mains were just Rp.150,000 each. For a fish-starved Jakarta-dweller, this is nigh on heaven. So far, Sardine was firing on all cylinders. Could this be too good to be true? Potentially yes, for at that moment my old foe, the salt police, decided to show up. Each of the portions for main course – hamachi, sea bass, and mahi mahi – were big, fresh, generous fillets. This is good (although it would be nice to see more whole fish on the bone here) and it’s part of the battle, but to win the war, Sardine needs to cook with more guts. The mahi mahi had a lovely citrus salad on the side, but the fish itself was a little bland. The seabass was well-cooked, and of course bass can take a meatier accompaniment, which this had in the form of beurre rouge and pureed potato. But again, it was exceedingly simple – no skin or anything. The hamachi was the best-tasting, with that mercury flavour you get in swordfish and fresh tuna. It was with a sweetcornkernal-studded salad, which worked. Yet somehow all three suffered from some kind of inferiority complex. They knew they were good cuts of fish really, on the inside. But they just weren’t achieving their full potential. I quite sympathise.

A delightfully dry, pale pink Whispering Angel rosé (at a reasonable Rp.800,000) suited us nicely.

They needed salt, pepper, seasoning, shaking up a bit. Don’t get me wrong. I, of all people, appreciate simplicity, especially in fish cooking – it’s important to allow the ingredients to sing. These did – and there was no mistaking their quality. But the kitchen just needs to loosen up on the naughty bits in life that make things taste good: butter, oil, salt. Amping up their flavours with a few of these would do them no harm, and with their well-thought-out and executed accompaniments, they can still claim the ‘healthy’ tag.

The Clandestine Critic understands that Sardine’s chef is Californian. This explains a lot about the menu. Healthiness reigns supreme at this Seminyak eatery – and why not; this is where the young and beautiful of Bali flock, after all. But does he sacrifice taste? Here and there.

Rounding things off, we took their ‘mini’ dessert sampler plate, which boasted chocolate tart, mango and raspberry parfait with pandan cake, and a little exotic panna cotta. There’s nothing overly remarkable here; all was perfectly fine. The ice creams and sorbets on the side were the stand-outs.

The Smoked Kingfish Salad starter (Rp.90,000) was good: meaty, chunky, home-smoked pieces of fish were lifted by a lime-ginger dressing. Taking things in a more local direction, Manis Clams (‘sweet’, Rp.100,00) were delicious: plentiful plump little darlings in a turmeric and coconut curry sauce. Finally (and yes, I had two companions for this repast instead of the usual one – I do have some friends) a Duck Terrine (Rp.90,000) – chosen for a break from the aquatic – was delicious enough to make us forget our guilt over eating the relatives of the little chaps running around the rice paddy. So far, so flavoursome. It was at this point we noticed and appreciated two very important things about this restaurant. First, the fish is as fresh as I’ve had in Indonesia. They buy whatever is on offer from Jimbaran fish market that morning and make the menu

Sardine does almost everything right. It’s a wonderful option for a light, summery lunch in a gorgeous environment. A small tweak here and there and it would be close to the best option for good-value, fresh seafood anywhere in Indonesia.

© the lost guide

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h, Bali. Few places on the planet – let alone the archipelago – stir as much passion and conflict within these bones. Spiritual, cultural, ancient; a trip here restores the very soul. But at the same time, Bali is increasingly damaged, chi-chi and sometimes a little world-weary. It is, therefore, a joyful pursuit of mine to seek out and savour what is still magical about this mystical island. Can this be found in Indonesia’s highest concentration of seeand-be-seen, Seminyak? We set out to sea, to see. Straight off Sardine impresses. It is a simple structure, but really makes the most of its surroundings. Peeling off Jl. Petitenget, you are suddenly in the midst of a rice paddy. In rainy season, it would be stunning – emerald-green extending directly out of the back of the open-air dining room. As it was, happy little ducks roamed the fields as a beautiful breeze swayed through the bale. White-washed and distressed wood furniture is accented by classic Balinese black-and-white check. It is one of the more restrained, comfortable spaces I’ve seen – neither too stuffy nor too swanky. The gracious hostess came swiftly over – a rare, welcome touch these days – to advise on the menu and ask if we had any questions. We were off to a promising start 18

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© sardine

“The fish is as fresh as I’ve had in Indonesia. They buy whatever is on offer from Jimbaran fish market that morning and make the menu up accordingly – as it should be.” © zomato user nart o

Bigger fish to fry

Cheque Please Food Drinks Service Total

Rp.825,000 Rp.990,000 8% Rp.2,156,220 (inc. taxes) for three

Sardine Jl. Petitenget 21, Kerobokan, Bali 80361 Phone: +62 (0) 811 3978 333 Web: www.sardinebali.com


EXPAT LIFESTYLE MEET THE EXPAT Karen Davis is a NYC artist and writer

Meet Will Meyrick

The Street Food Chef

The seasoned traveller and street food chef of Mama San, Sarong, Hujan Locale, and the soon-to-open Tiger Palm brings an eclectic mix of traditional and uber urban to his popular venues. He talks to us about his interest in the Asian cuisine culture inspired him to open his restaurants. By Karen Davis

How does a chef’s connection to the land and the sea influence the way he approaches his work? When a chef knows where the ingredients he uses comes from – how the farmers grow them, how the fishermen catch the fish and understand the people and their cultures – then he knows what he cooks, and how he’s supposed to cook the dishes. Food is not only about cooking and serving it on a table; it’s about heritage and culture.

You are originally Scottish but born in Portugal. Tell me about your background. My parents lived in Beirut before the war, where they had my brother and sister. Then they moved to Peru, then Portugal where I was born. After that, we moved to Italy. My father then moved to Spain and I moved to Scotland with mum. I was very used to the expat lifestyle; that’s why it’s never been hard for me to live in any part of the world as I do now. I left Europe when I was 21 years old and went to the US before travelling around Asia. I moved and worked in Australia for a while before coming back to Asia. What inspired you to become a chef and subsequently a creator of unique restaurants? I started learning cooking not because of passion; I just had to find a career, since I was not very academic. I tried cooking, and I had to prove to people than I could do it. But then, when I was travelling around Asia I fell in love with the culture, and the food. What I see in Asia’s cuisine culture is what inspired me to open my restaurants. With the collaboration between my business partners and me, we try our best to introduce Asia’s cultures through our food and venues. Explain how street food brings us closer to the true cuisine of an area. The streets and villages are the places where you can find authenticity. Most of these people got their recipes from their families, from generation to generation. I do add little tweaks to the dishes, especially the way we serve it, which is inevitable. However, my goal is to keep the taste authentic and introduce it to a wider audience.

