FoodieS - April 2016 Issue

April 2016

Vol. 01 • Issue 02

KARTINIS IN THE KITCHEN 6 Food Mavens Asia’s Best Female Chef Women Who Tend Bar

JAKARTA, LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT

Jl. Jl. Asia Asia Afrika Afrika No.8, No.8, Gelora Gelora Bung Bung Karno, Karno, Senayan, Senayan, Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia Indonesia 10270 10270 T. T. +62 +62 (21) (21) 2970 2970 3333 3333 || F. F. +62 +62 (21) (21) 2970 2970 3334 3334 www.fairmont.com/jakarta www.fairmont.com/jakarta

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

THE PUBLISHER’s NOTE April 2016

KARTINIS IN THE KITCHEN FOOD AND THE CULINARY world are experiencing a golden age. It’s like everyone is now a foodie and is concerned with what they eat and where it comes from. Chefs too are now becoming household names. Gordon Ramsay, Rene Redzepi, Massimo Bottura, Daniel Boulud, legends in the kitchen who practice amazing gastronomy, but also manage to turn themselves into milliondollar brands. Here’s my question: where are the women? On a recent trip to Bangkok to attend the awards ceremony of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, I was intrigued to realize that there was only one restaurant with a female chef helming its kitchen. And I also thought why should there be a Best Female Chef award? I have no qualms with who they named, Chef Margarita Fores from the Philippines, whom I write about this month, but the fact that there is such an award, already means there is a delineating gender bias in the kitchen world. Despite the fact that women make up the huge majority of home cooks, I myself grew up being fed by my mother, and after many years of modern feminism, there is still a lack of women who run top kitchens in the world.

Indonesia celebrates Kartini Day this month, in honor of Raden Adjeng Kartini, who was a prominent national heroine from Java. She was a pioneer for women’s education and rights in Indonesia. So it was a no-brainer to decide to make this issue our Kartini Issue, but when we set out 4

April 2016 •

to fill the pages, it turned out to be quite difficult.

There were only a few chefs who we could turn-to to feature. But we pushed forward.

Our cover story headlines six of Jakarta’s most inspiring female chefs. I’d like to thank Arimbi, Petty, Maya, KC, Talita and Vanda for giving us the honor to do this feature. We also feature three remarkable hotel chefs who are paving the way for other women to work in the hugely male dominated world, Woro Prabandari, Yuri Komalasari and Irma Kurniasih. We also have an article on Helianti Hilman, who has been championing Indonesian farmers and heritage produce through her Javara Indigenous Indonesia initiative.

To end, since we live in an ever-changing world, I hope the day soon comes when we don’t have to make a Kartini issue or have to award a best female chef.

Happy reading!

Jed V. Doble Publisher @jed.doble

OUR GUESTS

MANPALAGUPTA SITORUS Managing Director

JED V. DOBLE Publisher

JUKE BACHTIAR Creative Director

DENNIE RAMON

SAHIRI LOING Associate Editor

HIMAWAN SUTANTO Photographer

Himawan did portraiture for editorial, advertising and design clients for many years and also had a stint doing commercial photography. His love for food and travel brought him naturally to turn his lens on food and lifestyle which he thoroughly enjoys. He has recently been traveling to take photos for a global hotel chain. When not away shooting photos he tries to spend as much time with his newborn son.

Venturing outside his comfort zone of office life, Sahiri now spends his time working as a freelance writer for the fun part of life. His love of movies and dining out keeps him busy in his spare time.

Writer

A curious foodie with a conscience of a vegan but still can’t commit to living without cheese and eggs. Photography is my other passion that goes hand in hand with my food and travel adventures, accompanied by my camera ‘Loki’ for he is a bad boy that’s captured my heart the way Tom Hiddleston has.

Associate Editor

RIAN FARISA

RIAN FARISA Editor

Editor

HIMAWAN SUTANTO ELLYNA TJOHNARDI MARK TAN Ritter Willy PutrA HAN Contributors

BOEDY ASTUTI Office Manager

Mukti PelupessY Distribution Assistant

DENNIE RAMON Cover Photographer

Ritter Willy PutrA Illustrator

MARK TAN Writer

Mark is half of the EATS Jakarta duo which is popularly known for their blog and Instagram posts. He is a full-time educator who just recently discovered his passion for food and photography. On his days off, Mark embarks on EATSperiences with his wife to try out Jakarta’s ever-growing food scene.

Blog: eatsjakarta.com IG: eats_jakarta

April 2016 •

SAHIRI LOING

His years spent food blogging and writing for notable publications such as Time Out Jakarta, Jakarta Post, mise en place, several in-flight magazines, and now FOODIES - has actually brought him to one realization. That even after countless of encounters with great chefs, delicious recipes, and fine-dining establishments; nothing beats good kaki lima treats or his beloved wife’s cooking at the end of the day.

Blog: gastronomy-aficionado.com IG: @gastronomy.aficionado

Ellyna Tjohnardi

6

Head Photographer

Ritter is currently working on his undergraduate thesis for his Bachelor of Design, major in Graphic Design degree from Multimedia Nusantara University.

While at uni, he is an active student, getting himself involved with some organizations and communities in and out of campus. Nevertheless, he still always makes time to enjoy food, especially his mom’s home cooking.

For advertising inquiries:

info@foodies.id

www.foodies.id

FOODIES is published monthly.

FOODIES and its logo are registered trademarks.

COPYRIGHT 2016 The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all editorial and advertising material. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or copied without the explicit written consent of the Publisher. Neither the Publisher, editors and their employees and agents can be held liable for any errors or omissions, nor any action taken based on the views expressed or information provided within this publication. All rights reserved.

• March 2016

7

ON THE MENU

42

April 2016 | Vol. 01 | Issue 02

KARTINIS IN THE KITCHEN OPEN 12 | The NJONJA 16 | Forget The Traffic, Have A Break At Djule Kofi 18 | Chir Chir Chicken Arrives in Jakarta 20 | Teras Dharmawangsa

ON THE PASS 22 | Gaggan Tops Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants For Second Consecutive Year 26 | Ubud Food Festival Goes Local 28 | A Dinner To Remember: With Massimo Bottura at Hotel Mulia Senayan

48 | Talita Setyadi:

30 | Spectrum’s Monday Prime Time

The Baker with a Jazzy

32 | The Philippines hosts Madrid Fusión Manila

Streak

33 | Chill & Grill at Raffles Jakarta

50 | Karen Carlotta: Revisiting Indonesia’s

SPECIAL FEATURE

Nostalgic Flavors

34 | Locavore Makes It Into Asia’s 50 Best List

52 | Avanda Hanafiah: The Culinary Scene’s

KITCHEN ENVY

Girl-Next-Door

38 | Must-Have Kitchen Tools

COVER FEATURE COVER STORY

54 | Margarita Fores:

40 | Female Chefs Behind The Scene

A Mother’s Love

42 | Arimbi Nimpuno: Cooking for a Better

60 | Woro Prabandari,

and Healthier Future

Grand Hyatt Jakarta

44 | Maya Aldy: Appreciating Every Simple Things

62 | Yuri Komalasari,

in Life

The Dharmawangsa

46 | Petty Elliott: The Ambassador to

64 | Irma Kurniasih,

Fine Indonesian Cuisine

Hotel Borobudur

8

April 2016 •

54

ON THE MENU

Neighborhood Eats 66 | The Delights of Pluit

Foodie Confidentials 68 | Janet DeNeefe: Eat, Read, Love 72 | Davina Veronica: Combining Love of Food with Way of Life 74 | Anna Rohm: The Wanderlust Hotelier

FOOD HEROES 76 | Helianti Hilman

THE WEEKEND COOK 80 | Inspired by Her Mother’s Love

THE CLASSICS 84 | Ikan Mas Bakar Rica Ny. Filly

SEARCHING FOR STREET FOOD 86 | Rujak Buah Pasar Tebet 88 | Makan Di Pasar Tebet

HAPPY HOUR

72 76

10

April 2016 •

80

90 | Ladies Behind The Bar

ON MY PLATE 94 | Grace Dharmawan – The Salt & Sugar Lady

OPEN

THE NJONJA story by RIAN FARISA photographs by THE NJONJA

The NJONJA is now the official contender of Jakarta’s best gourmet catering service after its premier launch at the Modena Experience Center.

THE NJONJA GOURMET CATERING Jalan Hasyim Ashari 48B, Jakarta E: catering@jdv.co.id T: +62 812 9911 8899 12

April 2016 •

THE END OF FEBRUARY saw the official launch party of The NJONJA, Jakarta’s latest gourmet catering enterprise under Joie De Vivre Indonesia.

Held at the prestigious MODENA Experience Center and flagship showroom, The NJONJA showcased itself as a premium catering company dedicated to sumptuous cuisine, impeccable service, and flawless execution.

Spearheaded by Alda Boentaran, the creator of The NJONJA’s finest cuisines, the catering company provides the highest degree of quality as can be seen not just from the variety of dishes but also from the decoration, tableware, and service. The attention to details for these deciding factors is also emphasized by years of experience in the culinary industry from the three founders of The NJONJA. Through this extravagant event, The NJONJA’s vision present itself as the expert in any genre of events and food. From modern to vintage decorations,

Spearheaded by Alda Boentaran, the creator of The NJONJA’s finest cuisines, the catering company provides the highest degree of quality as can be seen not just from the variety of dishes but also from the decoration, tableware, and service.

• April 2016

13

OPEN plain to colorful, casual to formal, modern to old world charm; The NJONJA is ready to suit the lifestyle.

The cuisine range from traditional Indonesian such as the likes of nasi campur, mie bakso, bakmi ayam, es kopyor with tapai bakar, The NJONJA’s signature tapai cake, and many more. For international cuisines, The NJONJA presents classic shumai, torched beef sushi, aburi mentai salmon, a wide range of gourmet pasta and pizza, BBQ short ribs, and the all time favorite menyadon.

The company has garnered many satisfied top clients right away after its inception. Valued clients include BMW, MINI, Porsche, IIMS, GIIAS, Sotheby’s, Yayasan Kanker Indonesia, to other important patrons of different industries. From elaborated socialite’s birthdays, weddings, bridal showers, postparties, and movie premieres; no event is too large or too small for The NJONJA.

14

April 2016 •

From modern to vintage decorations, plain to colorful, casual to formal, modern to old world charm; The NJONJA is ready to suit the lifestyle.

• April 2016

15

OPEN

Forget The Traffic, Have A Break at

DJULE KOFI story by ELLYNA TJOHNARDI photographs by ELLYNA TJOHNARDI

Jakarta’s Little Tokyo (Melawai-Blok M area) has just welcomed the newest addition to its growing list of coffee shop tenants. Let’s say ‘djule’ (which means ‘hello’ in an Indian dialect) to Djule Kofi.

DJULE KOFI Jalan Melawai Raya No. 6, South Jakarta T: +6281214386899 IG: @djule.kofi Open Hours: Daily, 8 AM - 8 PM 16

April 2016 •

DJULE (read: /d oo-leh/), is related to another hipster cafe in North Jakarta, Ombe Kofi.

The latter created quite a buzz last year for being a coffee shop springing up at someone’s garage. The homey concept, tight knit team of self-taught baristas and an army of kickass pops and moms running a youthful coffee place in North Jakarta, made an interesting formula that got people curious from far and wide.

So Djule is situated in the heart of Melawai, at a juncture that’s easily visible from the street. To park your vehicle, you need to enter the Blok M Square complex which might be a bit complicated. On an early Sunday morning, parking is a breeze, but if visiting at any other hour, you’ll need quite a lot of luck to even find a spot deep within the labyrinthine commercial complex with narrow alleys.

On the first Sunday that Djule opened to the public, I plucked all the strength I had to abandon the comforts of my bed early in the morning and drove south to catch the place (hopefully) empty, for the sake of capturing clean photos of the interiors.

So I arrived at around 8:15am and there was already a group of cyclists who were enjoying their morning cuppa joe after their cycling sesh. Good news for cyclists, the folks at Djule are tolerant enough to allow the bikes to be parked inside.

What I really dig about Djule is their interior. One would not expect to find a rustic yet sophisticated spot amidst the hustle and bustle of the perpetually jammed Melawai stretch. The interior feels very masculine with black as the

dominant element, and wooden touches incorporated in the furniture, walls and beautiful staircase balances the masculinity. The entire place is not that huge, but the high ceiling space (with a member-only mezzanine floor) does the trick. At the center of the whole place, is the open coffee bar. On the counter, sit two sturdy La Marzocco espresso machines which churn out four different coffee varieties.

I chatted up with the boys (Om Johny) from behind the counter and I encourage you to do so too, because then you can learn to appreciate the effort and the spirit that rule this place. I requested them to add real food soon and turns out they’ve prepared the kitchen to do just that (hurray!), it’s still work in progress though. I’d like a beautiful place like this to be strong in its food offering too, because nowadays, there are plenty of great places serving great coffee too, but the ones with seriously good food is still quite a rare find. So at the time being, they only have some pastries.

One thing to take note is that you need to order your food and drinks at the cashier near the entrance and take the ticket to the barista. They will only make your drink after they get your ticket, so don’t just happily sit down after paying.

I’ll probably pop by again one of these Sundays after my morning run during Car Free Day. Anyone care to join me?

• April 2016

17

OPEN

CHIR CHIR FUSION CHICKEN FACTORY INDONESIA Ruko Garden House B20 Pantai Indah Kapuk, North Jakarta IG: @chirchirindonesia 18

April 2016 •

CHIR CHIR CHICKEN

Arrives In Jakarta story by ELLYNA TJOHNARDI photographs by ELLYNA TJOHNARDI

Do the words fried chicken make your lips smack or your tummy rumble in excitement? We have some good news for you serious, hardcore, faithful fried chicken lovers, Chir Chir Chicken has just opened.

CHIR CHIR Fusion Chicken Factory has made a huge name for itself in South Korea where it originated and in nearby Singapore. It is now finally available in our very own jammed city.

Chir Chir (pronounced Chi-Re Chi-Re) is South Korea’s largest chain restaurant known for its signature freshly cooked Korean chicken dishes with over 100 stores, 2 stores in Singapore and openings in China and Taiwan.

The location is somewhat frustrating but at the same time it can’t be more appropriate for foodies in town. At Pantai Indah Kapuk, depending on what time you come, the traffic can be a nightmare and finding a parking space is like a game with the Wheel of Fortune. But anyways, being in one of the hottest food places in Jakarta, Chir Chir ensures itself a constant stream of customers from far and wide. I won’t say this if their products aren’t as good as their reputation.

So, everything on the menu looks good. It’s chicken, some fried, some roasted, some boneless, some with bone-in. some salad and comfort carbs, and some beer and beer-infused drinks to go with the fried

chicken. In Korea, the culture of Chimaek, is generally enjoyed by the younger generation, which represents the fun and popular combination of fried chicken and cold beer. This casual dining combination is so popular that a new word has been created to describe it: Chimaek -- chi from chicken and maek from maekju or beer. Now Jakarta can enjoy the Chimaek culture, Chir Chirstyle!

In general, the menu is very easily likeable by both adults and

especially kids, even the salads.

