In The Kitchen With Made

Prana Restaurant has been named one of the best restaurants in Indonesia by Tattler Indonesia magazine. Meet the man behind this award, new head chef I Made Sukarmajaya, who started his career 20 years ago selling cakes at a local market. more

Chef Made came from humble beginnings. He grew up in Singaraja, north Bali , the former capital of the island before it was moved to Denpasar. He learned his passion for cooking from his mother.

“I loved my mum. She was a ‘perdagang kue' (cake seller). She sold small cakes made from glutinous rice and palm sugar at the local market. She worked very hard so when I was in elementary school, about 12-years-old, I started helping her,” Made says.

“I got to love cooking so after elementary school I went to a tourism institute in Denpasar to learn how to make more than just cakes and dessert, although they are still my specialty! “When I married, my wife stayed in Singaraja and helped my mum while I worked in Kuta. Later, my mum passed away. My wife still sells cakes at the market.”

After completing cooking school, Made began working at the Hilton Hotel in Nusa Dua, before moving into the restaurant business. After a stint in Jakarta , he came back to Bali to cook for Ary's Warung, one of Ubud's most established and respected restaurants, where he learned how to give a contemporary edge to traditional Balinese dishes.

He re-entered the hotel industry as head chef at Ibah Luxury Villas in Ubud and later at Swiss-bell Hotel in Jimbaran, before being appointed head chef at The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa last June. One of his first tasks at The Villas was to launch a new menu at Prana Restaurant. While the architecture is Moroccan-themed, Made opted for simple, fresh Mediterranean cuisine, with a selection of South-East Asian favourites.

Judging by the rave reviews he has received, it was a good choice. The Villas' dining experience has reached a whole new level with delectable dishes like pan-seared barramundi with saffron jus and mashed potato, veal escallopes with creamy mushroom herb sauce and baby vegetables, and Moroccan lamb kebabs. Made's natural talent for dessert produces irresistible versions of Mediterranean classics like tiramisu, crème brulee and a chocolate fondant that explodes in a cascade of rich chocolate sauce.

He has also upgraded service standards, opening an additional room service facility, which brings to three the number of kitchens servicing guest villas. Room service is also being expanded to 24-hours to better meet the needs of in-house guests.

The Tattler award, based on excellence in cuisine and service, is worthy recognition of Made's energy and creativity, but this father-of-two is typically Balinese in his modesty.

“My staff at Prana are a very good team, they have a sense of family about them,” he says. “This creates harmony in the restaurant and kitchen, and helps us to work well together.”