Your travels have taken you all over Asia; Southeast Asia in particular. When did you decide to make Bali your home? It was when I started Sarong eight years ago. At the time, I already had my beautiful family and Sarong completed my life. After the success of Sarong, you opened Mama San in Bali. Can you tell us about the differences in concepts for each venue, and what influenced them? Each of the restaurants I manage has a different concept. While Sarong is more of a fine dining restaurant highlighting Indian and Thai dishes, Mama San is a little bit more casual, highlighting Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. Hujan Locale in Ubud specializes in Indonesian dishes, and the new Tiger Palm serves Malaysian dishes: Kopitiam-style breakfast, all-day lunch, and dinner. In your travels to Burma you wrote, “The purity of the Burmese spirit is what comes through the strongest”. Did it remind you of your early days in Bali? When I started my life in Bali in 2006, it was a lot simpler; a lot more tranquil. Cultural activities were visible everywhere without having to look for it. But comparing it to Burma, I think Bali had been more modernized at the time already; more vibrant with a lot of western influences. Tell us about the amazing floating gardens on Inle Lake in Burma. I admire how the farmers there grow their vegetables. They use water hyacinth, which are secured in position using bamboo poles. Topped with mud from the bottom of the lake, the mixture becomes a fertile floating flatbed to grow tomatoes, gourds, cucumbers and other vegetables. I really hope this system survives the ‘attack’ of pesticide use, which I hear has already begun.

Do you see the sourcing of high quality produce from local growers turning into a requisite for fine dining as well as a booming trade at all levels? How are Bali and Lombok contributing to this trend? It is turning into a trend indeed. I really see it as a positive move and it will do nothing but help local communities in creating sustainable farming, even though I don’t see that most business practitioners actually try to do more than just use the trend as a marketing gimmick. Bali and Lombok have a lot of resources that are not yet industrialized – these places can be a good start to support the move. In all your travels what food experiences stand out in your memory? One of the most memorable food experiences was when I visited Manado and I ate bats and rats. They were OK, but those dishes were definitely not my favourites.

Has your stellar career made it more difficult to slow down to the simplicity you respect so much, where life is only about dealing with the necessities? I consider myself a realistic person. By default, I do things the simplest way possible, but then ‘necessities’ change according to your roles and responsibilities. In my case, the business needs me to move fast and I follow the stream. As a father, and with your accumulated knowledge of agriculture and aquaculture, what are your hopes for the future of foods when your children are adults? I’d like to see food as a culture, which develops sustainability within communities through well-managed boutique farming that can empower the people and strengthen their quality of life – like what I am trying to support through my restaurants. What cookbooks have you published? I’ve published Sarong Inspirations, which is now going for its third print edition. Next year, the plan is to write some regionallyfocused cookbooks. What is your latest venture? We are opening Tiger Palm at The Village in Seminyak this month. The next step is to develop cooking class programmes involving learning the Balinese cuisine culture from locals in their villages.

Thank you, Will Meyrick! For more information, visit www.willmeyrick.com

“My goal is to keep the taste authentic and introduce it to a wider audience.” issue 154 Indonesia expat

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Kenneth Yeung is a Jakarta-based editor

Stranger Danger Beware of people you meet online. And beware of strangers seeking help. An Indonesian man has been jailed in Australia for rape after posing as a woman on Facebook to lure victims. While in Jakarta, a woman who was asked for help to find rental accommodation was raped by a policeman after he planted drugs in her bag. By Kenneth Yeung

jurisdiction covers Mangga Besar. The four men were subsequently arrested. Police said Dedi had headed the public complaints desk at Kalideres Police precinct in West Jakarta.

Billy Bartolomeus Tamawiwy (23), originally from Jakarta, moved to Australia last year to study politics and international relations at the University of Canberra. In August 2014, he set up a phony Facebook account, using the name Tayla Edwards and photos of a redheaded woman he had found online.

Indonesia Police Watch demanded the death penalty for Dedi for his betrayal of the police’s creed to uphold the law and protect the public. West Jakarta Police chief Rudy Heryanto merely said Dedi would be fired if convicted.

‘Tayla’ befriended at least seven male teenagers. She would chat with them briefly about general topics before steering conversations toward sex. She told one 18-year-old man that she was bisexual, and that she and two of her female friends would have sex with him, on the condition that he first have sex with a man named Christian. That was Billy.

Dedi reportedly said it was the second time that he and his friends had extorted women. The suspected could be jailed for up to 12 years if convicted of rape. Jakarta Police chief Tito Karnavian said the city has 32,000 police officers, so the bad behaviour of a single officer must not be allowed to tarnish the force’s reputation. Nevertheless, he promised to conduct an evaluation, including during the recruitment of police.

The victim eventually agreed to have sex with ‘Christian’ after being promised alcohol and marijuana, as well as sex with ‘Tayla’ and her girlfriends. He went to Billy’s flat in Belconnen suburb and drank a significant amount of vodka before the two had sex, which Billy filmed. The next day, the victim arranged to meet with ‘Tayla’ at her apartment for the promised sex with her and her friends. At the location, the door buzzer went unanswered, while a phone number provided by Tayla went to a real estate company, LJ Hooker. The victim then received a Facebook message saying “sucked in” and a photo of himself and Billy kissing. Billy threatened to send the sex recording to the victim’s family and friends if he refused to continue having sex with him. Posing as Tayla, he later contacted the victim’s 13-year-old brother via Facebook and sent him a video file. This prompted the victim to go to the police, who raided Billy’s flat in September 2014, arrested him and seized electronic evidence. When interviewed by police, Billy said he had wanted to teach men a lesson for mistreating women. He said he wanted his victim to know “how to treat girls, not like sluts and stuff. I didn't mean to hurt him.” The Indonesian was refused bail on the grounds that he may attempt to flee Australia, interfere with evidence and commit further offenses. He was charged with sex without consent, indecent behaviour, and using the Internet to menace. The Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court on November 11, 2015, sentenced Billy to four years and 10 months in prison for rape and other offenses. 20

Indonesia expat issue 154

When interviewed by police, Billy said he had wanted to teach men a lesson for mistreating WOMEN The court heard that Billy had sent pornographic images to seven teenage males and then became threatening if they failed to respond to him. Billy’s lawyer, James Lawton, said his client had suffered a traumatic childhood in Indonesia. He argued that the victim had consented to sex because he expected the “reward” of sex with Tayla. The jury found that Billy’s deception negated any consent. Billy will be eligible for parole in November 2016 and is expected to be deported to Indonesia upon release. Police Extortion In Jakarta, a policeman was among four men arrested earlier this month for the alleged rape, extortion and robbery of two women. A 22-year-old woman named Shella was on November 1 approached in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, by a man named Nicky, who said he wanted help to find a kos (rental

room in a boarding house). They exchanged phone numbers. A day later, Nicky phoned Shella and asked her to come to his room at Hotel Balvena on Jalan Mangga Besar V to discuss rental options. Wary of coming alone, she brought along a friend, Lusmiana (23). When they walked into room 204 at about 10pm, Nicky was there with three friends, including Brigadier Dedi Alexander Sinaga (33). Dedi pointed his gun at the women, while an accomplice handcuffed the pair. The men said they were all police, conducting a drug raid. They searched the women’s bags and claimed to find two ecstasy pills. They also stole Rp.1 million. Later, the men drove the women to a hotel in Karawaci, Banten province, and allegedly raped them before stealing their smartphones. On November 4, the women reported their ordeal to Taman Sari Police, whose

Indonesian police have long been rated as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country. In the past year, police have focused on pursuing cases against anticorruption officials, while failing to stop graft within their own ranks. In late September, news emerged of a Jakarta family whose three-year-old daughter was allegedly raped by a 57-yearold neighbour. The father rushed the girl to a local hospital, but it refused to examine her on the grounds its medical service had closed for the day. Next, he tried Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta, only to be informed he would first require a letter from police. So the parents went to Central Jakarta Police’s Women and Children’s Services Unit, where a policewoman demanded Rp.1.2 million for the letter. Lacking the money, the parents had to ask a relative to pawn a motorbike. Next, they had to pay almost Rp.870,000 to the hospital for confirming the abuse of their daughter. Police spokesman Roma Hutajulu denied there were any fees for sexual assault investigations. He said the government should pay, via the police, all of the family’s costs. He also said the policewoman who imposed the fee would be investigated. While fraudsters and rapists in some countries may conceal their identities behind phony online profiles, in Indonesia they don’t even bother to change out of their uniforms.