If you don’t like fresh leafy salad, the Honey Grape Salad makes eating veggies a breeze. Another recommendation is the Mango Salad, don’t be fooled by the price, because it comes in a huge bowl.

And now, time to assess the fried chicken! What I like most about the chicken is that it is juicy and seasoned to the core. The seasoning is not too overpowering, just enough to keep you wanting more. I

especially like the boneless chicken, no bones to bother your eating. I also like the Nest Snow chicken, for the creamy sauce served with it. Warning, this place is a diet buster, (in a guilty, tummy-filling way).

Plus note that everything served here come in gigantic portions, hence it’s best to visit with a squad so you could order more items to try. But no one’s going to throw dagger eyes at you if you finish the whole platter by yourself!

• April 2016

19

OPEN

TERAS

DHARMAWANGSA story by RIAN FARISA photographs by TERAS DHARMAWANGSA AND RIAN FARISA

From the successful hospitality group Plataran Indonesia here comes Teras Dharmawangsa, a haven for quality comfort food housed at the Dharmawangsa Square.

TERAS DHARMAWANGSA Dharmawangsa Square Jalan Dharmawangsa VI no. 38, Jakarta T: +62 21 2751 3687 www.plataran.com Opening hours: Daily, 8AM – 9PM 20

April 2016 •

THERE IS AN OASIS for Jakartans who are traveling from the busy business districts in the city center to the lively southern part of the city or vice versa, as they encounter the neighborhoods of Dharmawangsa and Panglima Polim. Verdant and laid back, this vicinity bestows the passersby with the strategic shopping arcade of Dharmawangsa Square.

As the latest tenant in the arcade, Teras Dharmawangsa appears very casual and welcoming. Still considered very recent since its opening, the restaurant has already enjoyed considerable success. Dining hours see this establishment always at full capacity with patrons such as families and professionals.

While outwardly, the façade of Teras Dharmawangsa may presents itself as simple, once inside, one realizes that everything was conjured up very elaborately.

Firstly, the restaurant occupies vertically adjacent spaces up to the fourth floor.

Hence, it caters not just to walkin customers on the first and second floor, but also groups in a more private area on the remaining floors. Making it easy for the patrons and the service, Teras Dharmawangsa also provides its own elevator.

The menu is all about the fusing local identity with the familiarly of Chinese flavors. The line-up starts from appetizers such as the crispy fried enoki, youtiao (Chinese cruller), or soups such as tom yum, rawon, and sop buntut. Heading to a more familiar terrain on main courses are the several styles of fried rice, chicken and duck dishes, and noodles from pad thai, kwetiau, and the shop’s signature – the duck noodles.

In addition to offerings from beef and seafood, Teras Dharmawangsa also provides excellent sidekicks such as the string beans with chicken and eggs, kangkung belacan, bean sprouts with salted fish, tahu telor, and many more with quality and at a very reasonable price.

An excellent dining alternative whenever you are in the Dharmawangsa area.

• April 2016

21

ON THE PASS

GAGGAN Tops A Dinner Asia’s 50 toBest Remember: Restaurants For Second Consecutive Year story by JED DOBLE photographs by ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS, SPONSORED BY S.PELLEGRINO & ACQUA PANNA

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants announced their 2016 list in a lavish awards ceremony in Bangkok.

22

April 2016 •

• April 2016

23

ON THE PASS

BANGKOK’S GAGGAN claimed the top spot in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for a second consecutive year. Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored

by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, revealed the 2016 list at a lavish awards ceremony at the W Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, before an audience of the region’s most celebrated chefs, restaurateurs and industry VIPs. Now in its fourth year, the 2016 list welcomes 10 new entries. 13 nations are represented on the list, the most number than ever before, highlighting the rich variety of dining experiences across Asia.

China has the highest number of restaurants on the list with 13, followed by Singapore and Japan with 10 each.

Gaggan retains the dual titles of The Best Restaurant in Asia, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna and The Best Restaurant in Thailand, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. At his eponymous Bangkok restaurant, Chef Gaggan 24

April 2016 •

Anand draws inspiration from the street food of his home town of Kolkata, reinterpreting traditional Indian cuisine with modernist cooking techniques.

His approach is inventive, adventurous and highly individual, yet respectful of India’s culinary legacy. After debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2014 at No.17, Gaggan rose to No.10 last year on the global list and No.1 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Narisawa (No.2) was named The Best Restaurant in Japan, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna for a fourth successive year. Four of Japan’s remaining nine entries place within the top 20.

Rising two places, Chef André Chiang’s Restaurant André (No.3) holds the title of The Best Restaurant in Singapore, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, for the fourth consecutive time.

Extending his influence in the region, Chiang also impressed diners with his Raw restaurant in Taipei, which enters the list at No.46. Alongside familiar favorites Waku Ghin (No.6), Les Amis (No.12) and Burnt Ends (No.14), Singapore boasts two new entries: Corner House (No.17) and Wild Rocket (No.38).

Amber (No.4) in Hong Kong reclaims the title of The Best Restaurant in China sponsored

by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, from last year’s winner Ultraviolet (No.7). The list boasts nine Hong Kong restaurants, including firsttime entry Ta Vie (No.48).

Entering the list at No.15, Mingles in Seoul has double reason to celebrate. As well as claiming the Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by John Paul, the restaurant earned the title of The Best Restaurant in Korea.

Two other new entries collected individual country awards. Gallery Vask (No.39) in Manila is awarded The Best Restaurant in the Philippines while Locavore (No.49) in Bali is named the The Best Restaurant in Indonesia.

Other awards given during the ceremony were Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Cacao Barry, Best Female Chef

and The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award.

Singapore-born Cheryl Koh, named Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Cacao Barry, honed her skills in Michelinstarred restaurants in Paris, Dubai and Hong Kong before returning to her home city in 2013. Drawing on her experience as pastry chef at Les Amis, she launched Tarte by Cheryl Koh

in April 2015, a retail concept in Singapore’s city center that is part of the Les Amis Group. Using inspiration from her travels, Koh creates delicate desserts that showcase her classical training and creative instincts.

Other honorees include

Chef Margarita Forés from the Philippines who was named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016.

Chef David Thompson of Nahm in Bangkok and Long Chim in Singapore is this year’s recipient of The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award.

IG: @theworlds50best www.theworlds50best.com/asia/

• April 2016

25

ON THE PASS

UBUD FOOD FESTIVAL Goes Local story by RAFAEL REYES photographs by MATT OLDFIELD, UBUD FOOD FESTIVAL

This year’s Ubud Food Festival is set to showcase the very best in local restaurants, ingredients and Indonesian culinary tradition.

26

April 2016 •

AFTER a successful inaugural event last year, the Ubud Food Festival (UFF) has announced its return to Bali’s culinary capital from 27-29 May this year.

Showcasing the deliciousness and diversity of the Indonesian archipelago, the three-day event will span high energy cooking demonstrations, hands-on workshops and master classes, special events across some of Ubud’s most celebrated culinary establishments, in-depth food forums and much more.

“If there was one lesson we learned from the 2015 Ubud Food Festival, it’s that the hunger is real,” said Founder and Director of the UFF, Janet DeNeefe. “The enthusiasm of the local and international culinary community was so overwhelming, there wasn’t really any question of whether we’d bring the Festival back for a second year.”

The full program and line-up is set to be released via the UFF website early this month when tickets go on sale, but organizers

already have a few tasty treats for food enthusiasts to sink their teeth into.

“This year, this Festival program is centered on the concept of ‘go local’,” explains DeNeefe. “Whether that’s showcasing local producers who work together with some of Ubud’s best restaurants, or challenging our International chefs to get creative with tempe and turmeric, it’s all about working with what Indonesia has to offer.”

A window into Indonesian culture, the UFF will also dive into the rich tapestry of culinary tradition, from what a Balinese priest eats to a visit to the ‘Tofu Grannies’ who have been producing Ubud’s artisan tofu for generations.

The Festival will also continue on its mission to bringing together chefs from all across the archipelago, from new chefs making waves on the rapidly evolving local food scene to the ‘ibu-ibu’ (mothers) of Indonesian cuisine.

The Festival’s cooking demonstration series will challenge chefs to plate up their best dishes, from spicy sambal to bebek goreng, exploring regional influences and traditional culinary customs.

“Indonesian food is so incredibly diverse; even the

most well-known dishes such as nasi goreng are unique to the areas in which they are made.

We’re also now seeing the modernization of Indonesian food, as it gains momentum outside of the country and takes on international variations,” said DeNeefe.

“The UFF is all about enriching our understanding of this journey, and exploring the social, cultural and historical context that surrounds it. How do we modernize and keep our traditional roots? That’s what this year’s Festival is all about.”

FoodieS is an official media partner of the 2016 Ubud Food Festival. We shall bring you updates and profiles of the participating chefs in next month’s issue as well as live updates in Ubud during the festival.

2016 UBUD FOOD FESTIVAL IG: @ubudfoodfestival www.ubudfoodfestival.com

• April 2016

27

ON THE PASS

A Dinner to Remember:

MASSIMO BOTTURA

With at Hotel Mulia Senayan story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

It was a moment to remember for a lifetime, when one of the world’s most renowned chefs Massimo Bottura visited Jakarta and showed his love for food at Hotel Mulia Senayan.

28

April 2016 •

WHEN THE RUMOR that Massimo Bottura, one of the world’s most critically acclaimed chefs and the chef-proprietor of the prestigious three Michelinstarred restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, would visit Jakarta, the dining scene was abuzz.

After much anticipation, it was confirmed that Massimoa was coming for two-nights, hosting exclusive dinner services at the prestigious Hotel Mulia

Senayan. And like proverbial hotcakes, the seats were gone in a flash! The dinners were immediately sold out!

So it came as a welcome delight that FoodieS was given a wonderful opportunity to be seated on the front row to witness the chef himself in an intimate media luncheon.

Right before us, in full spirit, he explained how excited he was to be in Indonesia and shared his bit about the inspirations behind the

success, his magical creations, and his tireless innovation with contemporary cuisine and local ingredients.

For those of you who are already familiar with the chef through Netflix’s Chef’s Table, the episode about Massimo Bottura had everything you needed to know about his passion and his food. The show shared about his vision, his struggles, and the rise to prominence with his now twenty one year old restaurant.

But meeting him in person and tasting his food was a pure pleasure.

Osteria Francescana was crowned as the number two of 2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

As depicted in the inspirational episode of the series and true to the story, Massimo Bottura was also accompanied by his beloved wife and muse, Lara Gilmore.

The chef presented a nine course meal for this spectacular opportunity with Indonesian diners, ranging from appetizers like “Come to Italy with Me” or an amuse bouche made of tomato, basil, and mozzarella in a shape of macaron and a unique rendition of Emilia Romagna’s fish and chips in a form of a light and airy cushion. Also surprising us was Chef Bottura’s beautiful lentils with crème fraiche and dill served on a vessel filled with ice and inside a caviar tin – branded with the name “Better Than Beluga”.

Furthermore, the chef introduced “Riso-Pizza” or the brilliant interpretation of the chemistry between risotto and a pizza. The baked risotto which was soaked with flavorful milk is ingeniously mixed with a sauce made from Vesuvian tomatoes and served with crusts surrounding the rice. When combined and eaten, it was true to what he promised us – a risotto and a pizza on a single bite!

Heading to the climax, the chef and his benevolent crew teamed up to showcase their artistic skills by creating a colorful painting on a plate.

The psychedelic spin-painting of colors red, white, and green made from red beet emulsion,

potato puree, and chlorophyll was then topped with a smoky sous-vide veal and given a final touch with Villa Manodori extra old balsamic vinegar and horseradish.

The desserts came in two parts. The pre-dessert was the breathtaking rendition of Caesar Salad in a form of lettuce decorated with flower petals, dried chamomile, jasmine, raspberries and some other

20 natural ingredients. It was a different story with every bite!

Last but not the least, it was the turn of Chef Bottura’s iconic “Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart” which was mind blowing in terms of presentation, the story behind it, and as well as the taste. Three hours had passed and like a fleeting dream, we enjoy every second with Chef Massimo Bottura at Hotel Mulia Senayan.

Not forgetting to share his support for Indonesian food, his encouraging words were meant for us all to work together as a whole nation – from the government, the farmers, the businesses, the journalists, as well as the people to regain their pride for the country’s rich diversity of ingredients and the cuisines. Hoping that one day, someday soon, we can show the world that we can make it!

• April 2016

29

ON THE PASS

SPECTRUM’s Monday Prime Time story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

Meat lovers can now head on over to Spectrum at Fairmont Jakarta for their Monday Prime Time

30

April 2016 •

I AM OFTEN at a loss to find good quality, perfectly cooked steak in Jakarta. So it was a huge delight that I was told that Spectrum at Fairmont Jakarta had launched their Monday Prime Time. Finally, somewhere to get my meat on!

Every Monday night, Spectrum lays out a scrumptious array of dishes using only the best USDA Prime Beef. Center of attraction is the Butcher Station, the table is laid out with all the USDA Prime Beef you would ever want, New York striploin, tenderloin and ribeye. You just approach the butcher, tell him how much and he will cut your hunk of meat to order and it will be grilled over their charcoal grill to your desired doneness.

Now how’s that for meat on demand.

For those who do not want to wait, they also have a huge USDA PRIME Rib carving. I recommend you come early so you can ask for that much valued center cut!

And what is steak without its sides. They have a variety of steakhouse-style sides and salads, and a selection of sauces. Truly a meat lover’s delight.

There is a Potato Bar which feature cassava, potato skins and potato wedges all fried to order and a selection of toppings like chili con carne, cheese sauce, sour cream, scallions and others.

Another interesting feature is their Burger Station. Maker your own burger using USDA Prime Beef. The station also has a selection of condiments allowing you to build your own burger.

They also have an yummy Oxtail Sloppy Joe which they will cook to order.

A DIY Beef Tartare Station, for those who like their meat raw. Speaking of raw, in true steakhouse fashion, they also have a Seafood Raw Bar, just in case you tire from all the meat.

Their Organic Vegetable Station allows guests to create their own veggie dishes using the freshest vegetables from local organic farmers.

And to polish all that off, their dessert station is waiting with an assortment of cakes, pastries, ice cream, waffles, crepes and many more.

See you at Spectrum next Monday!

• April 2016

31

ON THE PASS

The Philippines hosts

MADRID FUSIÓN MANILA story by RAFAEL REYES photographs by MADRID FUSIÓN MANILA

The Philippines is the current darling of many food enthusiasts as it hosts the second edition of Madrid Fusión Manila.

MANILA PLAYS host to Spain’s first and only Asian edition of its top culinary event, Madrid Fusión. This second staging of Madrid Fusión Manila will run from April 7-9, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center of the SM Mall of Asia Complex.

