Bali has earned its reputation for being one of the worlds top ten destinations for spa through its varied opulent and traditional spas, but it also stays ahead of the competition by advancing the entire concept of spa therapy.
Most recently there has been an upswing in the area of providing great health and nutrition in spa menus that while not needing to be served on a massage table support and assist in the growing benefits of adopting a health conscious life style.
Across the island you will find chefs who have developed their own unique style of spa cuisine. With its emphasis on healthful ingredients, of freshness and local produced goods Bali again is in the best position to shine.
Organic farms expanding across the temperate area of Bedugul, glorious local organic virgin cold pressed coconut oils, sea salts from Karangasem, the delicious local produce of nuts, tempeh and soy bean cake and the abundance of fresh seafood allow creative chefs to make the most of what nature has to offer. By using modern preparation methods, including raw food preparation, chefs in Bali are making magnificent menus of truly delicious food.
At the Bale in Nusa Dua chef Brandon drew on many personal culinary experiences to create a menu he felt would satisfy a nutritional need as well as one that would not just appeal to the palate but tantalize it as well.
Adapting recipes to suit the freshest of local produce and drawing on his adaptive skills as an alchemical chef he is now happy with the ability of both his staff and the quality of the produce to launch his new menu.
Brandon brings together a compliment of raw and cooked foods utilizing vegetables, seafood, chicken and grains to give guests an opportunity to try something new within the parameters of the familiar.
For example the Rice Paper Ravioli that is served with a pumpkin and saffron broth has a texture that is instantly palatable with a heady mixture of flavors that stimulate the taste buds with a mix of curiosity and delight.
Using young coconut to great effect as noodles in a Pad Thai and layering thin slices of zucchini to mimic the pasta in lasagna are just two of the surprisingly versatile vegetable substitutes and the addition of hearts of palm into a traditional ceviche adds an exotic twist.
In Ubud at the Como Shambala Estate creates the menus that serve raw, live food, Indonesian food and European cuisine Chris has ventured to define a style of cuisine that compliments the essence of the Como Shambala Wellness Retreat.
The menu has grown from a desire, not only to provide the Estate’s guests with what they are seeking, but to also maintain an integral sustainability within the entire environment. For Chris it is about growing, giving back, understanding the climate, sourcing on mountainsides and harvesting organically. The raw lasagne is so heavenly you will be checking again and again to see that it is really not cooked..
Over on the East Coast at the Alila Manggis chef Penny prepares fresh spa cuisine with a local twist for her it is not simply the creation of a delicious meal that is important. She says it is important to understand that to be content in one’s self it is essential to fuel the body with the correct substances. Combining this holistic approach with the best of locally produced ingredients, some of which are grown in the resort’s kitchen gardens, Penny serves simple, unadulterated dishes that will celebrate the ingredients’ curative value and offer a healthy, internally satisfying experience.
Her romantic five course spa dinners can be served in a private bale of flowing curtains and candle light set by the ocean to embrace the entire essence of love, life and happiness.
Spa cuisine isn’t limited to spas either, at Zula on Jalan Dyna Pura you can find owner Liat Solomon. Liat is a shining example of someone who not only lives by her beliefs but also actively seeks to share them with others. Vibrantly she enthuses about the choice she has made in her life to eat a balanced macrobiotic diet and to bring Zula and Earth Café to Bali where she has created a vibrant and zesty menu using the very best of fresh, natural pesticide free ingredients along with especially cultivated brown rice. Through developing close relationships with the Balinese farmers who she finds have an affinity for growing organic and chemical free crops, she is now able to purchase a high quality brown rice. Cooked brown rice, she explains, is the closest in balanced nutrition one can get to mothers milk and it is a vital part of a balanced diet. Managing the balance between ying and yang is the bodies’ constant aim, after salty we desire sweet, after hot, cold. It demystifies why sweet desserts are so tempting after a savoury meal, and why ice cream is so delicious on a warm chocolate brownie!
At Desa Seni in Batu Belig, the food comes almost straight from the garden. Exquisite spa salads with exotic pomelo, lentil filled lumpia, grilled vegetable pizzas and amazing juices like papaya and cinnamon are all made on site and provide guests with a gorgeous garden of gourmet delights right there on the plate. Many guests enjoy not just post spa dining but visit to take advantage of the large pool and easy atmosphere that creates a totally living spa.
At the north end of the island the Puri Ganehsa Resort in Pemuteran welcomes healthy eaters with open arms, literally, Diane Von Cranach is a shining example of friendly fun health and vitality. Foods from her kitchen are creative and illustrate the natural affinity Diane has with food, from sophisticated flavours for adults to a great kids menu, they even go as far as to make organic baby foods, the menus at Puri Ganesha serve global flavours all made from local ingredients.
Spa Cuisine on Bali has allowed many chefs to move fully into their element, providing joy through the creation and combination of textures , preparation, presentation and flavours ultimately giving immense satisfaction to their guests.
Bon appetit…..
Chef Penelope William – Alila Manggis
Chef Brandon – Faces Restaurant
Living Food – Puri Ganesha Resort
Chef Chris Miller – Como Shambala
Liat Solomon – Zula on Jalan Dhyana Pura
Fruit Platter – Desa Seni