Four Seasons Resort Bali launches cooking academy

The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay opened the Jimbaran Bay Cooking Academy this month, becoming the only resort on the island with a stand-alone cooking school.

"Four Seasons is the only resort on the island to feature its own stand-alone cooking school,” said Four Seasons executive chef Greg Bunt.

“We wanted to go beyond offering casual lessons in the kitchen to providing a full professional-quality training facility. Our classes are designed for novice and experienced cooks alike – creating a focused learning environment for a maximum of 10 students per session," he added.

Housed within its own building, the Jimbaran Bay Cooking Academy has a stone-paved courtyard and herb garden at its entrance. Large glass doors lead into the air-conditioned kitchen, equipped with state-of-the-art appliances and a large, kidney-shaped, black granite preparation unit with induction hot plates.

Students can sample their creations at the communal dining table or outdoors in the shaded courtyard.

Blunt explained: "We sourced the recipes from our team of Four Seasons chefs who come from various regions across Indonesia, including Bali, Sulawesi and Sumatra. Many of the recipes are based on old family traditions. Now our students can take home these authentic dishes and share them around the world."

Leading the classes is chef Anak Agung Kristya Yudha, a Balinese native who has been working for Four Seasons for more than 20 years.

In each half-day session, students learn to prepare a full five-course meal according to traditional menus representing Bali, Java, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi and Sumatra. Highlight dishes include: Sate rembiga (traditional beef satay skewer with spicy sauce) from the Nusa Tenggara region; Bebek betutu(roasted duck with wrapped in banana leaf) from Bali; and a dessert of Es doger (young coconut, tapioca pearls and cassava with sweet milk) from Java.

As part of the day, students can visit the Jimbaran Fish Market, and can also pick indigenous ingredients from the academy’s herb and spice garden, growing Thai lemon basil, tamarind, pandan leaf, ginger and garlic. Once a week, the school offers a kids’ pastry class, focusing on Indonesian desserts.

After an optional market tour at 8:00am, students gather in the kitchen at 9:30am to create an authentic Indonesian meal. There are six regional menus (including two different Bali menus), rotating on a daily basis, seven days per week. Classes are taught in English only and are open to a maximum of ten participants. Non-resort guests are welcome to attend with advance reservation.

“Our aim with the Jimbaran Bay Cooking Academy is to enhance people’s cultural appreciation of Bali and Indonesia, and food is always a great way to create a deep personal connection,” said Blunt.

All graduates receive an official certificate of achievement, as well as copies of the recipes in a hand-drawn booklet.