MFM 2016 will feature an International Gastronomy Congress discussing the theme, “The Manila Galleon: East Meets West.” Presenting before the congress is an exemplary list of some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs, including: Joan Roca of El Cellar de Can Roca Restaurant in Catalonia, Spain (3 Michelin stars, 2015 No.1 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants); Dani Garcia of Bibo Andalusian Brasserie and Tapas in Malaga, Spain (2 Michelin stars); Jose Andres of Minibar, Spain; Ricard Camarena of Ricard Camarena, Spain (1 Michelin star); Yoshihiro Narisawa of Les Creations de Narisawa Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan (2 Michelin stars, 2016 No.2 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants); Virgilio Martinez of Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru (1 Michelin star, 2015 No.1 of the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants); Kevin Cherkas of Cuca, Indonesia; Leah Cohen of Pig & Khao, USA; Paul Qui of Qui, USA (Food & Wine magazine’s 2014 Best New Chefs); David Thompson of Nahm, Thailand (2016 No. 8 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants), Nurdin Topham of Nur, Hong Kong; Jungsik Yim of 32

April 2016 •

Jungsik, South Korea (2016 No. 22 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants); Enrique Olvera of Pujol, Mexico, and Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil, Mexico (2015 No. 6 of the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants).

MFM 2016 will also have a Trade Expo showcasing fine food, gourmet products, unique ingredients, equipment and services and regional delicacies from the Philippines, Spain,

Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Destination and lifestyle stands will showcase tourist attractions of the Philippines as well as their food, beverage and ingredients.

The Food and Beverage Tunnel will be a venue for tasting sessions of wine and spirits, heirloom rice and grain, farm produce, artisanal chocolates, coffee varieties and many more.

Alongside Madrid Fusión Manila

is the month-long Flavors of the Philippines Festival that features food-related activities all over the country from food tours, exhibits and gourmet markets to special dinners with celebrity chefs, food trips and hotel food festivals.

Celebrated annually in Madrid since 2003, Madrid Fusión is considered one of the leading gastronomy gatherings in the world.

EVERY FIRST FRIDAY of the month is barbecue night at the Navina Pool Bar of the Raffles Jakarta with their Chill & Grill food and beverage promotion.

Enjoy a wide array of succulent meats and fresh seafood grilled to perfection, including ribeye steaks and king prawns.

They also have an Oyster Bar with oysters freshly flown-in from France. Also included is their salad bar and selection of desserts. Experience all this amidst the cool tropical setting of the hotel’s 14th floor pool area.

Navina, the Pool Bar is located right next to the pool on level 14, with a sheltered open air seating area. Navina is derived from the word “fresh” in Bahasa Indonesia. Open daily from 8:00 AM until 09:00 PM, it is the perfect place to enjoy a light meal, tea or an aperitif at this poolside bar amid a lush tropical setting and the hotel’s landscaped gardens. A Continental and Asian à la carte menu is available, along with fresh fruit juices and cocktails.

Here you get a front seat view of Hendra Gunawan’s famous sculptures and mosaic paintings which are a hallmark of the Raffles Jakarta.

CHILL & GRILL at Raffles Jakarta story by RAFAEL REYES photographs by RAFFLES JAKARTA

Raffles Jakarta launches Chill & Grill barbecue experience at the Navina Pool Bar.

RAFFLES JAKARTA Ciputra World 1, Jalan Prof. Dr. Satrio, Jakarta T: +62 21 2988 8080 IG: @raffleshoteljakarta www.raffles.com/jakarta

• April 2016

33

SPECIAL FEATURE

Locavore

Makes It Into Asia’s 50 Best List story by JED DOBLE photographs by HAN

Locavore’s impeccable prepared food using sustainably sourced ingredients has garnered it a spot at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

LOCAVORE Jalan Dewi Sita, Ubud, Bali T: +62 361 977 733 IG: @restaurantlocavore www.locavore.co.id 34

April 2016 •

• April 2016

35

SPECIAL FEATURE

I’VE MADE many trips to Ubud throughout the years but never really stayed much longer than a day. The spiritual and cultural epicenter of Bali has many charms, sights, and points of interest but until a few years ago, wasn’t really attractive from a foodie point of view.

I remember the first time I ate at Locavore. It was the night before my birthday two years ago. I was on the island with some uni friends, a reunion of sorts. We were in Ubud for the day, and I had planned to be back in Seminyak for dinner. But even if I had laid out plans and timings, the heavens intervened (literally) and massive rain showers got us stuck, my plans to leave Ubud on time to catch our dinner reservations slowly disappeared. I was left with four hungry friends, and no restaurant reservation.

Now I had heard a few friends talk about this new restaurant in Ubud, opened a few months before which 36

April 2016 •

used local ingredients. And at that particular moment, I quickly remembered the name, Locavore. A quick Google search and I was on the phone, begging the lady on the other end for a table. She said that if I didn’t mind sharing a long table with another party, she would book me in, and voila!

We walked in, and I immediately found the warm interiors and glow of the lighting very welcoming. The slow procession of dishes and cocktails ensued, punctuated by oohs and ahhs of approval. The ingredients we were told, were all sourced locally. Dishes were plated beautifully and tasted fresh, new and interesting. My friends were united in saying that it was one of the best meals they had ever had. I had chosen well!

But there was very little credit I could claim, the food and drink spoke for itself. Little did I know that two years later, Locavore would be named one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, landing at number 49. And I feel a little proud to have ‘discovered’ them soon after they opened.

Locavore is the brainchild of chefs-owners Ray Adriansyah and Eelke Plasmeijer. Ray is from Jakarta and attended business school in New Zealand, but eventually shifted to culinary school. Eelke is from The Netherlands and trained at various restaurants including the Michelin-starred Vermeer in Amsterdam. They met when Eelke moved to Jakarta in 2008.

The pair soon moved to Bali where they ran the kitchens at Alila Ubud. There they already started to cook with local and artisanal ingredients. In 2013, the two left and together with restaurant manager Adi Karmayasa opened Locavore in November of that year.

It puzzles me why the trend of using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients has not caught on in Bali. Many of the restaurants and hotels on the Island serve food using expensively imported ingredients. Some even touting on their menus and websites that they import most of their ingredients from France,

Australia and Japan.

Locavore, is a word which was coined in 2005 in San Francisco to refer to a person who eats only food grown or harvested within a 100 mile radius. And true to their name, Restaurant Locavore does champion local Bali ingredients and tries its best to keep a low carbon foot print when sourcing their ingredients. It doesn’t just stop at where they source their ingredients, their plates, glasses and silverware are also sourced from local artisans.

It is very interesting to note that when you scan through their menu, they meticulously explain where the ingredients are sourced. During my last meal there, (which coincidentally was on the same day as my first visit) showcased a number of hyper local ingredients: hamachi from Amed, North Bali, duck from Baluriti, Central Bali and hi-grade rice sourced from Jatih luwih, Central Bali. The lamb served on the menu even has a story of its own. They buy whole free-range lambs from Wonosobo, Central Java and break them down themselves. Each day, they have a different cut available and cook and serve this in a way to best

showcase the cut. The Saturday I was there, the lamb was served two ways in natural lamb jus with lavage salt, caramelized jicama puree, pickled lettuce sauce, shaved jicama and dehydrated sea grapes.

One of my favorite dishes is the Watermelon. Watermelon is compressed and flavored to resemble the texture of steak tartare, it is served with wasabi leaf mayonnaise, pickled and fried shallots and is hidden under an elegantly arranged cage of thinly sliced watermelon radishes. It is visually stunning and at the same time wondrous on the palate. The play of textures is truly amazing.

Diners can chose between the herbivore menu or the locavore menu, both of which have seven courses. The meals are started off by a series of amuse bouches and snacks and end with a series of friandises or petit fours. In all, expect a minimum three hour meal. So just sit back and relax, and let the team pamper you with their faultless service and attention to detail.

During my last meal there, barely a week after they claimed their Asia’s 50 Best and Indonesia’s Best restaurant awards, I got a chance to sit briefly with the chef duo and pick their brains about what makes Restaurant Locavore click.

“Nothing has changed,” they both say in unison, as I ask what the response has been after they were named to the list. “We still work as hard as ever, and try to churn out new dishes every Monday,” says Ray. “It was an incredible feeling to be amongst the best chefs in the region, people we admire and respect,” Eelke shares of their experience of being at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony.

“Now the challenge is to stay on the list and even climb higher,” Eelke ends, as they leave me to start lunch service.

With this level of passion and dedication for their craft, and the growing list of fans Locavore has, I am sure that is a foregone conclusion.

“It was an incredible feeling to be amongst the best chefs in the region, people we admire and respect. Now the challenge is to stay on the list and even climb higher.”

• April 2016

37

KITCHEN ENVY

Must-Have Kitchen Tools story by JED DOBLE

Most of us are in awe and don’t know what to look for when we walk into a kitchen ware store. Chindy Lie of Pantry Magic shares with us her list of must-have kitchen tools.

Cutting Boards You need to have at least 2 cutting boards, one for raw ingredients and another for cooked food. I like to have another one just to process my daily greens and fruit . I like wooden one for its look. But for raw meat, I suggest polypropylene cutting boards.

Lemon Squeezer If you take your lemon juice daily like I do, you gotta love this tool.

Light, no electricity needed, no batteries, just halve any citrus then squeeze to get pure juice without any seeds or pulp.

38

April 2016 •

Kitchen Tongs It is like your extended hand when you have to handle hot food.

Turning your steak on the grill, tossing your pasta, and to take out hot toast

Measuring cups, measuring spoons, measuring glass Even if you are not a baker, this is still an essential tool to have.

When I don’t need to measure for flour, I still can use it to scoop.

Spatulas/ Turners/ Scrapers Another tool that you will need more than one of. Different lengths, different sizes, different materials.

The silicone spatula is splendid to do the job. I like my smallest one with straight shape, which fits right in to scrap the last drop from the corner of my Skippy jar.

• April 2016

39

FEMALE CHEFS story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON stylist ADI SURATNA

BEHIND THE SCENES The culinary world is largely chauvinistic, widely dominated by male chefs. But female chefs not only are equally creative, they epitomize grace under pressure, and handle the kitchen as well if not better than their male counterparts.

Indonesia is home to a variety of herbs and spices that make up a delectable cusine, and these home-grown chefs—Petty Elliott, Arimbi Nimpuno, Maya Aldy, Karen Carlotta, Avanda Hanafiah, and Talita Setyadi—took great pleasure and pride in exploring as well as beautifully exploiting it. We think their gastronomical creations are divine, and so are they.

COVER STORY

ARIMBI NIMPUNO: Cooking for a Better and Healthier Future story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON AND ARIMBI NIMPUNO outfit by ZARA

Between her cooking classes and delectable readyto-cook offerings, Arimbi Nimpuno simply has one goal in mind: for you and your family to sit down and enjoy a nice meal

ARIMBI NIMPUNO would like to let you know that she’s not an extremist. “I prefer variety,” she says with a knowing smile.

“I mean, I love my pasta; I love my teas but I don’t like to have them every day. It’s about having balance; extreme things can be good or bad, but for me it comes down to listening to your body’s needs.”

Perhaps that’s why she too has had a varied life and career, spanning continents (she grew up in Vienna, educated in the U.S) until finally settling back here where she now has various roles to play: businesswoman, teacher, philanthropist, writer, TV personality, chef, and, perhaps most importantly, a mom. “Every stage in my life is significant; there is always a process behind it and so every little step means a lot,” the mother of four adds.

In person Arimbi Nimpuno exudes a rather cultivated presence (further helped by her tall stature), prim and proper, an air of sophistication that probably derives from being a diplomat’s daughter raised with an international upbringing.

Her faraway excursions have certainly infused that muchtouted variety into her life, a global sensorial experience that expands the mind. “I really don’t like to be in that state of arrested development—we have to be able to move on from one precious moment to the next; I believe that we must live our life in constant creativity.”

42

April 2016 •

Instilling Traditions Interestingly Mrs. Nimpuno wasn’t raised in a family who cooks, in fact, perhaps like most Indonesians, her exposure to kitchen action comes mostly from their family cook.

That’s why it seems like she is swimming against the current here: food was something she encountered—and liked—along the way instead of an influence she grew up with. But that’s perfectly okay; it seems that what really matters for her is not really the person doing the chopping and braising but more what is chopped and braised. And if you want to learn more about cooking even if you didn’t grow up without a proper role model she’ll gladly show you the steps.

Through her feeling of kinship with all the young moms out there who may have the same experience and now show an interest in being a better cook at home (or professionally), providing healthier food for their children, Arimbi has been having a regular cooking classes at her kitchen studio at Pakubowono

Residences.

“I think it’s very important to influence young moms to cook better meals for their families.

And I also want to instill that tradition—be it the tradition of dinner gatherings or making healthier dishes or cooking more Indonesian food—within the family as well, especially to the children, because I think that will produce a strong-minded next generation.”

But she also understands that not every household these days has the time nor the energy to provide a full meal for their family.

“Though I still like that tradition [of cooking food for your family], but, on the other hand, I also don’t want to be too idealistic—I realize everyone is busy, they are out all day, so there is less time to sit together for dinner and exchange stories.” As a response to this she’s currently involved in the premium online catering service (www.berrykitchen.com), where she’ll whip up different delicious and calorie-conscious ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook menus each day such as Prawn

Kung Pao or Asian Chicken Popcorn. From the look of it, the options are promisingly appealing for the urban careerist.

“Arimbi is the person I want to be in the future: a self-taught housewife pursuing her love for cooking,” says Karen Carlotta.

Love of cooking is certainly the perfect keyword here—with all her varied past and current experiences, ultimately the one thing she enjoys doing more is cooking—or presenting—a proper meal for her family, and, as best as she can, sharing that love to other people as well.

Arimbi’s guilty pleasures are surprisingly a hodgepodge of Indonesian favorite “afternoon meal”, such as pempek, otakotak, combro, lumpia, getuk lindri, wajik. She’s also a huge fan of Karen’s Martabak Cake. “I like my cake dense, not fluffy. And Karen’s cake has that texture and it’s just sooo good. But the next day I have to forced myself to run on the treadmill!” Nope, she’s not an extremist alright, she’s just a lady who takes charge of her own life…

“Though I still like that tradition [of cooking food for your family], but, on the other hand, I also don’t want to be too idealistic—I realize everyone is busy, they are out all day, so there is less time to sit together for dinner and exchange stories.”

• April 2016

43

COVER STORY

MAYA ALDY:

Appreciating Every Simple Things in Life story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON AND MAYA ALDY outfit by LOTUZ JAKARTA

44

April 2016 •

Maya Aldy cooks up this interesting blend of humility and passion, a laid back gal who seeks nothing but to create good food.

MAYA ALDY has an incredible patience to pursue what she really wants in life. At the age of 26, after labouring for about three years working for an IT company and saving precious rupiah, she finally dared to bid adieu to the well-paid corporate world and used her hard-earned money to fund her next phase in life: studying at the French Culinary Institute (now rebranded as International Culinary Centre) in New York City.

“My parents just couldn’t say no,” says Maya. “I got enough money to live for six months, eventually I’ll get a job there, and luckily I can live at my friend’s house.” And amazingly she did just that, including a stint at a five-star restaurant.

The years spent on a “conventional” career— she majored in Business Management after all—seems to be motivated by her future desire to revisit her fondest memories of yore: being in the kitchen.