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EXPAT OUTREACH WORTHY CAUSES

#IndonesiaMakanSayur: Not Just a Hashtag Indonesia Makan Sayur (Indonesia eats vegetables) is a community that tries to raise awareness of the health benefits of eating plant-based foods. Through Instagram, Facebook, and their recently launched blog, the initiative uses the power of social media to spread their message to the Indonesian public of living a healthy life through consuming the right foods. By Caranissa Djatmiko | Photos by Indonesia Makan Sayur

With currently over 22,000 followers on Instagram, a Facebook page, and a recently launched blog, Navita is recognizing the power of social media to bring people into the conversation of consuming a healthy, plant-based diet.

hands-on class

by the body. “When you actually break it down, it is not the protein per se that you need, but ammonia, which is produced by the body when proteins are digested.” Navita understands that different diets work for different people and the key is to listen to your body and learn which works best for you. “If someone follows a diet without actually listening to him or herself, then it usually won’t last long,” she says.

mindful eating class

sophie navita

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eing a vegan is somewhat becoming a trend. But when people spontaneously commit to a specific lifestyle, especially one that deals with a great degree of awareness like one’s eating habits, they are bound to face challenges. Youngsters, for instance, have the tendency to proudly advocate a vegan lifestyle, while in reality they lack the nutritional knowledge to be able to sustain such a diet.

Dua Tangan Cukup

movie screening

One example that demonstrates people’s lack of awareness when it comes to diet is protein. According to the initiator of Indonesia Makan Sayur, Sophie Navita, only 20 percent of our daily nutritional intake needs to be made up of protein – a figure much lower than most would assume. Navita thinks that if a person truly understands nutrition, they would know that it is not exactly protein that is required

Founded in 2003, Indonesia Makan Sayur strives to educate the public in Indonesia about the importance of consuming a healthy diet. Previously, people were not as enthusiastic when hearing the word ‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’. Because of this, Navita tried to translate the term ‘plant-based’ into something catchy yet intriguing, resulting in ‘Indonesia Makan Sayur’. Originally starting as just a hashtag on her personal social media, thousands of followers caught on. With currently over 22,000 followers on Instagram, a Facebook page, and a recently launched blog, Navita is recognizing the power of social media to bring people into the conversation of consuming a healthy, plant-based diet. She realizes that the advantage of having this online community, aside from being cost-effective, is the ability to reach a wider audience while allowing the community to be engaged. On their Instagram account, Indonesia Makan Sayur promotes their activities by posting pictures of food that does not contain

meat on ‘Meatless Monday’; delivering healthy recipes every Wednesday with the hashtag ‘Raburesep’ (Wednesday’s recipe); and promoting food movements across Indonesia every Tuesday and Thursday. Additionally, they hold writing and food competitions to further motivate followers. “We are slowly trying to incorporate eating more plants into the Indonesian way of living and thinking,” Navita says. One of the most noticeable issues Navita has found in the Indonesian diet is the habit of jajan (snacking; usually purchased outside the house). In all honesty, even I myself struggle with this, as everywhere I turn –roadsides, malls, on campus – I am faced with the urge to purchase an unhealthy snack. Although it does come with the benefit of serving as a tourist attraction, Navita does not recommend this culture to continue to the point of damaging a person’s health. “How far are you willing to be stuffed by this jajanan culture to not let it affect your health?” she asks. “When the Portuguese travelled here hundreds of years ago, they were after spices,” Navita adds. “We are so used to incorporating spices into our cooking,” she suggests. As a consequence, Navita says we are dealing with the burgeoning use of MSG in the food sold in restaurants and on the streets, as they try to match our tongue’s intrinsic demand for flavourful tastes. Navita is also concerned with the mentality of Indonesians when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. She thinks that people will always find excuses to compensate for their unhealthy ways of eating. For one, she finds that people normally blame the fast pace of today’s world as a reason for why they no longer have time to cook for themselves. If we understand the need to not just please our taste buds, but more importantly feed our bodies with nutrition, then we might have a chance for a healthy lifestyle. Navita concludes, “Are you eating just for the momentary pleasure your tongue gets, or are you eating to feed your cells that actually help you to function?”

Causes to Support from Across the Archipelago

Clean Up Tabalong Day 2015: A Noble Initiative for a Cleaner Tabalong 25 October marked a new history in the City of Tabalong – a small city in the heart of South Kalimantan – as approximately 7,000 volunteers joined Clean Up Tabalong Day (CUTD) 2015. This is the first of many CUTD events, as the local government and Yayasan Adaro Bangun Negeri (YABN) plans to implement this annually. The aim of the clean-up was not only to clean up Tabalong, but also to raise awareness of living with fewer negative impacts on the environment by educating volunteers of the importance of recycling rubbish. The Regent of Tabalong, Anang Syakhfiani, announced that the next CUTD will be carried out next year to continue its success. “This is a series of events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tabalong as well as step towards a clean and healthy Tabalong.”

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Indonesia expat issue 154

At CUTD, the volunteers also made 1,000 bio-pore holes to allow the ground to absorb more water. This is one of the solutions to several environmental problems, such as flooding and erosion. At the closing event of Clean Up Tabalong Day, a joint agreement was signed between the local government, PT Adaro Indonesia, Yayasan Adaro Bangun Negeri (YABN) and local representatives. The agreement stated that Tabalong’s citizens would live clean and free from litter. Clean Up Tabalong Day is an event inspired from Clean Up Jakarta Day, where 10,000 local and international residents of Jakarta cleaned up at the capital’s third annual event on 18 October. Clean Up Jakarta Day and Clean Up Tabalong Day hope that other cities will be inspired to start their own clean-up days. Clean Up Jakarta Day and Clean Up Tabalong Day 2016 will take place on 16 October.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

Hotel Indonesia Appoints New Executive Sous Chef JAKARTA Hotel Indonesia Kempinski is proud to announce the appointment of Marius Ackermann as its new executive sous chef. Marius joins an already established team of culinary professionals in this renowned five-star heritage hotel. An enthusiastic home chef from a young age, 32-year-old Marius always knew he would carve out a career in cooking professionally. And so he did, spending more than 15 years at top Michelinstarred restaurants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK. And in those 15 years, he developed his own unique style and attitude towards the culinary arts.

