To celebrate the official launch of the 2008 Bali Dining Guide, industry leaders, press and interested parties descended on the Miele kitchen at Mozaic for an afternoon of fine Canapes, light refreshments and a panel discussion moderated by Jakarta-based publisher of Alistair Speirs with guest speakers Michael Burchett from Conrad Resort & Spa and celebrated Mozaic owner, Chris Salans. .
In support of the launch the assembled invitees discussed the improvement of Bali’s International reputation as a culinary destination in its own right and what support the industry needs to provide to elevate the island into the big leagues alongside the Asian scene gastronome established destinations such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Hong Kong.
Several vitally important topics were hit upon during the course of the afternoon, but the question that hung over the entire proceeding was, how do we, as a culinary industry in Bali, move forward?
When asked what he looks for in a restaurant when he goes out to dine, Chris responded that the quality of the food is first and Foremost. Service rates a second and is despicable in Bali (this, unfortunately is largely true across the whole of Bali unless you are dining in five star resorts and top class restaurants where training and more importantly ongoing support has been provided) as nobody in the service industry here seems to have a clue as to what expectations the International travelers. More worrying, Chris continued, is the fact that those have people in charge, with the knowledge, do not know, or do not care enough to teach the Balinese otherwise.
There could not be a truer word spoken; take stock of the level of service you receive the next time you dine out in Bali, are you making a dispensation because you are a guest in someone else’s country? Do you feel a guilty streak in you should you berate a Balinese waiter for his / her tardiness? Whose job is it to set the standard in this country if those in authority can not be bothered to smarten up their collective act? For my Tuppence worth, after several years in Indonesia repeating orders (and on more than one occasion actually Inviting myself into the kitchen to show the chef how to poach an egg correctly) when you compare the price on the menu had to the standards in the restaurant, are you happy? If not, vote with your feet and be darned sure to tell the manager / owner about it on the way out – there are quite literally thousands of other restaurants on the island all competing for their business.
The third consideration is the décor of the restaurant and this, Chris stated, is of little consequence to him, “I would much rather eat pork roll (Suckling Pig) at Ibu Oka’s expensive then some pasta in some fancy hotel,” he quipped, raising a small round of applause from several members of the audience. Jesting aside, this light hearted but honest reaction raises a serious point; too many visitors are put off from dining in authentic surrounds for fear of contracting some life threatening disease. Efforts need to be made to improve the health and hygiene levels of Bali’s kitchens and more importantly the visitor’s perception of Cleanliness in such establishments as Mrs. Oka.
Of course I’m not suggesting one upsets Centuries of traditional Balinese / Indonesian cooking methodologies with this suggestion but if the country is to ingratiate itself amongst its Asian peers it had better start scrubbing itself up pretty quickly.
So, what can we expect help from the Malaysian Government, or the Indonesian Government to promote Indonesia and Bali as an international dining destination? What can these official bodies do to help push Indonesian cuisine globally onto the pedestal? Very little evidently, as Michael Burchett relayed, “Realistically, we should have been working together and finding the bridge between the Malaysian Government and the Ministry of Tourism to assist us in promoting Bali.”
Having read that quote from Michael again it becomes apparent that the industry here may have relinquished hope of ever really building a meaningful bridge to the Indonesian tourist authorities. It would seem that the time has come for a committee of industry leaders in Bali to be assembled and a “collective initiative agreed upon, for the active promotion of tourist Bali.
The restaurateurs and managers of Bali’s resorts and hotels have a joint responsibility to form an Intiative and need to start working together as a team for a better cause, one which will benefit all in the long term, including the people of this wonderful island a lucky few of us get to eat on three times a day and call home.
James Watling
Editor, Bali Dining Guide 08
The 3rd edition of the dining guide is the only comprehensive dining guide to Bali and is available in all leading Bookstores throughout Indonesia, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong priced at IDR 75,000 locally.