“I loved being in the kitchen since I was five,” says the head chef—and co-owner—of Otel Lobby. “It was my happy place: my sanctuary, a place for me to vent and unload my stress and boredom.” She has two influential grandmothers who shaped her cooking prowess: one is from Medan (from her mother’s side) who introduced her to slow cooking and richness of herbs, and the other is a Belgian who cooked for eight kids. “Sometimes she’d have one main ingredient—chicken for example—but then she’ll add other ingredients to give each dish its own unique character and flavour.”

Her grandmas definitely

sound like figures of inspiration for her, in how they prepared things quickly and yet also doing it with an abundance of patience (she’s got a SumateraSolo-Belgium heritage running in her veins), which further emphasized Maya’s beliefs that women cut a better impression and authority in a professional kitchen. “Women are better cooks,” Maya says confidently.

“We are stronger and we have better endurance which is why we can put in longer hours.” But, like most people’s perception, she admits that being a chef can be harder for a woman due to its unflinching physicality. “It’s a back-breaking job where you normally work for ten to fifteen hours a day for six days a week.”

But according to Maya the situation is relatively rosy nowadays, saying that women are catching up in terms of making themselves more visible than their male counterparts in F&B industry.

that I frequent often; I’d go for Indian or Japanese food. And if I’m showing people around I’d probably take them to Seribu Rasa because their flavours are very consistent, plus they have a nice simple ambience.” She likes Manadonese food too, and her favourites are just around the corner near her home in Menteng, like Tinor or Bunga Pepaya which in her opinion serves the best perkedel jagung.

Amongst the yoga enthusiast’s most memorable experiences, she notes cooking for two heads of states: Bill Clinton and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Cooking for the Clintons at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City was particularly noteworthy, since she and her

“Women are better cooks. We are stronger and we have better endurance which is why we can put in longer hours.” team has three days to prepare under the glaring supervision of the president’s posse of doctors and specialists.

In person Maya Aldy certainly projects an earthy figure, tall yet not intimidating, gorgeous but approachable, a non-pretentious persona living her dreams.

And she’s got no shortage of praise towards her peers on this particular photo shoot. “They are hard working women who are

very passionate with cooking.

Some are moms so I know when they are cooking or baking, they are doing it from the heart.”

Words of wisdom for aspiring female chefs out there? “Just be true to yourself, don’t cut corners, and put your heart into it.” And these days, it’s really non-retrogade for women to say that the kitchen is your sanctuary. Maya Aldy certainly has no qualms in saying it.

The Lady Who Loves to Cook When asked about female chefs she most admires, Maya promptly answers “Julia Child—she’s just this amazing lady who loves to cook.” And without essaying sophisticated impressions to describe her personality, Maya, too, in a simplistic term, a lady who loves to cook.

She prized everything she creates so far. “I am always happy with my cooking, even as simple as making my own loaf of bread or brewing a cup of coffee.

Everything I do I made with passion and good intentions, and I do it not to just satisfy myself but also for others.” Staying true to the people-pleaser that she is, she’s also not into the game of seeking popularity, instead acknowledging herself first and foremost as a cook. “I love what I’m doing and I just hope that people can enjoy it too.”

When it comes to her own private enjoyment it seems she’s more into comfort food.

“I love Nasi Padang, especially rendang that my mother makes. And if I go out I don’t have any particular restaurant • April 2016

45

COVER STORY

PETTY ELLIOTT:

The Ambassador to Fine Indonesian Cuisine story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON AND PETTY ELLIOTT outfit by YOGIE PRATAMA

The holy unity of cooking prowess and love of everything Indonesian has brought Petty Elliott much deserved praise. She’s a true advocate of local cuisine, hailing it as having equal, if not more appeal than its western counterparts.

PETTY ELLIOTT has a magical sleight-of-hand. But there’s no secret trick to how she pulls of her magic; in fact, she’ll gladly divulge it. “I like to create something gastronomic from ordinary ingredients,” she says.

“For me every ingredient has the potential to be turned into something gourmet.” Just take a look at her personal website (www.pettyelliott.com) and you’ll find dishes familiar to the local palette but infused with contemporary techniques, such as beef dendeng ice cream, tagliatelle with tuna rica-rica, dendeng balado with griddled watermelon, and roast pumpkin with urap.

Well, to be fair, almost all chefs are “magicians” in a way: transforming simple ingredients into fine gastronomical wonders, but sadly many still rely on foreign herbs and spices, happily whipping up cuisines that are concretely Western in nature.

“Most Indonesians will value more gourmet food like foie gras, for example, but I’m proud I can make something beautiful out of humble ingredients and have people value the process and results that come out of it. I value all ingredients, even terasi for me has gourmet value.”

I guess that’s what set Petty’s

46

April 2016 •

creations apart: she really does champion local dishes made with home-grown ingredient but—in order to make life a wee bit easier—prepared with modern cooking techniques. She’s also a food writer, an explorer forever seeking the archipelago’s culinary treasures, the quintessential food enthusiast who will visit the origin of a particular dish and not just try it in that hip restaurant near you. It’s fascinating to think that her initial scope was small in scale: wedded to an Englishman she introduced Indonesian food to her curious English neighbors, and eventually her spells in the kitchen kick-started a new phase in life.

“I am very proud that I’m able to pioneer Indonesian cuisine and promote it to the world,” says the Manadonese, North Sulawesi, native when asked about her proudest achievement. “I am happy that today I see more people are doing it.” She’s content that the recognition that she receives so far—which includes writing a Manado-centric cookbook, Papaya Flower—is able to shine a light on our nation’s culinary heritage, and no doubt in April

she will get the chance to have more exposure when she attends the World Gourmet Summit in Singapore. Rather egregiously though, she’ll be first Indonesian chef to be invited to the 20-year old event.

Firm Root But I assumed Petty Elliott would’ve optimistically responded better late than never.

By her own admission she’s a late bloomer in terms of cooking professionally, heart and mind in the beginning set firmly to raise her family first. Perhaps that’s why she projects this earth mother charm, a maternal glow that radiates strongly throughout our interview and photo shoot.

In terms of how best to run the kitchen, Petty has an abundance of handy guidance for would-be chefs. “You have to be firm in your decision because you are the leader in the kitchen. It’s all about influencing others with good attitude, good teamwork.” And dishing out on the proper recipe to stand out on your own as a chef, she advises “find out your own style—don’t just be a follower. If you can just stick to one specialty then do

“I’m proud I can make something beautiful out of humble ingredients and have people value the process and results that come out of it. I value all ingredients, even terasi for me has gourmet value.” it, but don’t let that stop your creativity: collaborate with other chefs, create something new. In order to improve you just have to learn every day.”

Food has indeed become an integral part of Mrs. Elliott’s life, and it’s great that she’s able to shape her career so far by having it rooted firmly in our archipelago’s varied local identity.

“Her skills and determination to promote modern Indonesian cooking is very admirable,” Arimbi Nimpuno gushes.

This year her somewhat Ambassadorial duties to promote Indonesian cuisine don’t stop at the World Gourmet Summit; she’ll also be involved in the second round of the Ubud Food

Festival that will be held this May, and in November she’ll be participating in an Indonesian Heritage event in London where she’ll be cooking for 400 guests.

When asked about her favorite herbs and spices, Mrs. Elliott’s lovingly answers kecombrang, or torch ginger flower, a familiar ingredient to the inhabitants of North Sumatera. “It’s a very exotic herb, and very versatile because you can use it to cook almost everything, such as sambal, stew or pesto.” (She once made Scented Udang Batu Tomato Featuring Kecombrang.) With all of the herbs and spices this fertile country has to offer, Indonesia is definitely her oyster.

• April 2016

47

COVER STORY

TALITA SETYADI:

The Baker with a Jazzy Streak story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON AND TALITA SETYADI outfit by YOSAFAT DWI KURNIAWAN

Talita Setyadi of BEAU fame always surprises with her juxtaposition of ambitious, go getter personality and sweet creations.

She has high regard for Indonesian flavors which definitely gives her endeavor an additional thumbs-up.

IT’S 9.30AM on a Wednesday and Talita Setyadi is preoccupied in front of her MacBook and answering phone calls. Well, if you’re a budding entrepreneur running a successful pastry business and who is currently setting up a new headquarters (at the posh area of Senopati no less), you can say it comes with the job.

BEAU is Talita’s beau-dujour, the French-inspired bakery grounded with an Indonesian twist as well as love of artisanal arsenal. So far she’s been doing great: after premiering the shop at Plaza Indonesia last year she very quickly opened a new branch right next door in Grand Indonesia—all the more to exposed her homemade breads and delicious cakes. Her delightfully nostalgic Pandangan —made from white sesame praline crumble, coconut and palm sugar paste, mung bean crème brulée, pandan sponge, palm sugar crémeux, and coconut and pandan mousse—is already well-known, as well as her Astrid cakes (raspberry, yoghurt, white chocolate, and pistachio entremets), which is actually her prototype of future products. “This cake was the catalyst to the rest of our other creations,” says the 27-yearold pastry chef. “The first cake

48

April 2016 •

“I’ve always made sure I worked harder and more effective than the males in the kitchen to show them we are equals as colleagues and comrades.”

I created in BEAU’s signature rectangular, multi-layered style.”

There’s a certain intensity when conversing with Talita: a train of thought flashes perceptibly on her face yet every word that comes out is carefully contained and maturely thought of. She’s got a jazzy streak flowing through her veins thanks to her educational background in music (for cooking techniques she studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris)—and it shows. “What I do is a true self-expression of myself, and I’m proud that what started off as a dream finally came true in being able to create and launch BEAU, an organization

of like-minded, passionate individuals gearing towards a common goal of quality artisanal products.”

Injecting Female Sensibilities Not that many women of her age can pave a career path like she has now, let alone having such a distinct aspiration. She takes pride in her individual originality and styles in combining French techniques and sensibilities with Indonesian flavors. “And I think what makes us different from any other French bakery and patisserie is our commitment to not use any artificial coloring,

flavoring or preservatives in any of our products.”

She certainly thinks that being a woman gives her an advantage in the industry. “I feel that we are able to inject more motherly instincts and female sensibilities—it’s more from the heart and more from the soul, and definitely friendlier, more comforting, less ego-centric and technical. Through our sensitivity I feel that we’re able to inject more flavor and honesty.” But when dealing with the actual daily grind of kitchen life she’ll be as ferocious as the job requires.

“I refuse to believe that being a woman reduces my effectiveness

in the kitchen. I’ve always made sure I worked harder and more effective than the males in the kitchen to show them we are equals as colleagues and comrades.”

For real-life inspirational figure she notes three women that fits her role models description. “Claire Damon for her impeccable technique, execution, and distinguishable style; Marike van Beurden—who was the first female to be in the top three of the World Chocolate Masters—for her dedication and ability to smash through the glass ceiling; and Rosio Sanchez for her ingenious flavor combinations and mastery of elegant simplicity during her time in Noma.”

But despite all the intensity and immaculate answers, I guess you’re only as thoughtful as the queries that are put forth onto you. And I have a feeling that, at the end of the day, Talita loves nothing more than just to enjoy a nice cup of coffee (“I love St. Ali for really great coffee and buzzing atmosphere”) or iced teas (“their Crystaline Mojito is so floral and refreshing!”) or surrendering herself to her guilty pleasure of moist bittersweet dark chocolate cake with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Talita says that one of her definition of success is “Being happy with where I am.”

Something tells me she’s already there…

• April 2016

49

COVER COVER FEATURE STORY

KAREN CARLOTTA: Revisiting Indonesia’s Nostalgic Flavors story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON AND KAREN CARLOTTA outfit by LOTUZ JAKARTA

If you are a chronic sweet tooth then you must already be familiar with what Union and AMKC Atelier has to offer.

Meet the beautiful mind behind the sweet creations.

KAREN CARLOTTA is ready for her close-up. During our photo shoot there was a brief moment when she was just left there sitting on the carpeted living room floor while our stylist was momentarily preoccupied with other costume-related matters.

But Karen elegantly (and zenly) stayed where she was instructed to be, perhaps not wanting to ruin the dress.

Karen most probably knows what she looks like: a bombshell bottled in a petite frame, a selfie-ready face that can go from sweet to sexy on a whim.

But, fortunately, in person Karen is more bubbly and friendly, open and personable; she’s got a bustling career as chef for Union and newly opened AMKC Atelier, among other things, and did we tell you she’s a mother of three with her hubby and kitchen partner of four years, Adhika Maxi?

Yup, it’s hard to believe that she has three little boys—Kai (3), Kane (2), and Kyo (11 months old)—but to ask her about how she juggles her professional and personal life I guess might induce an eye-roll from feminist everywhere (“did you ask the husband that?!”). But, for sure, Karen’s has lots of fans amongst our other cover profiles. “From what I see she embodies the perfect woman empowerment by having that work-life balance,” gushes Vanda. “And I like her cakes so muuuuuch—simple but genius flavors!”

But her life was not always smooth sailing as people might assume. Karen (or KC amongst

50

April 2016 •

“I simply love Indonesian food and I want to translate those nostalgic flavors into a cakes. I don’t play with technique, just simple combinations of flavors.”

her closest friends) put on her chef’s hat after trying her hand in the banking world (under the demand of her parents) but subsequently found she wasn’t a good fit. Her parents finally relented and let her study culinary at SHATEC in Singapore in 2005 which served as the gateway to her current profession. Like in most jobs, of course pressure is constantly present. “In the beginning people always looked down on me; they thought I was a pampered princess,” says the 33-yearold chef. “But in time I let my creations speak for themselves.”

And her creations certainly have brought her much deserved attention, namely her Union Red Velvet, Nastar Crumble, Es Teler Cake, and Pisang Ijo Cake. “With all my cakes I am proud that I was able to create a trend, and not just following it; I am happy that people love it and are thrilled to have my cakes.” But she notes

that being able to come back home and find success here— with Union and two projects with her husband, the new AMKC Atelier and their AMKC Private Dining—as one of her most significant career achievements so far.

Soft Spot Her fond memories of local flavors and desire to revisit them in a unique way it seems to have been the secret of her accomplishment. “I simply love Indonesian food and I want to translate those nostalgic flavors into a cakes,” says the Pierre Hermé fan. “I don’t play with technique, just simple combinations of flavors.”

Her homage to traditional recipes (especially the ones catered for dessert lovers), such as her Martabak Cake, has positively put Arimbi on TeamKaren, and so too with Petty Elliott. “I admire Karen,”

says Petty. “She’s a mother with three small children and at the same time she has so many projects going on. I’m sure she has many challenges to divide her time as a pastry chef and as a mum. I interviewed Karen for a column before, and interestingly, her biggest challenge so far is not about her kids and allocating family time, but it’s more about training her new staff.”

Yup, underneath her slight height there’s a wonder woman energy that empowers her on a daily basis. Being a woman, in her

opinion, really does gives her an advantage over the opposite sex.

“In a way, we can be better than men—we put more attention to detail and we put our soul and feeling in each of our creations.”

And though physicality is not an apple-to-apple comparison, but a certain feminine guile might be required to rectify the imbalance.