AccorHotels Brings Smiles to Underprivileged Children in Bali through ‘Spirit of Smiles’ BALI AccorHotels’ 3rd edition of 'Spirit of Smiles' Golf Tournament was held recently at the Bali National Golf Club, Nusa Dua, Bali, and brought almost 144 philanthropist golfers to the greens. The long-awaited golf tournament has successfully generated more than US$25,000 all to be donated to A Tree for A Child (ATFAC) foundation to build an education centre for underprivileged children in Bali. Garth Simmons, Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Malaysia-Indonesia-Singapore, said, “We would like to thank our valuable, long-term partners, the sponsors and our loyal donors and our hotels for their kind support on Spirit of Smiles tournament. We are so delighted to put smiles on more Indonesian children, including Balinese. The success of today’s charity tournament marks another milestone to improve the lives of underprivileged.”

Marius firmly believes that a good chef is flexible, not stiff and dogmatic when it comes to recipes and menus. According to him, the customer is king. “I don’t get too hung up on the finer points of recipes and menus. I consider myself very adaptable and focus only on taste, which is, after all, what guests want.”

ATFAC is a sustainable development community program established in 2001 by AccorHotels Indonesia and the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation. The programme focuses on improving lives for the underprivileged through education, health and nutrition, and environmental protection. The first education centre in Cipinang, Jakarta, has benefited more than 600 children and their families. AccorHotels Indonesia raises funds through the selling of various merchandises and recycling items. The second ATFAC education centre is in Candi Kuning Village, Bedugul, Bali. Located in the middle of green paddy fields, the newly built Sanggar has many amenities for children to gain a better education, including facilities to play, to learn computer, to study together, a health clinic and English competency classes. The completion of the construction of the facilities is expected by 2016.

Korean Food Festival SURABAYA JW Marriott Hotel Surabaya has announced their 10-day Korean Food Festival, which is set to take place from 27 November to 6 December. This food festival has been organized to provide the hotel’s loyal customers and guests with an exciting and memorable Korean dining experience. To ensure that the experience is authentic, JW Marriott Surabaya has invited Chef Jeon Hyun Jin and Jeong Hye Seon from

W Marriott Seoul to assist with the festival. Both chefs have a combined experience of 30 years cooking Korean cuisine at the award-winning JW Marriott Seoul and the Renaissance Seoul. The 10-day festival will include a cultural night in collaboration with the Korean community of Surabaya, a Korean dinner buffet, executive cooking classes hosted by the guest Korean chefs and much more.

TAUZIA Hotel Management Strikes Exclusive Partnership with Garuda Indonesia INDONESIA Award-winning hotel and real estate operator in Indonesia, Tauzia Hotel Management, has just signed an exclusive promotional partnership with Garuda Indonesia Boarding Pass True Value (BPTV) in the hopes of raising brand awareness and boosting revenue generation from millions of Garuda Indonesia passengers annually. The promo is available for direct online booking at 42 popular destinations across the country, with a validity period of 1 November 2015 to 31 October 2016. Websites for booking are: www.harrishotels.com, www. yellohotels.com, www.pophotels. com, www.soloparagonhotel.com, www.myedenhotels.com and www. pesonaalamresort.com

Guests simply need to input the promo code GAPROMO to receive 10 percent discount off of room charges (based on Best Flexible Rate on each brand’s website), F&B, spa and boutique for HARRIS, YELLO, Solo Paragon, Eden Kuta and Pesona Alam Resort & Spa; and 5 percent discount off of room charges at POP! Hotels. The promo is only valid for individuals with their boarding passes (valid up to seven days from the flight taken) for members of GarudaMiles Gold/Gold EC+/Platinum/ GICC (Garuda Indonesia Citibank Card); and cannot be combined with other ongoing promotions. Guests must produce their BPTV or GarudaMiles upon check-in for verification and payment purposes.

issue 154 Indonesia expat

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Filling the Grill

CROSSWORD

By Eamonn Sadler

In the early ‘90s, I was working in sales and marketing at the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Jakarta. Our fine dining room was called the Jayakarta Grill and for many years it had been one of the most popular restaurants in the city. But times were changing. Due to increasing competition from independent restaurants and the construction of more and more hotels around the city, the Jayakarta Grill was getting left behind and revenue was dropping every week. The General Manager Chris Brown came to my office one day, gave me a detailed briefing on the situation and asked me to prepare a plan to revive the outlet. “The Jayakarta’s f***ed” he said. “Do something about it.” If I were in the same job today, I would immediately turn to Google for inspiration, but back in the dark ages I could only Google my brain. I eventually came up with a rough idea, but I needed a second opinion, so that evening I went to consult with my good friend and the hotel’s Executive Chef, Francoise. Francoise was from the Basque region and he was completely mad. As a chef, he broke all the rules and smashed every stereotype. As a person, he lived precariously close to the edge and fell off on a regular basis. He was flamboyant and generous to a fault and he spent all his money on wine, women and song (and as he loved to say “Ze rest, I waste.”). We huddled over a bottle of wine in his office and I outlined my idea. We went over the advantages and the disadvantages, we discussed the logistics and the challenges and we drank and we drank. By 9pm we were into the ‘good stuff’ and the plan was becoming grandiose in the extreme. We met for breakfast the following morning for a review, then at 8am, through the haze of my hangover I presented a vastly scaled back plan to Chris Brown. Chris also smashed stereotypes, but he was far more responsible and organized than Francoise. He had a very critical eye for detail and he would let you know in no uncertain terms if he didn’t like something without any regard for personal feelings. I handed him the one page proposal I had prepared and sat in front of his desk waiting for the verdict. “How p***ed were you when you came up with this?” he asked, peering at me over the top of his glasses. “Fairly,” I said, knowing him too well to deny it. “Let me guess,” he went on, “the dancing and the lights were your idea, the roses etcetera came from Francoise.” Again, spot on. I just nodded. “It’s completely crazy,” he said. “No general manager in his right mind would allow this in a fine dining room.” Then his stern face snapped into a broad smile. “I love it. Go ahead.”

No general manager in his right mind would allow this in a fine dining room

I closed the restaurant for a month and brought in a choreographer to design some dance routines for the staff to match the beautiful Basque piano music supplied by Francoise. I had engineering fit dimmer switches for all the lights and had them create a single control box next to the Maitre D’s station. I had centrepieces made for each table that held six candles, and Francoise came up with a brand new menu. For the opening night we invited the who’s who of Jakarta society, including ministers and all the top socialites of the time. We served cocktails with no music and the diners took their seats in complete silence. I told the staff to speak only in whispers and to move through the restaurant quietly, moving chairs carefully and seating people in an atmosphere of calm and quiet. They were to light the candles when the table was fully occupied. The plan worked and our guests also talked to each other in very hushed tones, each trying to guess what was about to happen.

I switched on the bright spotlight directly above Francoise’s head and as the music died he announced, “Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Francoise and I am your chef for this evening. Prepare yourselves for a dining experience you will never forget!” Then he took a bow to rapturous applause and disappeared into the kitchen followed by the applauding waiting staff. Every hour on the hour, the staff stopped serving and performed another candle light dance. Francoise would appear again whenever he pleased. A month later we had a waiting list every night from Thursday through Sunday.

IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: Indonesia expat issue 154

Across 1. State of uproar (8) 5. Suspend (4) 9. Clear (5) 10. Stupid (7) 11. Tactless deed (12) 13. Pandemonium (6) 14. Speak indistinctly (6) 17. On which an earthquake is measured (7,5) 20. Seedy (7) 21. Thespian (5) 22. Uppermost tip (4) 23. Prepare for a stage production (8)

DOWN 1. Naevus – burrowing mammal – spy (4) 2. Propriety (7) 3. Belief, often erroneous, passed on by word of mouth (3,5,4) 4. Grab suddenly (6) 6. A defence (5) 7. Generate (anag) (5,3) 8. Never-never (4-8) 12. Legendary food bringing immortality (8) 15. Strengthen – long pillow (7) 16. Cooler (6) 18. Inclined channel for rubbish, laundry etc (5) 19. Genuine (4)

ANSWERS OF ISSUE 153

ACROSS — 5. Crackling 8. Zoom 9. Taming of 10. Statue 11. Supply 13. Jigsaw 15. Deride 16. The shrew 18. Orgy 19. Signal man DOWN — 1. Dramatis 2. Scythe 3. Glamis 4. Anon 6. Fortnight 7. Boiled egg 14. Wiring 15. Dawdle 12. Personae 17. Swig

At exactly 7.30pm, I killed the lights and hit the music. The kitchen door swung open and Francoise appeared in his toque blanche and chef’s whites carrying an armful of red roses, behind him a procession of waiters and waitresses moving in time with the music. He gave every lady present a rose and a kiss on the hand as he made his way round the restaurant in flickering candle light, while the waiting staff placed a plate of selected starters on each table. To finish, the staff lined up at the back of the restaurant with Francoise in front and I lowered the music.

Eamonn has lived and worked in Indonesia for over 20 years but doesn’t understand the country at all and now realises that he never will. He is an entrepreneur, businessman and writer, lead singer with expat band Xhibit A and the owner and operator of The Jakarta Comedy Club and The Bali Comedy Club.

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* Answers in the next edition!

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HUMOROUS OBSERVATIONS Simon is analogue by birth, digital by design

L

street legal, Uber, GO-JEK and the boys would, as purveyors of non-fixed route transportation services, require both business licenses and operational licences. Without such licences, their drivers are technically risking a two-month jail term. And indeed reports have emerged of police seizing Uber taxis in the capital. GrabTaxi are somewhat more legitimate however, in that they simply connect passengers with official taxis (Bluebird, Express, etc.).

ast time out, I gnashed my teeth at the city's various transportation options and the currently under-construction MRT system, which should see the first trains puffing along its subterranean tracks in 2017 (a date that I, for one, suspect to be about as firm as the six-inch-per-year subsiding soils that said subway tunnels are being bored through). What I left out, however, was any mention of the more immediate transportation revolution that has transformed the capital over the last year or so. I'm referring, of course, to app-based transportation services such as Uber and their local progeny (GO-JEK, GrabBike and GrabTaxi).

In general though, both drivers and passengers seem to love these new services. The passengers get to enjoy convenience and reduced travel expenses, while drivers have been able to use their new connectivity to coin it in. There is, however, currently some discontent among GO-JEK drivers who are apparently not making as much as they used to – no doubt due to the app-based transportation market becoming somewhat oversaturated of late.

GO-JEK and GrabBike have turned city streets into a sea of green helmets and are proving a huge hit, despite the fact that they are most definitely illegal. It's not quite the re-greening that Indonesia badly needs in the wake of the worst ecological disaster of the century, but it's been a fascinating phenomenon to observe nonetheless. Incidentally, female passengers may wish to check out the brand-new and guaranteed-100 percent-grope-free Lady-Jek service and its pink-helmeted female drivers. If you’ve been living deep in the heart of the rainforest attempting to teach orangutans to play tiddlywinks for the last year, then allow me to run down how it all works. Basically, you take your smartphone, the digital teet that homo onlinus is increasingly weaned on, and download the app of one of the abovementioned companies. You then select where you would like to be picked up and dropped off on the app's handy Google map, before the name of your driver and the fare for your journey is instantaneously zapped onto your mobile device. Crucially, this fare is likely to be considerably cheaper than either a conventional taxi, in the case of Uber, or a classic, street-corner ojek, in the case of GO-JEK and GrabBike. You can then watch your ride approaching on the map before you’re whisked off to the charnel house of your choice. GO-JEK and GrabBike fares can be paid in cash, as with regular ojek, and also in credits, however Uber requires its passengers to be the kind of hipster-abouttown who possesses a credit card. Perhaps Bitcoin will come into play in the future, too. These app-based transportation solutions are currently causing controversy the world over. Hell, it seems, hath no fury like a traditional cabbie spurned. Trailblazers Uber, in particular, are proving more of an irritant to the world’s traditional taxi drivers than newspaper articles about immigration. Back in my home city of London, for example, no less an institution than the High Court itself has now waded into the whole poo storm (Uber recently won a case brought against it by the drivers of London’s iconic black cabs). Here in Indonesia, tempers are also starting to fray. Indeed, only a couple of weeks ago, somebody fired a homemade gun at GO-JEK's South Jakarta headquarters. Certainly the city's ‘traditional’ street-corner ojek are hugely miffed at being undercut by these new services and apparently the GO-JEK warriors have to watch where they trawl for fares these days, lest their lovely green helmets get tossed into the nearest kerbside sewer. Unlike London's black cabbies however, Indonesia's old-school ojek drivers, despite the fact that they've been kicking around for decades now, have no legal recourse,

APP FAP New application-based transportation solutions are taking Indonesia’s jammed boulevards by storm. By Simon Pitchforth

as they are not technically licensed to carry passengers and their bikes do not sport the official yellow police number plates required of public-transportation vehicles. PT GO-JEK Indonesia, GrabTaxi Holdings and Uber Technology Inc. are all ultimately on the wrong side of the law as well. The defence offered by these young upstarts is that they are application developers, as opposed to public transportation businesses. The transportation itself, they argue, is provided by the individual drivers of private vehicles, and is ultimately not their responsibility, just as Agoda or Booking.com are not responsible for the quality of the hotel services booked through their websites. However, issues pertaining to taxation, driver entitlements under the labour law and consumer protection remain unanswered, although to be fair, GO-JEK claims to offer insurance cover of up to Rp.10 million for any losses or injuries suffered by their passengers. In order to become

In terms of the ongoing machinations of late capitalism, all of this online application type stuff represents quite a paradigm shift in the world of work. Not that such change represents anything especially new. Street-lamp lighters and telephone-switchboard operators, for example, are long gone. The inevitable backlash and opprobrium coming from those still working in the pre-application universe has to be taken into account, and ranges from attacks on Uber offices in Mumbai and Australia, to protests in San Francisco against Airbnb and its short-term rentals pricing longer-term residents out of the market. Do these new services and apps simply represent an attempt by the wealthy financiers bankrolling their development to sidestep the law? Is this business model thus inherently anti-government and anti-democratic? Surely then the strict regulation and licensing of such services is in order? At least in the cases of GO-JEK and Uber though, human drivers are being replaced by other actual flesh-and-blood human drivers. As self-driving cars are rolled out over the course of the next couple of decades, the brown stuff could really start to hit the fan belt. All cab drivers will then be history, just like the warehouse employees that Amazon has replaced with robots. This, in essence, is the Google weltanschauung. A bright, shiny, utopian future in which the dull drudgery of all menial work is dispensed with in favour of hectares of leisure time during which fully rounded humans can develop and explore their interests. In the US, for example, it is estimated that over 50 percent of the existing workforce will be made redundant by robots and Google-esque automation over the next half-century. How such a vision is supposed to succeed in our turbocapitalist milieu, with its roads to success (and indeed failure) paved with heads, still requires clarification. I'm not sure that we’ll all give thanks to our digital lords and masters for our new leisure time as we sleep in penury under the bridges at night. Still, maybe the humble ojek driver will be spared the relentless march of progress. I mean, would you trust a self-driving motorcycle?

