When you are caught in confusion on what to pick between two best choices, sometimes you just have to pick both. In this issue, Chef Dewa Putu Rai decided to share both of his favorite meals to us.

Since we first started What Chef Eats back in December 2013, we have now know more about our friends from the kitchen. Through this rubric, we are discovering every month about their true calling – from the most primal dish and up to a gourmet recreation of comfort food they would love to enjoy from time to time.

There are those who simply share how enjoyable it is to escape once in a while with instant noodles or dining out on a warteg. On the other hand, there are some who were inspired by their childhood memories. This might sound very basic but chefs are human after all.

Take Executive Chef Dewa Putu Rai of Pullman Jakarta Central Park as an example. He went through his childhood living in a Balinese village. The young chef used to participate in festivities so many times in a year. During these events, usually every household would cook something special and that’s why his mind was set immediately to share us his secret comfort food – bebek betutu.

“My father cooked the best bebek betutu ever. Of course, living in the village required us to cook only with wood fire but I would relive the experience cooking it once in a while for the sake of nostalgia”, shares Chef Dewa.

However, there’s more than just bebek betutu for him apparently.

“Sometimes I drew my inspirations from my travels everywhere. Once I stopped by at a warung for a meal during a trip through East Java. Expecting nothing, I was utterly impressed with their nasi bakar. Which is why, I sometimes share my version of nasi bakar once in a while in the menu”, he continues.

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Featured in THE FOODIE MAGAZINE Oct 2015 edition

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