“You have a benefit by being a woman in the kitchen: even the scariest chef will have a soft spot for me,” she concludes. Now there’s a woman who has her cake, and eats it too.

• April 2016

51

COVER COVER FEATURE STORY

AVANDA HANAFIAH:

The Culinary Scene’s Girl-Next-Door story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON AND AVANDA HANAFIAH outfit by MARKS & SPENCER

Amongst the group, Avanda Lentihana obviously looks the part of ‘the baby of the family.’

And she acts like one too, despite the impressive professional accomplishments in her catering business.

WHILE IN QUEUE for hair and makeup, a fluttering of chatter arose in the living room between the lovely ladies of the photo shoot. As it turns out, their gaze and talk were focused on the friendly figure sitting alone in the long sofa: Avanda Hanafiah aka Vanda of ALS Catering.

When Arimbi Nimpuno joined in Karen Carlotta immediately briefed her on their object of affection: “She’s so great—she once catered food for 6000 guests for a wedding event—,” Karen then gave Vanda a look and nod that signals her to continue the story and further basked in all the glory. Vanda astutely caught it: “And I did 1700 guests for another event on the next day.” Humble smile, greeted with a “you go girl!” smile from the rest of the gals.

“I think it’s amazing that at such a young age, Vanda is able to handle mass production catering [of such a scale],” Karen later told me about her fascination towards the young culinary prodigy.

Vanda is certainly young (she’s 26-years-old), more so because of her girl-next-door personality, adorably gullible and awkward (after saying goodbye post photo shoot she sails to the wrong door before realizing her mistake and backtrack while smiling apologetically to the correct exit); a relatable character who you might easily find in your circle of friends or

52

April 2016 •

family. She has certainly come a long way since her flaky and impressionable days. “I once considered working in the movie business, then I wanted to work in an advertising agency, but no call back so far,” she laughs with a hint of embarrassment. At least she’s certain about one thing though: despite being schooled in Economics (Universitas Indonesia) and Business (University of Queensland in Australia) she never wanted a 9-5 stuck-in-a-cubicle office job.

But eventually her calling lies in the heart of the family: while helping out her mother’s successful catering business— being the financial busybody of the operation—she was more smitten with what’s going on behind the kitchen’s closed doors. “I guess it was one of those things where I took for granted because I was exposed to it ever since I was a kid,” she reminisces. “My sister and I was already picking up dirty plates for events when we were in elementary school.” She then decided to enroll at the International Culinary Center in the Big Apple.

Her reason to change course, however, might have involved a larger-than-life presence. “I once prayed and asked God: so which path do YOU think I should choose in life? And, unexpectedly, not long afterwards a friend of a friend asked if I could do some consultancy for a restaurant he was about to open, and, on a lark, I emailed the twins from Junior Master Chef –Isabelle and Sofia—asking whether they could come to Jakarta to create an event—and they responded!

Then I ended up organizing the event at Sampoerna Square with the backing of several sponsors,” she says proudly.

Team Work Despite her feat in continuing her family’s legacy (along with her sister, Allesandra, she’s now handling and creating new menus, food tasting, and the distribution part of it as well), Vanda quickly hints that she’s only as good as the people she’s worked with. “My kitchen team—

“Never be ashamed of asking for help.

When you’re in a kitchen, you’re a team. If one member tried to do everything by his or herself and failed, then the others will also suffer’.”

all 30 of them—have always been so helpful—being small in size they always offered me to lift the heaviest pots. My chef once said, ‘Never be ashamed of asking for help. When you’re in a kitchen, you’re a team. If one member tried to do everything by his or herself and failed, then the others will also suffer’.”

She said that her proudest achievement that she and team accomplished so far was when Andra Matin Architecture Firm entrusted her to handle their anniversary dinner. “They challenged me to recreate their ‘favourite daily lunch street food’ into a modern and fine plated

five course dinner.” Now there’s a huge order any cook might find intimidating, but she prevails admirably.

For inspiration, she idolizes restaurateur Laura Cunningham, caterer Paula Le Duc, and chef Janice Wong. Wong in particular because she met her once and was blown away by her “cooking without reference” method.

“That was the first time I met someone so passionate and knowledgeable. She did not need to weigh or measure her ingredients—and her desserts turned out amazing!”

In a way her career so far has been successful sans

weigh or measure as it goes through moments of uncertainty peppered with trial and error but ultimately found the right recipe to create likeability and longevity (this year ALS Catering has already expanded their business to Bali). She also likes to note that humility will go a long way in your nascent career. “Don’t be scared to admit that others might cook better food than you—accept and embrace it!

Also be wise and gentle to your employees or co-workers. Don’t waste your energy and time bickering with other people. No good will come out of it.”

You go girl!

• April 2016

53

COVER FEATURE

MARGARITA FORES: A Mother’s Love story by JED DOBLE photographs by MARGARITA FORES

Having been dazzled by the mid-1980s Italianization of New York City, Margarita Fores embarked on culinary journey which has recently garnered her the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef.

Chef Margarita appears at this year’s

Ubud Food Festival 27-29 May 2016 www.ubudfoodfestival.com

54

April 2016 •

• April 2016

55

COVER FEATURE

“I AM Margarita Fores, and I am a mother of one.”

This is how 2016 Asia’s Best Female Chef Margarita Fores of the Philippines opened her remarks at the #50BestTalks in Bangkok recently. She obviously has her priorities straight. In the male-dominated culinary world, Margarita shows that her feminine and maternal attributes are what have pushed her to succeed.

Margarita’s empire now spans a hugely successful catering business, fine dining and casual restaurants, a flower shop and a cooking institution. All this was sparked when she fell in love with all things Italian, having been exposed to many Italians living in New York while her family was on self-imposed exile. She worked for two year at Valentino and imbibed much of the culture. She found the Italian way of doing things, whether it be cooking or feeding people very interesting. In 1986, she flew to Italy to study cooking 56

April 2016 •

and language, to see if this was really what she wanted. She took cooking classes from signoras in Florence, Milan and Rome, who taught in their houses. She learned the cuisine in its true essence, the home cooking way, which was the best way to do it. During her four months in Italy, Margarita tried to learn as much of the culture as she could, she visited markets, ate at restaurants, and basically became a sponge, sucking up all the information she could find. She learned the respect for the ingredients, less is more, principles that she still carries today. This time obviously cemented her love affair with her adopted culture.

She came back to Manila and started her catering business and in 1997 opened Cibo, her casual Italian restaurant. I remember the first Cibo, in Glorietta at the Ayala Center in Makati City.

It was very colorful and chic, the food fresh and interesting.

Cibo serves traditional Italian

cuisine made with fresh local ingredients. Now on it’s 19th year, there are ten Cibo branches, the food is comforting and still very delicious.

Margarita also has Lusso, a champagne and gastrobar and Grace Park, an ingredientsdriven, farm-to-table restaurant named after her ancestral home.

Margarita says that she set up Grace Park to honor their farmers and purveyors in Manila who do wonderful things with artisan produce. In both venues, Margarita showcases traditional flavor combinations but presented in a modern way. She describes her food as “classic at heart with a lot of modern touches to make it up to date.”

Her catering business is now where she experiences the biggest successes and where she can champion Filipino food and produce and help share this on a global stage. Last year she catered the dinner at the APEC Leader’s Summit in Manila and has partnered with

the government to showcase Philippine food and produce in such food festivals as Salone del Gusto in Italy and Madrid Fusion.

In 2012, Margarita opened the first ever and only Asian campus of the renowned Italian culinary institute, Casa Artusi in Manila. The school offers a curriculum that is anchored on Italian culinary tradition and technique.

Margarita presented a short video at her talk. In it she narrates the different aspects of her life. She says: “Before I am a chef, an entrepreneur, a businesswoman, and even a florist, I am a mother. And it is as a mother, that I find simple answers to all my questions.

Simple yet deeply layered and complex. Just like the ingredients and flavors I love. So what gives life? Love gives life.

And one thing’s for sure, it was love that gave me mine.”

Wake Up Call In 1990, she had her son Amado,

unexpectedly. “It made me think, now I am responsible for another life.” She had to make a choice.

Was food going to be just a passing fancy, or was she going to buckle down and get serious with it, and build a career in food.

Margarita confesses that that was the lesson she learned by having Amado. She continues on to share that her role as a mother has always been a challenge for her. “I don’t think I’m a natural.”

It was something that she had to learn along the way, and Amado is a testament to this.

“It isn’t something that you learn from a manual or read from a book. It takes a lot of practice and hard-earned experience. It’s not an easy job but I guess we mothers learned along the way.”

She continues and says that becoming a mother forced her to sort out her priorities. “I wanted to make something of myself, and I wanted Amado to be proud of me and could depend on me.” She says she did some growing up too, the same time Amado was growing up.

Margarita says that her career has had a lot of trials along the way. Until today, challenges are still a big part of the process.

“With inspiration to drive me, and many loving people to help me and my strong maternal instinct to guide me, I mange to get by.“ She pays tribute too to her supportive team who always have her back, and works very hard to get things done so that they can continue to grow the business. “I’ve also been a mother to them, nurturing them, developing and inspiring them, so that our work can become even better.”

She sums up all her work and successes as bound by one thing: the love of a mother. “The Italian signoras who taught me were mothers to me. Amado taught me how to be a mother.

And I guess, the way I run my businesses as well, is guided by maternal instinct. And it is this maternal instinct, that has nourished, fed and nurtured the people that I have had the fortunate chance of working with as well as those who have come through the doors of my

restaurants as well as those who have enjoyed the catering events we have put together. I guess my love for my Motherland, my beloved Philippines, and my wanting to share the best of our cuisine and our culture, has helped inspire all of this.”

She describes her food as “classic at heart with a lot of modern touches to make it up to date.”

• April 2016

57

COVER FEATURE

MARGARITA FORES IG: @margaritafores, @theworlds50best www.margaritafores.com 58

April 2016 •

“It is this maternal instinct, that has nourished, fed and nurtured the people that I have had the fortunate chance of working with as well as those who have come through the doors of my restaurants.�

• April 2016

59

COVER FEATURE

WORO PRABANDARI Grand Hyatt Jakarta story by RIAN FARISA photographs by DENNIE RAMON

WORO PRABANDARI is the calm, collected, and eternally busy executive pastry chef of Grand Hyatt Jakarta. It is hard to catch up with her but when you are able to meet her; the welcoming view of the chef with her delightful creations greet you so warmly.

“You know, my interest in cooking came from my mother, she was both skillful with cookery and also a homemaker”, says Chef Woro. When she was little, she was already accustomed to helping her mother cook and bake for events and bazaars at her father’s workplace.

“Perhaps that’s why my parents enrolled me to a vocational middle school and eventually to STP Trisakti”, she continues. From the first day of her professional career, she had already dedicated it to one company. “Starting from my apprenticeship at Hyatt Bumi Surabaya, then to Hyatt Aryaduta, until now here at Grand Hyatt Jakarta; this year marks my 25th year with the company”, the chef proudly admits.

As a representative of Grand Hyatt Jakarta since the early 90s, Chef Woro has been routinely participating in Salon Culinaire events from time to time. Her first gig was in Singapore back in 1992 won her a gold medal with distinction for the plated dessert category. “Nowadays, I just accompany my team as a mentor to compete from one competition to another”, she says humbly.

Back in her early days, she was fortunate enough to have good mentors too, who guided her career. The first is the Austrian pastry master who is now also a Hyatt legend, Mr Gottfried Schuetzenberger. She has also been tutored by the prolific Pierre Herme on several occasions during her trips to Europe and learned from company programs as well.

However, her tireless efforts to come up with best pastry lineup for the hotel does not stop her from creating back home. At home, there are no judges or difficult clients, from the simplest pancakes to tiramisu, she will easily whip them up during weekends together with the whole family.

60

April 2016 •

“You know, my interest in cooking came from my mother, she was both skillful with cookery and also a homemaker.�

COVER FEATURE

YURI KOMALASARI The Dharmawangsa story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

FOR CHEF Yuri Komalasari of The Dharmawangsa, the cuisine of her forefathers from South Sulawesi are what have inspired for her love of cooking.

Since she was young, much of the influence came from her mother and that made her want to become a cook one day, different than most kids her age who dreamed to be doctors or astronauts.

But it was the classic pandan steam cake and es palu butung that made her want to enter the world of desserts. She found joy in baking since then and decided to practice more. “When the time black forest became such a huge hit here, I immediately started to make one for myself!” she says.

Her decision to enroll for NHI Bandung brought her one step closer to the realization of her dream of working in a professional kitchen.

Chef Yuri was in the same year as other successful chefs Mandif Warokka and Chandra Yudasswara.

She initiated her training with the newly opened The Dharmawangsa. “As you can see, I decided to join this hotel after I graduated and it has been a wonderful 16 years experience so far”, says the cheerful chef.

Her tenure at The Dharmawangsa has been a colorful one as she was once bestowed with an opportunity to train at a school that belonged to Eric Perez in Bangkok or the time when she won a gold medal against other Indonesian five star hotels’ delegates in a competition held by Dilmah.

“Apparently, my oldest child has a leaning to become a chef too. Like with my mom back then, we cook pancakes or cupcakes together. She also wants to bring the best cake to school whenever there’s a festivity”, she proudly admits.

In her pastime, she also has a habit to look for new inspirations. “Antonio Bachour is my source of inspiration. He can definitely make something brilliant and also very colorful at the same time.

Other than that, there’s always Pierre Herme for me”, explains Chef Yuri.

62

April 2016 •

“When the time black forest became such a huge hit here, I immediately started to make one for myself!�

COVER FEATURE

IRMA KURNIASIH Hotel Borobudur story by RIAN FARISA photographs by DENNIE RAMON

AWAY FROM THE EYES of guests, a journey down to the kitchen of a hotel may be an eye-opening experience, there you can immerse yourself with all the goings on of the property. You get to see how dynamic things are going and how smooth it can be when managed professionally. All we know next is that the food arrives safely to the patrons – all fresh and delicious.

Without undermining the whole process, the chefs are the biggest contributors for the success.

My visit last time to Hotel Borobudur was to meet a woman and a dedicated sous chef at the cold kitchen. After lunch, the pace may feel slower somehow but the work has to continue all the time. At one corner, I found Chef Irma Kurniasih and her colleagues who were already in motion for the dinner preparation.

Having been a part of Hotel Borobudur since 2008, what she knows about the life in the kitchen had actually been started since she was little.

Born to a family with hospitality background and a daughter of a catering entrepreneur, she became acquainted with the kitchen thanks to her mom.

“However, my strongest influence came from my uncle who was an executive chef in South Korea at the time,” she says.

Before her spell here, Irma journeyed through several five-star establishments in Kuwait, the UAE, Singapore, and at The Ritz-Carlton and Kempinski here in Jakarta. Now at Hotel Borobudur, she has found her home, having her longest tenure ever.

Back home, she cooks quite often for the family and harbors a special fondness with chicken. “Sometimes I cook it in Balinese style, make it into ayam suwir, and most often because of my family request is the Hainamese rice accompanied by chicken with oyster sauce,” she confesses.