Apparently the GO-JEK warriors have to watch where they trawl for fares these days, lest their lovely green helmets get tossed into the nearest kerbside sewer.

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If you want your event to be posted here, please contact +62 (0) 21 719 5908 or e-mail: events@indonesiaexpat.biz

EVENTS

JAKARTA Comedy

Dance

Networking

20–29 November 2015 Gigi Art of Dance is back with their annual show, E-Motions. T h i s y e a r, t h e s h o w w i l l celebrate heroes around the world, from Thomas Edison, M a r g a r e t T h a t c her, A d a m Smith to Titiek Puspa. This year, students will partake in a three-part convention, starting with Indonesia’s first mega team competition, ‘Tell Your Tale’, which features international dance teams telling stories of their lives in glorious motions. For more information on tickets and reservations visit www.qaved. com or www.gigiartofdance.com

INA Business Cocktail Party: Beer and Cheese

Fashion and Art Collaboration: Eko Nugroho x MAJORMINOR

18 November 2015 Belgium and Holland will unite in INA Business Cocktail Party. The Belgium Embassy will be bringing a variety of beer and Dutch cheese and serve them in a fun and unique way. Belgium has been known for its brewing tradition since the 12th century, while the Dutch cheese will delight tasters with its rich flavours coming from green grass pastures. Price for members: Rp.450,000 and nonmembers: Rp.550,000. Contact: +62(0)2152902177.

21 November 2015 O n e o f I n d o n e s i a ’s m o s t prominent contemporary artists and fashion brands join forces to create a breathtaking collection. Fashion brand MAJORMINOR, known for its eclectic designs, often highlighted by asymmetric lines, will collaborate with artist Eko Nugroho, who will bring his own spin to the collection through wayang patterns. This November, they will be coming to Salihara for a private show along with Nugroho’s solo exhibition at Gallery Salihara. The fashion show w ill be held at Teater Salihara. For more information visit www.salihara.org Exhibition Indonesia Toys and Games Fair

Make the right connections to help develop and grow your business over bre a k fa s t . At Ja k a r t a Business Networkers (JBN), all attendees are encouraged to help other attendees by exchanging referrals and introducing them

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Indonesia expat issue 154

take place at Assembly Hall, Jakarta Convention Center. For more information visit www. indotagfair.com

E-Motions 2015: Heroes of the Year Dance Convention

Art & Culture

Jakarta Business Networkers

Art & Culture

Music

The Jakarta Comedy Club: Ryan Spaulding 20 November 2015 T he Ja k a r t a C ome d y C lub presents its last event for 2015. Top Canadian comedian DanielRyan Spaulding lands in Asia in November for the Asian leg of his world tour and will appear at the American Club supported by ground-breaking ChineseAmerican act, Steve Lee. This event promises to be like no other we have ever seen in Jakarta and is sure to be talked about for many years to come. To find out why – reserve your seats now at www. paytix.net or by text to +62(0)821 11943084. Buy 10 and get one free on all group reservations.

BALI

to their target audience. JBN is all about helping you grow your business. Promote your business, personal brand or portfolio each week to the rest of the attendees and explain to the group the type of referrals you would like to receive. JBN professional networking sessions are from 7-9am every Tuesday at Mamma Rosy, Kemang and every Thursday at Mercantile Athletic Club, WTC, Sudirman. RSVP: info@jbnetworkers.com

19–21 November 2015 Indonesia Toys and Games Fair will see a number of brands and market players in the toys and games industry exhibiting their latest products. This exhibition will include outdoor and sporting toys, digital games, educational, baby and toddler toys, hobbyist and mechanical toys, as well as high-tech and even traditional ga me s. The ex hibit ion w i l l

Jakarta Dekade 11 December 2015 Reminisce the ‘60s and ‘90s in the most spectacular conclusion to our year. Through this year’s theme of ‘Exclusive Concert: From the Old Time Best’, Jakarta Dekade 2015 will feature local musicians and artists such as Vina Pnaduwinata, Titi DJ, Koes Plus, Harvey Malaihollo, Reza Artamevia, and Rick Price. The event will take place at Kartika Expo, Balai Kartini. For more information visit http://jakarta. dekadeconcert.com/2015

Neon Indian Live 24 November 2015 American electronic music band, Neon Indian, will be coming to Jakarta this November. Alan Palomo and his band will bring their magical tunes to life at the Rolling Stone Café. Neon Indian’s debut Indonesian performance is set before taking over Meredith Music Festival, Australia. The ba nd ha s prev iously played in numerous music festivals including South by Southwest and one of the most internationally renow ned indie festiva ls, Coachella. Early bird tickets are on sale from Rp.200,000 while standard presale tickets will be available for Rp.300,000. For more information visit w w w. prasvana.com

4 September–4 December 2015 Presented by the Indonesian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), the ‘Human Roots’ exhibition will feature 15 magnificent organic sculptures made from 200-year-old teak tree roots from Java by the French contemporary artist, Mickael Obrenovitch. The exhibition, which also supports and raises awareness of the importance of preser v ing Indonesia n rainforests, w ill spread the message of the relationship between nature and civilization. The exhibition will take place at Sofitel Nusa Dua Beach Resort. For more information, visit www. obrenovitch.com

Music

Bali World Music Festival Djakarta Warehouse Project 2015 11–12 December 2015 One of the most anticipated music festivals is finally arriving, as Djakarta Warehouse Project br i ng s some of t he big ge st international names in dance music. The two-day event will feature artists such as Axwell & Ingrosso, DJ Snake, James Jones, Kaskade, Major Lazer, Oliver Heldens, Porter Robinson (Live), Rehab, and also Tiesto. The event w ill take place at JIEXPO Kemayoran, Jakarta. For more information visit www. djakartawarehouse.com/tickets Charity

Clean Bandit Live 8 December 2015 English electronic group Clean Bandit will be saying hello to Jakarta for the very first time this December. Known for their hit single ‘Rather Be’, the pop band will be taking over the stage at Gandaria City Mall. Originating from Cambridge, Grace Chatto, Milan Neil Amin-Smith, Jack Patterson, and Luke Patterson formed the band in 2009. In February they took home the prestigious Grammy award for Best Dance Record. This event is presented by Marygops Studios and 7K ings Enter tainment. Ticket price: Rp.785,000. www. marygops.com

Human Roots Exhibition by Mickael Obrenovitch

student choir, and an after party. Tickets cost Rp.1,300,000 net per person and all proceeds go to ROLE Foundation. Dress code: Across the archipelago. For book i ng a nd enqu i r ie s c ont a c t e mp o w e r w o me n@ r ole f ou nd a t ion .or g or c a l l +62(0)85953770309.

