Meet executive sous chef of Alila Seminyak, Ngurah Heru Wijaya

Living alone has its perks, according to executive sous chef of Alila Seminyak, Ngurah Heru Wijaya. “My love for cooking truly started off when I had to live by myself as I studied tourism in college,” he shares. Wijaya knew then that his career path lies in the culinary field. He first pursued a tourism career abroad, working in a cruise liner and a five-star hotel in Singapore before making his way back to Bali to join Alila Villas Uluwatu in 2008 as a chef.

Renowned for its sustainability efforts, Alila Hotels and Resorts places a high emphasis on quality produce. Hence, under the tutelage of chef Stefan Zijita at Alila Villas Uluwatu, Wijaya was able to learn the many ways of marrying Indonesian ingredients with innovative French-style cooking techniques. This foundation became an inseparable part of Wijaya’s culinary philosophy when he joined Alila Seminyak in 2014 as a senior sous chef during the resort’s pre-opening. At Beach Bar and Seasalt, Alila Seminyak’s two beachfront dining venues, Wijaya gets carte blanche to come up with new dishes to satiate guests’ palates.

Two of his creations, the Oxtail Ravioli and 72 Hours Steak, are popular with the diners. The former is a classic Indonesian dish, Sop Buntut or oxtail soup, with the addition of ravioli. The steak dish is a result of a fruitful collaboration with Seasalt’s chef de cuisine, Vivian Vitalis. The 72 hours sous-vide Wagyu beef short ribs, glazed with Dijon mustard and honey miso, is served  with a tasty cauliflower puree, shaved pickled pumpkin, sesame cracker and beetroot jus.

Wijaya is well-aware that culinary innovation is the key to retain and engage his guests. “At the end of the day, a recipe is just something that is written on paper. It boils down to the execution of the dish. It requires passion and attention to detail,” he adds..

Alila Seminyak
Jl. Taman Ganesha No. 9, Petitenget, Seminyak
Tel: +62 361 3021888
https://www.alilahotels.com/seminyak