When asked about who is her role model as a chef, Chef Irma immediately answers, “Gordon Ramsay. He shows everyone than a British chef can do well in the kitchen. Moreover, he’s a great family guy.”

64

April 2016 •

“Sometimes I cook it in Balinese style, make it into ayam suwir, and most often because of my family request is the Hainamese rice accompanied by chicken with oyster sauce.�

NEIGHBORHOOD EATS

Pluit Village Mall

Pluit Indah Raya

Kue P utu B i hun B eb ek 7 5 S ia w A T j ia p

Food C o urt P lui t S ak ti

Pluit Sakti Raya

Ombe Kof ie

Martab ak B andung RM. Jaya Ta b on a

Mi e Keri ti ng P S i antar

B un B un Kweti aw

Emie A cuan

Plu it Se lat an I

66

April 2016 •

Plu it Put ri

Danny ’ s

Pluit Putra

TA MA N KE NCA NA

Pluit Putra Kencana

Dharma K it c h e n

Pluit Ke n c an a

R M. Garuda

THE DELIGHTS OF

The coming together of these three major streets of Gunawarman, Senopati, and Wolter Monginsidi has resulted in a door to door culinary bonanza. We came up with a list of notable places that you should not miss.

OMBE KOFIE Why: The quintessential neighborhood coffee shop. Here you can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee with South American and African origins within a cozy space.

What to order: The latte is great, as well as the single origins—like the Jamaican Blue.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No.117, North Jakarta

PLUIT SAKTI FOOD COURT Why: An open air food court populated with stalls that serve delicious dishes native to Medan, North Sumatera.

What to order: Martabak India Medan, which is served exactly like the original martabak telur but with an addition of a bowl of chicken stew to give the dish an extra kick.

Soto Udang, with a giant shrimp to accompany your usual soto dish. The owner said that the day-to-day menu is limited depending on availability of shrimp, though they do serve other regular soto dishes.

Bihun Goreng Medan, a huge plate of fried rice noodles Medan-style it is usually cooked over a coal fire and served with eggs, fish balls, shrimps, vegetables and pork; Es Campur Acen, a sweet ending to your big meal and quite the highlight in Pluit Sakti food court.

Served with a generous amount of colorful jelly and fruits galore with the ice usually infused with lime for extra freshness.

Kue Putu Bambu, the stall just outside the food court sells the kue putu like hotcakes. Piping hot, the vendors cant make them fast enough.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti No. 43, North Jakarta

MARTABAK BANDUNG JAYA Why: Traditional martabak manis and asin done the way we all like it. Prices are affordable without scrimping on the ingredients.

What to order: Their chocolatepeanut martabak and cheesecondensed milk martabak are to die for. The martabak is soft and chewy, with the nice crust outside.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No. 75, North Jakarta

RM TABONA Why: When a place is only known for one dish, you know it is good.

What to order: The Medan style curry, with chicken or beef (try the tendon) and over rice or bihun.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No. 65, North Jakarta

BIHUN BEBEK 75 Why: Another childhood favorite which is also a one dish wonder.

What to order: Their name says it all, the bihun is soft and has the right amount of bite in it, plus the duck perfectly cooked, and the broth which accompanies it is always flavorful and balanced.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No. 49, North Jakarta

P LUIT story by SAHIRI LOING AND JED DOBLE illustration by RITTER WILLY PUTRA

MIE KERITING P. SIANTAR Why: Everyone loves bakmi, their version with curly noodles has just the right texture.

What to order: Order the bakmi with char siu pork with pangsit goreng on the side.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No. 57, North Jakarta

BUN BUN KWETIAW Why: Transplanted from Medan to Jakarta, their fried Medanstyle kwetiaw is one of the best in town.

What to order: Their fried kwetiaw is packed with lots of ingredients, have it with extra sambal and a squeeze of lime.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No. 35, North Jakarta

EMIE ACUAN 12 Why: Another Medan favorite, comfortable surrounds, fast service.

What to order: Order their Medan emie with the sweet thick gravy, also try out their nasi campur and satay babi.

Address: Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya No. 39, North Jakarta

SIAW A TJIAP Why: A Pluit icon, this place has been able to maintain its consistency for the past three decades. Serving traditional Chinese dishes, this place is perfect for families.

What to order: Everything on the menu is tried and tested, but specialties include their Gurame Tahu Tausi (gurame

with tofu and black beans) and their Fuyung Hai which is full of shrimps and doesn’t use too much flour.

Address: Jalan Pluit Kencana No. 68, North Jakarta

DHARMA KITCHEN Why: Dharma Kitchen makes being a vegetarian an easy option without sacrificing taste.

It also helps that the venue is comfortable, easy to find and has ample parking.

What to order: Their Tom Yum hits all the right notes without any seafood.

Address: Jalan Pluit Kencana No. 106-110, North Jakarta

DANNY’S Why: Another iconic Pluit restaurant. Danny’s is the type of restaurant that you grew up going to with your family. They serve excellent home style cooking everyone loves.

What to order: Their chicken steak with potatoes as well as Indonesian dishes like ketoprak and gado-gado.

Address: Jalan Taman Pluit Kencana No. 9, North Jakarta

Rumah Makan Garuda Why: Everyone once in awhile craves Padang food.

This popular restaurant chain maintains its excellent food quality.

What to order: Ikan bilis, beef rendang and ayam pop Address: Jalan Pluit Putera No. 16, North Jakarta

• April 2016

67

FOODIE CONFIDENTIALS

Janet DeNeefe:

EAT, READ, LOVE

by ANGGARA MAHENDRA

story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by MATT OLDFIELD AND ANGGARA MAHENDRA, UBUD FOOD FESTIVAL

by MATT OLDFIELD

Janet DeNeefe is a woman with many impressive facets, and with the launch of the Ubud Food Festival in 2015, she has been able to add another feat in her illustrious resume.

AMIDST THE SERENE verdant surrounding of Ubud, Janet DeNeefe ploughed the land that would become her second home, and along the way has been successful in pinning it on the world map. First she began by rounding up a hodgepodge of literati from across the globe for the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF), and next she got culinary artisans on her waiting list for Ubud Food Festival (UFF) which premiered last year. Perhaps there are no easy ways to define this statuesque Aussie lady—a traveller, a restaurateur, a writer, a cook, a philanthropist, an entrepreneur—but for this issue, I guess it’d be more apt to simply describe her as a (true) foodie. FoodieS set a one-on-one with Ms. DeNeefe to revisit her rich experiences and also to find out what’s in store for us at the Ubud Food Festival that is slated for 27 – 29 May. FoodieS: What food do you remember the most when you were growing up?

Janet DeNeefe (JDN): My household was much like every other Aussie household in the 60’s and 70’s, except that my grandma was Mediterranean so we ate garlic and used pepper and many food items that were somewhat unusual back then. My other grandma was great at classic roasts and, especially, pikelets (a type of pancake found in Australia and New Zealand) —I adored these! We spent so many Christmas’s at her house with all the cousins, running around the house making mischief and stealing pikelets from the plate so when the

grow-ups came to eat them there were none left.

My mum was a master at baking and because of her heritage, she made the most delicious nut cakes filled with walnuts, dried figs, and spices.

FoodieS: Who influenced you the most in your childhood in terms of cooking?

JDN: My Maltese grandmother probably influenced me the most—she grew everything from tomatoes, beans, zucchini to fig, walnut, peach, and almond trees. There were chickens as well. When my mother went on family holidays, my grandmother brought all of these things with them in the car, including live chickens and a homemade tent! My aunty, Helen Burke, was also an inspiration. She wrote a food column in the Sydney Morning Herald in the 1970s, and gave me a beautiful vegetarian cookbook before anyone took it seriously. Last year I had the opportunity to meet one of the women who first introduced me to Indonesian cuisine: the legendary Sri Owen. We brought her over for the inaugural Ubud Food Festival and presented her with a Lifetime Achievement award.

FoodieS: Tell us about the first food you cooked yourself, and do you have any specialty?

JDN: I remember being fascinated with pastries and cakes when I was a young girl. I was forever trying to perfect cinnamon rolls and plaited buns.

Eventually I became known for my pavlova and used to proudly bring one to every family gathering.

• April 2016

69

FOODIE CONFIDENTIALS FoodieS: Were you already familiar with Indonesian food before you came here?

JDN: When I first visited Bali in 1975 as a 15-year-old teenager, I had no idea about Indonesian cuisine. I don’t think anyone back then did. It was love at first bite and continues to be so; I was bowled over by the extraordinary flavours and fragrances. When I returned to Australia after that trip, I scoured the bookshelves in Melbourne for a Balinese cookbook but to no avail. That’s when my mission to introduce Balinese food to the rest of the world began.

FoodieS: Can you tell me about the joy and struggle of opening up your own restaurants in Bali?

JDN: When I opened our first restaurant in 1987, I had never actually been a “boss” before, so I watched my husband’s managing methods which consisted of lots of joke-making with staff (usually about girlfriends and boyfriends).

We figured if the staff were laughing all would be well. One

by MATT OLDFIELD

70

April 2016 •

of the greatest difficulties back then was getting the kitchen staff to check the taste of the food.

One chef used to taste each dish and then run outside to spit it out. Salads and anything with cheese were the weirdest things on the planet and, naturally, the concept of three-courses was unknown. I remember seeing customers served ice-cream before main course because it was quicker to make.

FoodieS: What’s your favourite Balinese cuisine and the best local restaurants that you would recommend to FoodieS everywhere?

JDN: I have so many favorites it’s impossible to choose. I love MamaSan in Seminyak, or if I feel like a leisurely meal with a panorama of the ocean, I go to KuDeTa. For Balinese food, Ibu Oka’s suckling pig is a hard to beat. And for Indonesian-style grilled fish, Ikan Bakar Cianjur in Denpasar is a must. For nasi campur, I head to Warung Teges near Ubud.

FoodieS: Why did you decide to make a literary event first instead of food-related events?

JDN: I’ve actually wanted to start a food festival for even longer than I’ve been running Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, which is in its 13th year now.

At the time, though, the island was recovering from the Bali bombings and we needed a way to bring people together to create meaningful dialogue in the community and to boost the economy. In 2014, we started running the food-focused Kitchen program as part of the UWRF, and people were so responsive to it, we decided it was well and truly time to bring the concept into its own.

FoodieS: What were the motivation to publish your own cookbook? Any new cook books in the horizon?

JDN: Since 1984 I wanted to publish an Indonesian cookbook.

Fragrant Rice came first and it’s a testimony of my life at that time. It took until 2013 to create

a fully-fledged large format cookbook. I would love to write another one—if only I had the time! Sigh…

FoodieS: What was your expectation for Ubud Food Festival and what were the challenges in organizing it? What was your own favorite moments during the festival?

JDN: When we launched the Ubud Food Festival last year, we were absolutely bowled over by the level of enthusiasm in the community. It was such an exciting celebration of chefs, producers, restaurateurs, and business owners who are part of Indonesia’s evolving food scene. Of course, festivals are a huge amount of work, and as a not-for-profit, it’s an ongoing challenge to raise the funds to hold the event. We’re hoping that as we continue to grow and evolve, it becomes a more collaborative partnership with culinary enthusiasts. Favourite moment? There were so many.

One highlight was showing

Filosofi Kopi at Taman Baca and seeing so many young Indonesians in the audience, including my son enjoying this wonderful local film.

FoodieS: What new exciting things can we expect from this year’s UFF? JDN: This year we’re focusing on the theme of Go Local.

Whether that’s working with local producers, using seasonal ingredients or exploring the heritage of local food, we’re celebrating all things delicious and diverse from across the archipelago. We’re also excited to be bringing some new international chefs to experience Indonesia’s food scene, as well as to host new special events, cooking demos, food forums, and more.

Bali is finally proud of its cuisine and most new restaurants are incorporating local dishes in their menu. But what needs improving is authenticity: flavours are still being compromised to suit the so-called Western palate. Only in the warungs will you find the most authentic food because you have a more discerning local audience and usually an old grandmother supervising in the kitchen.

FoodieS: After living in Bali for so long, and as a food lover, can you tell us how the food and beverage scene in Bali has changed over the years, and are there room for improvements?

JDN: The food scene in Indonesia is more vibrant than ever before with an everstrengthening national pride in local dishes. Since 1987, I have been running restaurants in Ubud. Back then, I only ever used local ingredients, such as kemangi for pesto, salads, and tea; local Indonesian coffee instead of imported; bayam instead of spinach, and so on. But I never announced this because people were more focused on European ingredients. It wasn’t fashionable. Nowadays, there has been a complete turnaround. Like all of Indonesia, Bali is finally proud of its cuisine and most new restaurants are incorporating local dishes in their menu. But what needs improving is authenticity: flavours are still being compromised to suit the so-called Western palate. Only in the warungs will you find the most authentic food because you have a more discerning local audience and usually an old grandmother supervising in the kitchen.

by MATT OLDFIELD

• April 2016

71

FOODIE CONFIDENTIALS

Davina Veronica:

Combining Love of Food with Way of Life story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON

Post runway fame, the gorgeous Davina Veronica seems to have found her true calling in life, which has definitely shaped the way she fixes her everyday menu.

SEEING THE FOOD that are presented on the table we wouldn’t blame you if you think that this is what a model’s diet look like. It’s a rainy Thursday afternoon and we’re sitting cozily inside Ivy Kitchen at Jl.Brawijaya in South Jakarta, and Davina Veronica is very much enjoying her plate of Ricotta & Mushroom Ravioli. Next up she’s got the Ivy Green Sandwich (grilled sourdough, herb aioli, roasted pepper, sautéed shimeji, heirloom tomato, pomegranate), Quinoa Salad (with roasted paprika, mesclun, ricotta, and balsamic dressing), Ivy Kale Salad, and Veggie Burger. Don’t worry— she shared the meal with us.

Yes, your other guess is right: she is a vegetarian and she’s been doing it for the past four years now. (Though if we want to get technical, she’s actually what you call a pescatarian since she still occasionally eats fish.)

This particular diet was by no means driven by her occupation but more because of her great concern for the well-being of animals. “I’ve seen so much harm being done against animals,” she says. “I’ve seen documentaries— like Earthlings where they used hidden camera footage— showing animals being tortured, being experimented on for drugs or make-up, and also how they use them for entertainment.”

Okay, this might sound like a deal-breaking material to read especially for a food magazine, but to fit it into context, Davina is currently the co-founder of Garda Satwa Indonesia (www. gardasatwaindonesia.org), a

non-profit that aims to protect domestic animals, as well as the long-running Honorary Supporter of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia, so naturally that part of her is already ingrained deep within her psyche.

Lady with a Vision Davina was the supermodel starting from the late 90s, gracing runways and magazine covers with other local beauties before the egregious invasion of foreign models into the fashion scene. And after 15 illustrious years in the entertainment industry, Davina is currently content immersing herself in her altruistic endeavors, more so it seems since she became a pescatarian.

“I do feel that my body is lighter and fitter ever since I stopped eating red meat,” says

the owner of five dogs. I said having a Javanese-Manadonese heritage (with a bit of Dutch thrown in) must’ve entailed a festive holiday when she was growing up, to which she responds “Oh definitely. I do remember that we had all sorts of food on the table like grilled chicken, steaks, and, of course being Manadonese, brenebon (red bean soup), but what I love the most was my grandmother’s macaroni and my mother’s caramel pudding.”