Rotary Club Jakarta Cilandak Charity Event 20 November 2015 The Rotary Club Jakarta Cilandak presents an ‘All you can eat BBQ buffet’ prepared by Pancho from Taste of Argentina. Located at the Next Door at the Hotel Kristal in South Jakarta, the event is raising money for the Rawinala Foundation. Tickets: Rp.250,000 per adult and Rp.250,000 per child, with limited seats available. Confirm your reservation ASAP to ensure you don’t miss out! Email to: cilandak.rotar y@ gmail.com

1–6 December 2015 Set to take place at Arma Museum Ubud Bali, this music festival aims to bring an array of ethnic music straight to the hear ts and souls of its festival-goers. Renowned musicians such as guitarist Dewa Budjana, Nicolas Meier & Gamelan Jegog, and the World Peace Trio will be entertaining audiences with an eclectic mix of ethnic music. For more information call +62 (0)361285196. Whimsical Christmas 13–30 November 2015 This November, Beachwa lk presents an array of exciting events, including art exhibitions, dance and music performances, talk shows, a parade, and more. Among the most anticipated events is Bali Carnaval 2015, where participants get to join a variety of competitions, including creative costume, photography, or painting. On 23 – 30 November, watch Balinese students explore their creativity as they partake in a lip-sync competition, fashion show, and dance competition. Fashionistas should also rejoice in up to 50 percent discount in Beachwalk’s year-end sale. For more information visit www. beachwalkbali.com Charity ROLE Models Charity Dinner 21 November 2015 A variety of exclusive resorts from across the archipelago are joining together to provide items for auction to support the empowerment of disadvantaged women in Indonesia . The event features a champagne and cocktail reception, great entertainment and fine dining, testimonials from Bali WISE, a

KALIMANTAN Photography

Bali & Borneo Photography Adventure 20-27 November 2015 Join experienced adventurous professional travel photographer Mark Rayner and Masterclass photographer Dav id Metcalf on a photographic adventure of a lifetime. You will have the opportunity to photograph a variety of wildlife in Borneo, including a visit to a private island to see the orangutans by special arrangement. There will also be a three-day houseboat tr ip and cr uise up the r iver visiting Dayak villages. Enjoy a special performance of Dayak music and dance and photograph the stunning sunsets in the wetlands as the native hornbills sweep across the sky. For more information please visit www. davidmetcalfphotography.com


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INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

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Located in Kuningan Business District, integrated with shopping Mall and residential enable you for a more convenient and easier way of doing business in Jakarta. With flexible lease terms, ready to use office suites, immediate office setup, daily receptionist and maintenance services, 88 Service Office leaves you free to run your business without the day to day hassles of managing a conventional office space. "At 88 Service Office, we enable you to focus on your core business with friendly professionalism and affordable flexibility"

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Bartele Gallery is the only dedicated shop in Indonesia which focuses on antique maps, prints, photographs, books and antiquities, ideal for a unique gift for that special someone. Come and browse through hundreds of old and original maps and prints from all across the globe!

Call us +62 (0) 21 719 0087 or E-mail: info@bartelegallery.com and visit our Facebook: facebook.com/ bartelegallery for more information

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Santa Fe provides moving services — International, domestic, local & office, document storage & management services, real estate, property management & maintenance, orientations, visa & immigration and home contents insurance. Call us Jakarta: +62 21 2961 2990 Balikpapan:+62 542 713 4334 Bali: +62 811 889 2445 Surabaya: +62 812 304 4775 or E-mail: indonesia@santaferelo.com and visit our website www.santaferelo.com for more information

We Deliver Stroopwafels in Indonesia to your home or office 1 pack/ quantity of 8 pieces regular plain (9cm) for Rp. 60.000 1 pack/ quantity of 8 pieces regular choco (9cm) for Rp. 65.000 Call: 021 766 4465/ 081 114 90400 or e-mail: info@altjebakery.com

INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

TO BOOK SPACE ON THIS DIRECTORY PAGE CALL: 021 719 5908

issue 154 Indonesia expat

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HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? Looking for something to buy? Looking for staff? Selling property? Or need a place to live? Why not place your classified ad with Indonesia Expat! Your classified will be placed once for 2 weeks online and once in our printed version which has a circulation of 16.500 copies bi-weekly. Next deadline: 24 November

CONDITIONS Personal classifieds Commercial classifieds

Free of Charge (50 words max) Rp. 100,000 (0–50 words) Rp. 200,000 (50–100 words)

Property listings are considered as Commercial. Adding an image incurs an extra charge of Rp.150,000. Business Listings can only be placed on the Business Listings page (p.30) Send in your classifieds to ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

GPS. Price: IDR 350,000,000 (m a r k e t p r i c e i n w e b s i t e s a n d d e a l e r s ~3 75j t). C a l l: +62 (0)8111094 5 15. E -m a i l: rcenteno@slb.co

per month. Selling price: US$ 345,000 /IDR 5,000,000,000 (nego). Contact: Hans Van Os / +62(0)8119934659 or e-mail: essenburg.hans@gmail.com

Property For rent 300 houses at Kemang, Cipete, Cilandak, Jeruk Purut, Pondok Indah. Big gardens, swimming pools, USD 2,000– 5,000. Phone: +62(0)816859551 or +62(0)8170093366 House at jl. Kemang Utara IV. Land 800 sqm. Build abt 500 sqm. Pool. 3 bedroom. 1 study room. Big dinning room. Big garden. Garage n carpark abt 10 cars. Contact: +62(0)8161813804

ads@indonesiaexpat.biz for competitive advertising rates and get noticed through our printed publication, e-newsletter and on our website.

House for rent in Pasar Minggu area close to JORR and offices on Simatupang. 4 bedrooms (2 ensuite), dining, upstairs and downstairs living, media, modern kitchen, study, 2-car garage, outdoor covered terrace, swimming pool, gardens front and back. $2,800 per month (nego) and available from January 2016. Please contact: +62(0)817721122

"Indonesia Expat is Everywhere" -Romie Johannes-

Jakarta Automotives

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2500 Exceed 2012 (manufacturing). Using the car since 2013. Red c o l o r. E x p a t O w n e d w i t h A u t o m a t i c Tr a n s m i s s i o n . 52,000km. Very well maintained, by first hand owner and in an exceptionally good condition and has a fully service history. No accidents and no f looding.

