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fermented nut, before coming here. We
were taken to a restaurant and got to taste
it in many forms. As well as lots of other
ingredients. I found it really interesting,
complex in flavour but quite delicious.
RM:
Wedang Ronde
, which are glutinous
rice balls in ginger syrup. It is a similar dish
that the Chinese have, they usually put
sesame or peanut paste in the dumpling
and they serve it with ginger broth. I like
to do the same but I add a bit of cinnamon
into the broth to balance the flavors.
If I wasn’t a chef I wouldprobablybe…
TP:
Probably a snowboarder. Actually I
am a snowboarder but I would like to do
it more often.
DR:
In trouble!
RM:
Painter. I find painting very therapeu-
tic and prior to being a chef, I majored in
Art and Design.
thing special about the place. It can be a
bit crazy, but feels incredibly spiritual.
Beautiful countryside, the people, food
and the waves.
RM:
Indonesian food is very diverse and
it surprises me every now and then. I have
always seen the potential in Indonesian
food. It is true that the uglier a dish looks,
the better it tastes so I am working on a
cookbook that focuses on the authenticity
of Indonesian cuisine, to showcase the
food in a more refined state.
Have thedifferent flavors and cooking
styles been a challenge?
TP:
Funnily enough, the biggest challenge
for me has been the pronunciation of some
of the dishes. Once I have seen a dish
cooked I am fine.
DR:
Yes. It was interesting working with
different ingredients for the first time,
but this is what really excites me about
cooking. For me, the best way to learn
about a place is through the food.
RM:
Yes of course. Different food has its
own flavor and characteristics, with their
own seasons. There is always a story
behind every dish, so during the show,
we experienced a lot of culture.
What is your favoritedishyouhave tasted
on the showandwhy?
TP:
I
don’t really have a favorite dish; I
tasted somany fantastic dishes on the trip.
I did enjoy the water spinach preparation
and the chicken cooked in bamboo as well
as the char grilled chicken and actually the
list goes on.
Darren:
So many to choose from but
it would have be
Rawon
(rich tasting
traditional Indonesian beef black soup).
I had never tasted
Keluak
, which is a
Learning new flavours
Tobie Puttock
RinRin Marinka
Darren Robertson