Yes. Bali is home to chefs who have worked in Michelin Star kitchens in Europe and Asia. Their food is experimental, cross-cultural, and shaped by personal expression, resulting in a unique world-class dining style.
The Michelin Guide does not feature Bali yet. But you can still enjoy a Michelin-level dining experience on this island. We have highlighted a few Michelin-star chefs in Bali and their restaurants so you can understand their distinctive style and decide where to dine.
Bali’s Michelin-Trained Chefs
Chef Nic Vanderbeeken
Restaurant: Apéritif Restaurant, Ubud, Bali.
Professional Role: Executive Chef.
Experience: Chef Nic has over 20 years of culinary experience. Before joining Apéritif Restaurant, he led Cascades Restaurant at Viceroy Bali and worked as a consultant in Vietnam. He also designed a new bistronomy-style menu when running Bistro Biggles in Belgium.
Michelin Background: He has worked in a number of Michelin-starred kitchens, like Restaurant Berto and Restaurant ‘t Convent in Belgium and a two-Michelin-star restaurant by Wout Bru in France.
Culinary Philosophy: He focuses on cross-cultural ideas (European cooking methods with Asian flavours) and borderless cuisine. Chef Nic’s Borderless Food Concept connects cuisines from around the world on a single menu. It is about blending similar flavour profiles and ingredients in different proportions and mixtures. The philosophy is that foods have similar qualities even though they come from different places. This approach brings people together through food.
Jean-Baptiste Natali
Restaurant: Koral Restaurant, The Apurva Kempinski Bali.
Professional Role: Executive Chef
Michelin Background: One Michelin Star. Chef Jean-Baptiste Natali became the youngest Michelin-starred chef in France in 2002 at age 27.
Culinary Philosophy: He focuses on sustainability, reducing food waste, and using local ingredients. His cooking aims for clean flavours and a balance between classic and modern techniques.
Global Experience: Natali has more than 30 years of global experience. He has worked across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States. He has been a consultant and worked in luxury hotels. He also owned a restaurant in France.
Kevin Cherkas
Restaurant: Cuca Restaurant, Jimbaran, Bali.
Professional Role: Chef-Owner.
Michelin Background: Michelin-trained chef. Chef Kevin Cherkas has worked in several well-known Michelin-star kitchens, including Daniel in New York, Arzak in San Sebastián, La Broche in Madrid, and El Bulli in Spain.
Culinary Philosophy: He combines global techniques with simple meals. He is known for fine-dining tapas made with 100% local Indonesian ingredients.
Global Experience: He trained in Vancouver, New York, and Spain and later worked in Malaysia and Singapore. He led teams at Lafite and Blu before opening Cuca.
Ryan Clift
Restaurant: The Cave at The Edge, Bali.
Professional Role: Culinary Director.
Training and Background: Born in Devizes, England. Chef Ryan Clift entered the kitchen at age 14 and trained under Marco Pierre White, Peter Gordon, and Emmanuel Renaut.
Career Highlights: He became Head Chef at Vue de Monde in Melbourne. Later, he moved to Singapore and started Tippling Club. It gained regional attention for its modern, experimental style.
Global Experience: He has presented at major food festivals. He has also appeared in TV features, including National Geographic specials and ‘Eat List Star’.
Syrco Bakker
Restaurant: Syrco BASÈ in Ubud, Bali.
Professional Role: Chef-Founder.
Michelin Background: Chef Syrco Bakker earned one Michelin Star for Pure C in 2011 and a second in 2018. He trained in leading three-star kitchens, including De Librije, L’Arnsbourg, and Oud Sluis, and worked early in his career under Gordon Ramsay.
Culinary Philosophy: He sources local ingredients and cooks using sustainable practices. His food highlights seasonal ingredients and local traditions.
Global Experience: He led Pure C in the Netherlands before moving to Bali. His work there gained wide international recognition.
Michelin Star Guest Chefs in Bali
Another way to experience Michelin Star Bali Dining is through visiting Michelin-Star Guest Chefs. Many Michelin chefs visit Bali through special events and joint dinners.
Why These Collaborations Matter to Diners
- Access to Michelin Star cooking in Bali.
- Limited dishes and menus created only for that event
- Exposure to new flavours and techniques from Europe and Asia
- Insight into how top chefs adapt to local ingredients.
- Direct interaction with visiting chefs and the Apéritif Restaurant team
Apéritif Restaurant has hosted several visiting chefs including:
Apéritif Restaurant x Chef Guillaume Galliot
Chef Guillaume Galliot leads Caprice in Hong Kong, a restaurant with three Michelin stars.
At Apéritif Restaurant, he worked with Chef Nic Vanderbeeken to combine French methods with Asian ingredients. The menu brought together two different culinary backgrounds.
Apéritif Restaurant x Chef Arnaud Dunand
Chef Arnaud Dunand is known for traditional French cooking at Maison Dunand in Bangkok.
During his collaboration with Apéritif Restaurant, guests tried dishes that reflected a very classic French style. It was also an opportunity to compare how French techniques work within a modern tasting menu.
Apéritif Restaurant x Chef Julien Royer
Chef Julien Royer co-owns Odette in Singapore, one of the region’s most respected three-Michelin-star restaurants. He uses French cooking techniques and Asian flavours in his food.
The joint menu with Chef Nic showed how Indonesian ingredients can be used in a refined, modern style. Guests also enjoyed the direct interaction with both chefs.