She admits that she’s not a cook, but I guess she has enough on her plate to fill her time already. At home she likes simple local food such as spinach, sayur asem, sayur lodeh, cah kangkung or broccoli. If out and about she loves going to Ivy Kitchen or Monty’s at Senopati (“I love their Norwegian Salmon”), and

she’s been dying to go to this vegetarian restaurant in Central Park, West Jakarta, that her friend is constantly recommending.

Conversing with Davina can fluidly change course between breezy topics to more heavyhanded material, and that is fine with me. I find her worldly views and animals-are-ourfriend mindset quite uplifting, and if you’ve been following her Instagram, well I guess you’d know it already. “Humans have this tendency to feel like they’re the superior species and we need to stop thinking that way. We’re animals too that basically have the same needs, but we’re given the advantage of the species that is able to think, now if only we can use that to make the world a better place for us and the rest of the other species.” Jane Goodall would’ve applaud.

“I do remember that we had all sorts of food on the table like grilled chicken, steaks, and, of course being Manadonese, brenebon (red bean soup), but what I love the most was my grandmother’s macaroni and my mother’s caramel pudding.”

• April 2016

73

FOODIE CONFIDENTIALS

Anna Rohm:

The Wanderlust Hotelier story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON

In the hospitality business, a globetrotting upbringing and polyglot skills are deal-sealing asset. Well, such is the life of Anna Rohm, and along with it, come a numbert of great culinary experiences.

NEARING THE END of my interview with the tall and lovely Anna Rohm, the new Resident Manager of JW Marriott Jakarta, I couldn’t help but ask her about Jakarta’s notorious traffic, to which she responds by giving me a sharp look. “Don’t be boring,” she reprimands me.

Well, apparently ever since she relocated to the capital almost everyone has been asking her that.

For a free-spirit wanderlust such as her I understand how my question would be considered “boring”: she seems to enjoy life too much to revel in such a minor hassle such as the traffic.

“You just have to know your way and your time in getting through the city, and of course you cannot get away from it and all you have to do when you’re stuck in the middle of it is find a distraction,” she finally provides a follow up.

Anyway, obviously we’re not meeting up to discuss the traffic. Nope, we’re here at the Marriott’s Japanese restaurant, Asuka, to discuss the important things in life. I personally am intrigued by her continental upbringing: though her parent hail from Germany but thanks to her hippie father’s occupation as a musician her childhood was spent wandering around Europe to South American countries like Uruguay to Asian countries such as Thailand. “I was eight years old when we moved to Thailand, which is probably why I love Thai food more, especially their green bean salad or green chicken curry.”

This peripatetic lifestyle has also infused her with a sense of worldly independence, and when her family finally stopped traveling and settled in Austria (which by that time the brood had already grown to an astounding nine, in which Anna

was the oldest), she was the one who moved out to blazed her own path. In terms of preparing a meal, Anna started to learn how to cook at the tender age of 13. “I remember there was this old lady in Venice—where I lived once for four years—who refused her son to move in with me until I learned how to cook this Venetian dish called Sarde in Sour,” she says with a laugh.

son who happens to love freshly prepared Japanese food. “And I also love Sailendra for their variety of Indonesian food,” she adds. Since Thai food is not a stranger to her palate naturally she’s not resistant to spicy food such as sambal or rendang.

Food-wise, call her lucky to be engaged to an executive chef, Bart Cywinski, who’s currently working at JAAN restaurant in Singapore. “Due to the nature of my job that requires me to travel around I’ve always thought that I will stay single, but I feel very fortunate to have an understanding partner,” says the self-confessed owner of

“itchy feet”. Now she’s content in simply going out to eat (she lists the exotic Lara Djonggrang as her favorite restaurant) or cooking in with her beau where last Christmas they had roasted ribs on the bone and spätzle, a noodle dish from Germany of dumplings, layers of cheese, onions, black pepper, and tomato sauce.

And she reveals to me that every Sunday she and her son would go to Peppenero to have their lunch and afterwards take a brisk walk to Thamrin area.

Which is her way of telling me: See, there’s always a way to beat the traffic…

The Perfect Coupling Anna admits that her exposure to the world from a relatively young age in a way has inspired her to get into the hospitality business, and her polyglot ability (she speaks German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, and a bit of Thai) certainly has helped her greatly in the business. “I just love meeting and interacting with people and doing it with such warmth and welcoming way. And I like that it’s full of diversity and no day is quite the same.” Soon she found herself working in reputable enterprises such as the Le Meridien in Abu Dhabi, Nile Hilton in Cairo, Egypt, and Moevenpic Dead Sea Resort in Jordan, and the Mandarin Oriental Group in Hong Kong.

But currently she feels she couldn’t find a better coupling than the company that she’s working for now.

“I appreciate the luxury aspects of JW Marriott and they have such a widely successful portfolio and I am happy that I can be a part of it. You know, it’s a challenge being in the hospitality business because on the other hand there’s the competition and with a small company it can be hard to grow. Marriott definitely invests a lot in their people, in their task force so to speak, and we also go to other countries to see what they are doing best.”

At Marriott she loves going to Asuka with her 8-year-old

“I was eight years old when we moved to Thailand, which is probably why I love Thai food more, especially their green bean salad or green chicken curry.”

• April 2016

75

FOOD HEROES

Helianti

Hilman story by MARK TAN photographs by MARK TAN

Javara in Sanskrit means champion. In our eyes, Helianti Hilman of Javara Indigenous Indonesia is not only a champion herself but also champions the Indonesian farmer.

SINCE MY WIFE AND I started blogging in 2014 it has been one of my dreams to be able to write for a magazine. And when I found out that I was given an opportunity by FoodieS to write for them, I felt really excited.

When I was informed who I will be writing about, the excitement sparked and at the same time I felt nervous. As I am accustomed to writing about food and this is my first time to write about an influential person who is also the FoodieS Food Hero of the Month---The founder and CEO of Javara Indigenous Indonesia, Helianti Hilman.

I met Helianti last December 2014 at a gathering at the Grand Hyatt. The event featured “farm to table” inspired creations.

Grand Hyatt’s Chef Rolf Knecht spoke highly about her efforts to 76

April 2016 •

help the farmers by promoting their indigenous produce in Indonesia and all over the world.

Unfortunately, I was not able to talk to her about her cause and Javara. Good thing, the universe found a way for us to cross paths again, thanks to FoodieS for making it happen! Before meeting her, I researched about her profile and what she and her company does. Admiration is the right word to describe how I felt when I learned about her accomplishments with Javara. In fact, I believe she is a true modern day hero. She is a modern day hero in my book because of her courage and determination to promote Indonesia’s heritage through rediscovering indigenous ways of farming and for giving the farmers this opportunity to earn

FOOD HEROES for a living. People like her are extremely rare nowadays and I was lucky to hear her stories firsthand. And I am sure that you will love her story as well.

Before Helianti started Javara, she worked as a marketer of Indonesia’s agricultural products.

From there she learned that a lot of local products had incredible taste and variety yet were not marketed in a sophisticated way.

Helianti then saw the potential to market these products on a global scale that would help the farmers upgrade their products and have a better living and income. I admire how Helianti, through Javara Indigenous Indonesia, helps marginalized farmers make a living while keeping the Indonesian traditions alive. It all started when Helianti was invited by a good friend of hers to a roadshow that exposed her to these farmers. She lived with the communities for three months to be able to learn about what they were doing. During that period of time, she realized that it is not just about being

78

April 2016 •

organic. It is about something grander yet more traditional that it is highly spiritual for these farmers. She was also able to form a strong bond between her and the farmers by really understanding what they are passionate about, and in my opinion it is an impeccable initiative and leadership. From then on, she began leading Javara to assist farmers through skills development, training, funding and more importantly, exposure. I believe all of those are important but Helianti emphasized the role of exposure more or access to the market. Since they are not the mainstream producers, these farmers that Javara help promote need every bit of exposure so that their products reach the hands of the consumers. So far, they have been successful doing that for overseas customers and is slowly getting their products to the hands of local consumers.

Harriet Beecher Stowe once said, “Women are the real architects of society.” She could not have said it any better.

Societies in the past and present needed several women to lead change in their respective fields and countries. It is not surprising why Helianti is considered to be a food hero because she is a woman whose mission is to effect change in the mindset and culture of her beloved country and the world. She envisions a society where organic, indigenous sustainable farming produce are on every table. A society where farmers plant with dignity and pride because they can make a decent living while doing the environment proud of their innovative yet environmentfriendly ways.

In case you were wondering, Javara means “champion” in Sankrit which is close to the Indonesian word, juara. I believe Helianti lives the life of a champion not only for herself but also for her country and for others. She realized her dreams by proudly promoting indigenous Indonesian produce.

While at the same time, she became a champion in the lives of Indonesia’s marginalized farmers. As she is helping them

realize their own dream to have a bright future. By introducing better and more efficient farming techniques, proving valuable training and equipment. At the same time giving them the compensation and recognition that they rightfully deserve.

While listening to Helianti talk about the ups and downs of her cause, I wholeheartedly felt how much passion and love she has, why she does it and who keeps her going. So far, Helianti and Javara have helped over 55,000 communities and in them are 13,000 farmers. In a span of 7 years, they were able to develop 747 products and 247 of them are certified in the US, Europe and Japan. Most of her products go abroad as she is still in the process of educating her countrymen to appreciate their proudly Indonesian resources.

I was left in awe with what she and her company have accomplished since its inception in 2009.

Helianti proudly declares: “I want to make sure that we are

sustained because people love our products. I want people to buy our products because they love and use our products, not because they are sorry for us.”

With that, I admire her courage and determination in pursuing her passion for protecting Indonesia’s heritage and food biodiversity while advancing

social responsibility. Balancing all these things while still being able to give sustainability to the marginalized farmers. She is indeed an exemplary person who has the heart to help her countrymen and to influence the world with her organic artisanal food products. She is Helianti Hilman, my Food Hero.

“I want to make sure that we are sustained because people love our products. I want people to buy our products because they love and use our products, not because they are sorry for us.”

JAVARA INDIGENOUS INDONESIA Twitter: @javaraindonesia IG: @javaraindonesia www.javara.co.id

• April 2016

79

THE WEEKEND COOK

80

April 2016 •

Inspired By

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Her Mother’s Love story by JED DOBLE photographs by DENNIE RAMON

Chef Desi Trisnawati not only shares with us her recipe for Seared Tuna with Turmeric Rice but also reveals a lot of her inspirations.

DESI WAS BORN in small town of Sungailiat, on the island of Bangka. It was a small town, with no facilities like the big cities.

Here she grew up in a family which loved food and loved to cook. “The kitchen was my playground, we would cook three to five times a day,” Desi fondly recalls. Bangka is known for its amazing seafood, so most of the time, seafood was served on their dining table. “I remember my late mom would always cook for us. At the table, she would peel prawns for us, one by one she would pass them to us to eat. Later on I realized, that she never got the chance to eat since she would distribute all the prawns to us. When I looked back at these episodes, this is when I realized that I wanted to share love through food.”

When she was in the fifth grade, Desi joined her first cooking competition, she cooked sweet and sour fish, one of her favorite dishes, using a traditional stove. She won that competition and never looked back. She was eager to try new recipes and developed her love for cooking. Most recently, she joined the MasterChef Indonesia

TV cooking competition and emerged the champion. Now she lives a very busy life tending to the family’s Novilla Boutique Resort back in Sungailiat, Bangka as well as her own catering business called Pesona Kataring Nusantara here in Jakarta. She also consults for a Japanese flavor company called Takasago and is also a motivational speaker.

Desi loves Indonesian food, so for this month, she shares her recipe for Seared Tuna with Turmeric Rice. It is served with a lemon-basil infused soy sauce reduction and a spicy garlic chili sambal. It is inspired by traditional roadside ikan bakar.

“Indonesian food is full of flavor and I tried to combine these rich flavors in one plate. The fragrance of the turmeric rice, the delicate flavor of the tuna, the sweetness of the soy sauce and the spiciness of the sambal really dance in your mouth.”

Hopefully dishes like this and many more can be showcased in Desi’s planned healthy restaurant. Driven by her passion for cooking, and inspired by her mother’s love, I am sure this new venture will be a huge success.

• April 2016

81

THE WEEKEND COOK

SEARED TUNA WITH TURMERIC RICE Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS: Turmeric rice 5 cloves Shallots ) 3 cloves Garlic ) 3 cm Fresh Turmeric ) blend 2 pcs Candle nut ) 1 Tbs Vegetable oil ) 7 pcs 500 ml 50 ml 1 tsp 500 gr 30 gr ½ tsp 1 tsp 4 pcs 2 stalks 2 pcs

Cloves Water Coconut Milk Chicken Stock Rice Glutinous Rice Sugar Salt Kaffir Lime Lemon grass Pandan leaves

Lemon Basil Infused Sauce 2 tbs Sweet Soy Sauce 1 handfull Lemon Basil Leaves 1 Cluster Fresh Green Pepper 3 tbs Water 1 tsp Vegetable Oil ½ tsp Fried Garlic Garlic Chili Sambal 5 cloves Garlic 3 pcs Big Chili 3 pcs Chili Padi 3 tbs Vegetable Oil 1 tsp Chicken Powder ½ tsp Sugar ½ tsp Salt

82

April 2016 •

Seared Tuna 100 gr Fresh tuna fillet

Salt

Pepper

Garnish

3 Types of Curly Chili

Lemon basil

Radish

Fried onion

Cucumber

Green pepper

STEPS Turmeric rice • Blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, candle nut and vegetable oil with the Oxone hand blender.

• Sautee the blended ingredients until fragrant. And add the rest of the ingredients, cook until the water reduces. Set it aside and steam the rice until well cooked.

Lemon Basil Infused Sauce • Simmer all the ingredients until reduced, set it aside.

Garlic Chili Sambal • Blend all the ingredients together and fry in vegetable oil until fragrant.

Seared Tuna • Cut tuna in rectangular shapes, seasoned with salt and pepper.

• Sear in a hot pan with some oil.

• Cut into desired shapes.

• April 2016

83

THE CLASSICS

IKAN MAS BAKAR RICA NY. FILLY story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

A trip down to Taman Ismail Marzuki does not always have to be art-related. For us FoodieS, there is the legendary soto Betawi restaurant that resides here and the Ikan Mas Bakar Rica Ny. Filly.

THE ICONIC Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) is an important venue for the citizens of Jakarta and the whole country. For decades, it has been known as a bastion of art and education in the country.

Over the past few years, TIM has also seen a number of improvements from the recently refurbished cinema, a modern building for the art institute, and a new public library for the family. It also houses the one and only planetarium in Indonesia as well as hosts festivals or art and theater shows regularly.

In addition to these wonderful perks that people can enjoy upon their visit to TIM and the dynamic changes outside on the busy street of Cikini, there are two things that actually remain timeless here.