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Indonesia expat issue 154

Price : IDR 350,000,000 (nego). Ser ious buyers only e-mail: k a leabr it@g ma i l.com Ca l l: +62(0)87882288677

For sa le: Merc e de s C 180 kompressor automatic year 2002, excellent condition and good price. Call +62(0)8161377001 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Dakar L i m it e d , 2 01 3 . 2 8 , 50 0k m . Leather seats. Color Pearl White

UNIQUE APARTMENT FOR A BACHELOR. Very strategic location (Central Business District / SCBD), close to Sudirman and Thamrin offices. On floor 25, with a stunning view to the south through a 7x8m window. One space, 7m high, with mezzanine. Can be used as office or as residence. Swimming pool on floor 7. Next to the Intercontinental Hotel. Mall with restaurants, café’s and convenience stores on the ground floor. Rented out semi-furnished. Available end of December 2015 / January 2016. Rental price: US $2,200/IDR 32,000,000

House for rent. The house is located at Jl Jati Padang Poncol.www.google.co.id/ maps/place/Jl.+Jati+Padang+ Poncol,+Ps.+Minggu,+Kota+J akarta+Selatan,+Daerah+Khus us+Ibukota+Jakarta+12540/@6.2959765,106.8313583,17z/data =!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x2e69f 2083ce9488b:0x36140ab4b93d be04. It is a two story house and has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, clean kitchen, dirty kitchen, st a f f liv i ng a re a , sec u r it y liv ing area, space to easily park two cars, pool, garden, terrace, covered bbq area , etc. Price USD2,700/month (nego). Semi-furnished. Ready to move in. Please contact: +62(0)8111632682 Services Freelance nanny in central / South Jakarta please contact me at: deedee.lidia@gmail.com / +62(0)81808008207

Jobs Available Contry Sales Manager (Jakarta Based). Mogul Wave from USA, is a telecom company that offer niche services to Corporate and International travelers. We are looking for a Countr y Sales Manager to promote Mogul Wave s p e c i a l i z e d t ele c om services in Indonesia including MogulSIM that provide at least 70% of cost cutting in roaming cost.Qualifications: Minimum 5 years experience in selling SIM Cards to Business owners, Corporations etc. Experience in selling Calling Cards & VOIP products and has excellent cont a c t s. Ta lented, sma r t , hard working individual with a pleasant personality. Preferred MBA or similar. Abilit y to organize Sales force across Indonesia. Please send your resume with confidence to : rmaria@mogul-wave.com Therapist wanted to work in Cyprus, Europe. Work permit arranged by us. Good working conditions. Send e-mail with experience and qualifications to Chari: cvassiliades@cytanet. com.cy Looking for work My name is Ibu Djiawaliyah, I’m looking for a job as a housekeeping, I have experience to work with British Family. Please contact me +62(0)85782235729

Private tutor will come to your home. Subjects : Economics and Business (IB/Cambridge IG CSE -A L evel). Contact : anangpanca@gmail.comor Call me (Anang) +62(0)87808880357 www.anangpanca.com

My name is Indah , 36 years old. looking for a part time job as maid ( can do laundry , ironing & cooking ) at evening (mon , wed, & friday) .live in or live out. can start working at 7 pm - 10 pm. preferably if you are Single and live in An APARTMENT i n S U DI R M A N o r M E G A KUNINGAN. Please whatsapp me at +62(0)87887736996

P r iv at e Ba h a sa Indone si a Tutor for beginner or translator available in Jakarta. Part time af ter of f ice hours only and Saturdays morning to noon. Free text book and low price fees. For more info e -ma il: bahasaprivate@gmail.com

L ook ing for par t time work after office hours and Saturdays morning. Sarinah area only. Indonesian language tutoring for beginner. Free text book. Negotiable fee. Appointment and info: Text:+62(0)81294839986 email: nsrobala@gmail.com

Spanish Tutor: Learn Spanish at your place with a DELEcertified examiner from Spain. Most of my students come from International Schools (JIS and BSJ). Please call me (Raúl) +62(0)82110502786. E-mail: unascartas@yahoo.com

*Cat Looking for a Good Home* At the moment I am fostering a beautiful, sweet female cat. I wish to find a home for her. She is white and orange with a long tail and about 1 year old. She is

Others

spayed as well. She would make a great pet for someone looking for a sweet and mellow cat. Please contact: Irma Peña (+62(0)812 88222922) or e-mail: ipena@ jisedu.or.id TV needed: We are seeking to buy a small staff TV in good working condition. If possible with antenna and remote control. Pls Email me with your price expectation, if you have one you'd like to sell. E-mail: jakarta2011@ gmx.de looking for a left handed set g ol f c lub s . Ple a s e c ont a c t jakartalinks@gmail.com For sale: a brand new (never been worn) pair of FJ Excel Golf Shoes - size 9 1/2. I bought them for $120 a month ago - but they are just too small for me. $50 brand new rarely used still in the box Elite 50KT fruit and vegetable washer. Works fine but my maid just does not use it. I bought it in the US a few months ago for around $150 I think. $60. Need to pick up in Kemang - text me at +62(0)8118437955 if your interested. Selling Samsung fridge 18 months old in mint condition. The price is 2,7 millions. Please contact me to Whatsapp +62(0)82182601747 for pictures request and viewing or e-mail to paulina.incha@ yahoo.com

Unique present: the kapa l tuktuk modernized. A steamboat running on a tealight. See our website for more info w w w. waxinebootje.com Selling per 10 pieces.

Welcome to Jakar ta! If you haven’t a lrea dy d isc overed the expat website, come visit. September 1 st marked our 18th yea r prov id ing a wea lt h of practical information for newly arrived expatriates through our


in-depth articles on medical, housing, schooling, social life and more. Living in Indonesia, A Site for Expatriates. www.expat.or.id

Land for sale: A breathtaking piece of hillside land in Singaraja at Banjar village overlooking the sea. 1,65+ hectare divided in to 4 part, asking for 50 million per are. Can be sold separately. Hotmix road access. 4 km from sea and 6 km from the town. Please call: +62(0)81237220358 A new two bedroom house with small garden and apartment for 2+2 people, walking distance to the beach, short term or long term. Land for sale or rent also available +62(0)82145522200 (balifamily2000@yahoo.de) Others Driver with car available for tour or special event. Speaks english a nd Japa nesse. Plea se c a ll: Ngurah at +62(0)81338721947

to create shops. Flexible as the space is large. Located on the thriving mertanadi st. Contact mertanadirental@gmail.com For sale: Electrolux microwave oven in silver colour and it's in excellent condition. Asking price Rp. 1,850,000. Pick up at Canggu. For more information, please contact me at +62(0)81235751550 or e-mail me at eball1975@gmail. com For sale: indoboard (balance board) in excellent condition. Include boards and bag. Asking price Rp. 1,000,000. For more information: +62(0)81235751550 or e-mail: eball1975@gmail.com

Bandung Property

Web designer: design and develop your website with reasonable price and quality result, including hosting and domain name. Please call: +62(0)8123866175.

Bali Property For sale: New 4 en-suite bedroom villa, large balcony & rooftop. 28 years leasehold USD395,000, pl e a s e c o nt a c t: + 62 (0) 81 9 36181999 House ava ilable for rent in seminyak, 5 minute walk to the beach, 2 AC bedroom, wifi, staf fed, f urnished. Monthly to August 2016. Please call: +62(0)81916732481

Private teacher bahasa indonesia for foreigner, please contact: +62(0)81338705158 or e-mail dwi.astari@yahoo.com Swimming pool always green? Call the experts, Tropical Pool and Spa 289104 (hunting) or email: trevor@dps.centrin.net.id Wa rehouse for rent 600m2 minimum 5 years, offices/cafe with monthly rentals included suitable for events, office space,

House for sa le in Bandung, Mediterranean style, beautiful and comfort house located at Pondok Hijau, Alamanda street no.2 Bandung. Strategic location for residential. 2 f loor building 250 m 2 and land 325 m2. Price IDR 3.5 billion (negotiable). Please call : Hp. +62(0)81249948911 (no broker)

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