The first one is the legendary restaurant of Soto Betawi H. Ma’ruf which is widely renowned as one of the oldest in Jakarta,

paving its way to prominence now since the early years of independence. Back then, Haji Ma’ruf himself carried his merchandise on his back, serving soto Betawi near the Gondangdia Station.

The second timeless eatery inside Taman Ismail Marzuki is a Manadonese-style grilled fish shack. Serving hungry Jakartans since 1984, the restaurant stays true with the old recipes of Ny. Filly’s - the late matriarch of the family. It is actually rare to see a Manadonese restaurant only serving fish since most Manadonese restaurants usually serve the whole cuisine, especially here in Jakarta.

The use of freshwater fish such as carp and gurame is another interesting aspect from Ikan Mas Bakar Rica Ny. Filly, while other seafood restaurants in Jakarta would normally introduce the use of saltwater fish instead as their signature

IKAN MAS BAKAR RICA NY. FILLY Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jalan Cikini Raya no. 73, Jakarta T: +62 3193 6535 OPENING HOURS: Daily, 10am – 9pm SPEND: IDR 50,000 – IDR 75,000 / person 84

April 2016 •

The dishes at this restaurant speak for themselves, add to it the whole atmosphere of nostalgia which the fans of Ny. Filly have been enjoying since its humble beginning some 32 years ago. dishes. In addition to that, the fact that this establishment has been in the business for more than thirty years intrigues us further.

Upon our arrival, you can immediately seen that the restaurant maintains a classical look with the use of bamboo that dominate the whole interior.

Despite it’s age, it is kept neat and clean. While it is comfortably air-conditioned inside, feasting on a hearty lunch or dinner

on the alfresco side of the restaurant sounds like a good choice too. After all, visiting the leafy and relaxed neighborhood of TIM is a good change of pace once in a while.

However, it is best to reserve first if you wish to visit during the rush hours. Mind you that especially during lunch, Ikan Mas Bakar Rica Ny. Filly is a popular choice for students, the patrons of this art institution, office workers from around the vicinity,

and sometimes top government officials.

The signature dish here is the carp, grilled in a very rustic stone oven and smeared with the all time favorite rica-rica sauce.

Additionally we can ask for the carp to be fried, served with sour broth, or cooked with the rich and spicy woku sauce.

Alternatively, if you are not up with the challenge of eating the bony carp, you can always opt for other fish such as gurame,

kuwe (trevally), or the baronang (spinefoot).

The result from cooking in a stone oven is unimaginably beautiful. The fish, while very fresh, possesses the appetizing smoky flavor throughout. It was also well marinated and the addition of rica-rica sauce makes it not just savory with a hint of spiciness, but also refreshing.

The flesh itself was well-cooked, moist, and tender. At this stage, nobody will mind the small bones from the carp and that’s exactly because Ny. Filly’s recipe works really well.

The best way to savor this amazing dish is to eat it with steaming hot rice, together with simple stir-fried water spinach with garlic, and more rica-rica sauce with another favorite Manadonese relish – the sambal dabu-dabu.

Clearly, the dishes at this restaurant speak for themselves, add to it the whole atmosphere of nostalgia which the fans of Ny. Filly have been enjoying since its humble beginning some 32 years ago. It may have had struggles in the beginning but its perseverance and the wonderful recipes behind the food are what has brought them through until this very day and we hope, far into the future.

• April 2016

85

SEARCHING FOR STREET FOOD

( RUJAK BUAH ) PASAR TEBET

RUJAK BUAH PASAR TEBET Jalan Tebet Barat IX (nearby Pasar Tebet Barat and in front of BCA), Jakarta OPENING HOURS: Daily, 9am – finish (around 4 or 5pm) SPEND: IDR 15,000 / package 86

April 2016 •

story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

In addition to its widespread good reputation and a direct recommendation from the owner of the highly successful Rujak Pak Jangkung of Megaria, it is finally time for FoodieS to experience the one and only - Rujak Buah Pasar Tebet.

UBIQUITOUS and very much loved, especially among the ladies, rujak buah or fruit salad is one of the pillars of Asian street food. It is both a dessert and a snack that is enjoyable from time to time, and a healthy alternative for your indulging daily meals.

Suffice to say for us in Indonesia, the rujak buah vendors are the heroes of our lifetime.

How can they not? If it weren’t for these hard working fellows, everybody may not have their intake of fresh fruits for their daily diet as people are not always confident to pick the right fruits from the market.

Sometimes it is also good value for money as well to have more options from a single serving rather than buying a whole huge watermelon or papaya for instance.

Many of these vendors travel around the neighborhood, but many also prefer to stay in strategic areas - be it at busy intersections around your home, the street food stalls around your office, or nearby the traditional markets like this one.

Stationed nearby Pasar Tebet for the past 20 years, these fellows do not seem to bother putting a real name for their business but people will still flock

there from many miles away for quality fruits from time to time.

At their busiest hours of the day, three crews will manage everything from taking orders, slicing the fruits, preparing the sambal, and packing them one by one. Back home, they will also prepare the fruits for another day and all the ingredients needed for the sambal in large batches.

Well, even a fruit salad business feels like a 24/7 occupation!

As for the fruits, Rujak Buah Pasar Tebet only offers several tropical types such as the red and beautiful water guava, the exotic jicama, the colorful pomelo and pineapple, the crunchy green guava, and the all time favorite young mangoes.

Their concoction of this thick and nutty sambal leans towards the sweet side than the spicy, which can be amped up later with additional red eye chilies based on your preference.

So whenever you visit Pasar Tebet for a good meal and shopping, be sure to drop by at this humble vendor to treat your family back home or the colleagues at the office.

Fruit salad is always fun to share with everyone!

• April 2016

87

SEARCHING FOR STREET FOOD

MAKAN DI

( PASAR TEBET )

PASAR TEBET BARAT Jalan Tebet Barat Dalam Raya no. 58-59, Jakarta OPENING HOURS: Daily, from morning until evening SPEND: IDR 15,000 – IDR 30,000 / person 88

April 2016 •

story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

If visiting a single street food stall is not enough for your foodie experience this weekend, then how about more options for you to try in a single destination?

If that’s the case, let us visit Pasar Tebet Barat right away!

MANY OF US still remember how Pasar Santa suddenly leaped into prominence – especially because of the food.

While it was not necessarily very traditional, there was a time when the diversity of street food from around the world could be found there.

Sadly it was just a trend, and now Pasar Santa is but a shadow of its former self. However, we at FoodieS would like to reignite those moments by encouraging our readers to visit traditional marketplaces from time to time.

In this issue, we visit the beloved Pasar Tebet Barat.

Like any other local market, Pasar Tebet Barat is already busy from early morning. The market is known for its vast selection of wedding invitation designers, stationeries, fabric shops, and even a department store in addition for the fresh produce upstairs. Despite the age, it is kept clean and comfortable.

Playing a key role to keep the world spinning , the food industry here is alive and well.

From simple snack and cake shops to colorful nasi rames stalls, you can also find a fullfledged Padangnese cuisine vendor, nasi gudeg, nasi uduk, gado-gado, and many more.

Last time, I decided to take a different path than my wife

who chose nasi Padang with dendeng balado, beef lungs, and cassava leaves. I scoot over to the next stall for a serving of nasi uduk with toppings such as teri kacang (stir-fry peanuts and anchovies), cumi asin (sliced cuttlefish), and the exotic stir-fry papaya flower buds.

Upon finishing our rounds

with rice, we cleanse our palates with a glass of es cendol from Bandung’s famous Cendol Nurita who happens to have a small outlet here. Not stopping there, I treated myself with more traditional snacks such as the kue pepe, sosis Solo, and a fried tofu filled with fishcake.

I had to stop here and reserve

other options for my future visits despite the temptations.

Visiting traditional marketplaces not only satisfies our hunger, we also contribute to helping small-scale businesses which are run by the stall owners, we also support local products and producers. Long live our traditional markets!

• April 2016

89

HAPPY HOUR

Though they probably don’t want to admit it, but having a woman (wo)manning the bar holds a more indisputably eyepleasing appeal. But for these women, bartending is not just a “fun job”—it’s their career.

FIRST, A DISCLAIMER: Katherine Nagar (and also the other two lovely bartenders we profiled here) objects to the segregation of the sex when it comes to the marketing of female bartenders.

“I don’t know why we have to assign gender to this issue,” she says. “I think that’s how they’re trying to ‘sell’ it here in Asia.

I mean these days I see men ordering sweet cocktails and the women drinking negronis.”

“Ultimately I think it all boils down to each person’s personal preference,” says Kiki Renata and Bona almost in unison.

Well, there goes my angle.

The female bartender is definitely still a rare species, and judging by its nocturnal nature I can understand why it might not be considered a “respectable” occupation. “Of course there were pros and cons in my family when I told them I was trying out to be a bartender,” says Kiki who has been bartending since 2003, her time spent more with the Union Group. “It’s a job where you go out at night and come back home in the morning. It definitely took time for me to build their trust and prove to them that the work I was doing was something positive.”

It’s easy to describe the job of 90

April 2016 •

adies Behind The Bar story by SAHIRI LOING photographs by DENNIE RAMON

a bartender as merely the person who mixes and pours your drink, and we would observe them in awe as they juggle those familiar looking bottles and ostentatiously pull stunts with the shaker in order to give us— as Kiki describes -- that WOW factor.

However, for juveniles or to some extent the young adults all that matters is the amount of alcohol to get them properly intoxicated into the night, and perhaps as they get older they may start to appreciate the finer things in life and would prefer the much more sophisticated Old Fashion or a martini. To cater to these refined tastes thus was borne the novel term of “mixologist” (and it’s not uncommon to attach a “celebrity” prior to it).

But, unlike their food counterparts, the progress has been a bit slow, and that’s what Katharine (or Katie for short) is here for. “People may still perceive it as a ‘fun job’, a low prestige and low paying career, and something that you do just to pay the bills,” says the Brand Ambassador of Diageo (owner of many renown brands such as Johnnie Walker, Ketel One, Bulliet and Tanqueray). “I want to elevate the status of bartenders and make it a rewarding career. And I

do that by trying to improve their skills because being a bartender is not just about making drinks but you also have to think about what your customers want as well as knowing each and every brand that you’re working with.”

At Diageo, Katie has been in an ongoing process of mentoring aspiring bartenders to better their customercentric skills as well as how to best represent a brand, and for Diageo World Class she’s currently collaborating with chef Will Goldfarb, famous for his artful desserts, to teach them about utilizing local products and seasonal ingredients into their creations. “We want bartenders to have that same status as chefs,” Katie says.

“They’re every bit as talented in terms of technical process and discerning palettes.”

With regards to knowing what the customer wants, Bona knows a thing or two since she was “schooled” for six years at Loewy. “To be a good bartender you have to be a storyteller as well, an entertainer to your guest,” she says. Back in 2013 Bona herself made it to the top 6 of the Diageo World Class where she presented her cocktail, A Toast to Jasmine, an ode to

her love of the fragrant jasmine flower (she even named her daughter Jasmine). Currently she works for Syah Establishment where she’s in charge of bar development that includes the speakeasy-inspired Bau-Haus 1933 and Lucy in the Sky. For sure these gals have no shortage of creativity behind the bar. During our photo shoot at Bau-Haus they presented us with their awesome and original cocktails: Katie gave us her twist on the Clover Club cocktail, a previously gentlemen club fixture, and here instead of raspberry (which can be hard to find) she uses rosella tea to infuse that sour note; Kiki concocts a Kentucky Old Fashioned with whisky, angostura bitters, and homemade nutmeg syrup; and Bona mixes an interesting vodkabased cocktail that uses fresh cherries and butterfly pea flower (bunga telang in Indonesian).

Okay, to further settle the case whether there are such differences between a gentleman’ and lady’s drink, look no further than the preferred drinks of our profiled bartenders: they all love whisky. Can I have my chocolate martini now, ladies?

Crimson & Clover Club

by Katie Nagar Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS: 60 ml 30 ml

25 ml

20 ml

Tanqueray 10 fresh lemon juice homemade rosella tea cordial egg white

STEPS • Combine all ingredients into shaker.

• Dry shake first to emulsify egg white.

• Add ice and shake again.

• Double strain into old fashioned glass with ice block.

• Garnish with butterfly pea flower.

“We want bartenders to have that same status as chefs.

They’re every bit as talented in terms of technical process and discerning palettes.”

• April 2016

91

HAPPY HOUR

Spices Old Fashioned by Kiki Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS: 50 ml 10 ml dash

Bulleit Bourbon Homemade nutmeg syrup Angostura Bitters

STEPS • Add all ingredients to rocks glass.

• Stir with ice block until properly diluted.

• Garnish with dehydrated orange round.

“Of course there were pros and cons in my family when I told them I was trying out to be a bartender. It’s a job where you go out at night and come back home in the morning. It definitely took time for me to build their trust and prove to them that the work I was doing was something positive.”

92

April 2016 •

Butterfly Pea Sour

by Bona Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS: 45 ml

20 ml

25 ml

20 ml

20 ml

Ketel One Vodka cherry infused orange liqueur fresh lemon juice homemade cinnamon syrup egg white

STEPS • Combine all ingredients into shaker.

• Dry shake first to emulsify egg white.

• Add ice and shake again.

• Double strain into old fashioned glass with ice block.

• Garnish with butterfly pea flower.

“To be a good bartender you have to be a storyteller as well, an entertainer to your guest.”

• April 2016

93

ON MY PLATE

Let us introduce you to the newest chef in town, The Salt and Sugar Lady – Grace Dharmawan, as she shares with us her new venture and her favorite food!

GRACE DHARMAWAN – THE SALT & SUGAR LADY story by RIAN FARISA photographs by RIAN FARISA

94

April 2016 •

AS A CHEF, Grace spent almost ten years in the kitchens of high profile establishments. Her career started in Switzerland and the UK where she attained the advanced diploma in culinary arts. However, her pivotal moments were spent at Mozaic in Bali as its Chef de Partie, staying eight years there, then at Nobu in Melbourne, where she worked since 2012 until before coming back to Indonesia.

Now newly wedded to husband Chef Ivan Wibowo of G48, Umabo, and Benedict; she recently started her own pop up dessert venture named Salz/Zucker to cater to Jakarta’s increasing sweet toothed patrons. Her exploit started a few weeks ago at The Cook Shop where she popsup every Tuesday and Wednesday, and features modernist desserts with distinctive combinations.

Enjoying one of her fine creations for the occasion, it was the Vitamin C that consists of a beautiful rectangular madeleine topped with lemon mint sorbet. Accompanied by raspberry “kisses”, dragon fruit, and green lemon posset to make it more colorful.

“True to the name salz and Zucker or salt and sugar, a dessert does not have to be all sweet but it needs to have other characteristics to make it balanced – like incorporating salt into it. That’s exactly what I like most from a dessert”, the chef explains us.

Living abroad for quite some time does not make Grace Dharmawan less Indonesian. As a native Surabayan, she has always been influenced by local cuisine as well. Her favorite is something that we always love to have from day to day.

When asked what it is, she answers right away, “Nasi goreng!”

is now available on

SCOOP is an App for buy and reading book, magazine and newspaper.

Available for FREE on App Store and Google Play.