BRCA March Newsletter

March 2025

A big hospitable BRCA welcome to all reading these words!

This newsletter is hot of the press and is for your reading pleasure!

With February a washout due to a cyclone off our shores, February’s lunch was postponed to March.

Wednesday the 12th saw the BRCA travel to Jimbaran. The boards plan, hold these luncheons in as many different locations as possible, in short, we want to share the love! Not only is it a splendid idea to travel to different parts of Bali (sometimes in our busy lives we forget how truly beautiful Bali is), but we also want to provide as many opportunities as possible for members and those thinking of becoming members to join a lunch.

The lunches are important as they create great PR (and support) for the restaurant hosting, as well as providing a platform for us all to come together to discuss our needs, ideas & even frustrations. Topics covered by our passionate and inspiring guest speakers vary from artisan local foods to marketing and sustainability, there is a wealth of knowledge being shared for those that want to listen and learn.

Plus, simply turning up to the lunches is a great way to support the BRCA. And if you can’t attend, we love to you to send someone in your stead. Anyone in your company that you think would benefit from spending time with a group of likeminded hospitality professionals and friends.

Here is a bit of a catch up for those of you that couldn’t make it, and a moment to relive our March lunch for those that did!

THE VENUE

We came together from near and far to enjoy this lunch in Jimbaran. The venue is wonderful, located on the 8th floor, Adriana is a roof top restaurant & bar with sweeping views of Jimbaran Bay on one side, and surprisingly, plentiful robust greenery on the other. The dining room is bright with the colours of summer. The service is professional, engaging & memorable. The cuisine Mexican in its roots, was fresh, colourful and delicious. Ibu Ana Dewi, the Director of Food & Beverage, Chef Gerardo Milan (a proud Mexican and passionate chef) and their teams went all out showcasing their unique venue and their take on a world-famous cuisine.

“Adriana Cocina & Bar is a celebration of Mexican heritage and culinary creativity,” said Chef Gerardo. “I am honoured to lead this talented team and excited to bring my passion for Mexican cuisine to life in Bali, incorporating the freshest local ingredients and presenting dishes that tell a story.”

Thank you to all of you, it was a terrific day. Viva la Mexico!

BRCA PARTNERS & SPONSORS

Whilst the Bintang beer and Hatten wine flowed freely on this hot hot day, we spared a thought for our friends at Balian who were recently struck by tragedy. A fire in their bottling plant has seen the factory forced to close for an undisclosed amount of time. To the Balian team and community, we wish you a speedy recovery and hope to be using your sustainable product in our restaurants again very soon

To the rest of our sponsors, you have our gratitude as always, we as hospitality professionals respect and admire the gold standard of hospitality you show towards the BRCA and to Bali’s restaurant community in general.

THANK YOU from the entire BRCA board for understanding the value of community. And of course, your sponsorship makes our monthly lunches shine.

OUR SPEAKERS

Rex Sumner

The first Speaker was Rex Sumner, Chairman of the Royal Spice Gardens. It was a real pleasure to hear Rex talk. Rex could have engaged us with any number of topics, he is a fascinating man with many tales to tell, however at this luncheon the topic discussed was vanilla. Rex has a deep understanding of Indonesia, his passion only outshone by his desire to better the lives of farmers and communities.

Rex shared some mindboggling facts, like, 60% of the world’s vanilla goes into cola drinks! Or if you are looking for the ultimate seasoning for all types of foods, try vanilla butter! And then there was something about beavers and artificial vanilla which I can’t go into here, suffice to say, buy the real deal!

After an engaging talk Rex introduced us to his Chef Samantha Travis, a hospitality professional with a unique take on cuisine. Chef Samantha bought with her 5 different grades of vanilla beans and proceeded to show us the difference in the grades and how to find the best. Interesting and educational.

Rex and Chef Samantha are in the throes of opening a restaurant, their objective, to have their guests experience the wonders of vanilla in ways never thought possible. Forget sweets, it is the savory applications that they are so excited to share.

To summarise, Rex talked about how to recognise good quality Balinese vanilla, the problems of farmers and how we consumers can help. We do need more farm to table in Bali, and less imported foods.

Please visit www.royalspicegardens.com here you will find an intriguing 7-minute video in which Rex introduces his audience to Indonesian vanilla. Please also read the few paragraphs under “Where We Begin”, its humbling and eye opening, the connection between farmers and the preservation of culture is something everyone should be aware of.

Teh Khai Sin

Changing gears, the second speaker(s) of the day was the team from ESB Business Consultants lead by Pak Khai and supported by his knowledgeable team. ESB is transforming the F&B industry through technology that can help your operation processes and maximize the true potential of your business with AI. ESB enables F&B businesses to operate with greater efficiency, scalability, and profitability. As a leading end-to-end solution, ESB integrates Point Of Sales (POS), ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning), kitchen operations, and customer engagement into one seamless system powered with AI.

One key takeaway? The power of automation in hospitality. Imagine real-time stock tracking that prevents overordering, or a seamless POS system that syncs across multiple locations—these aren’t just tech upgrades, they’re game-changers for growth. Even further, with ESB you can prevent fraud on your business.

To support BRCA members, ESB is offering you solutions—ensuring you have the best tools to grow and thrive in today’s competitive F&B landscape. For more details and get your special offer, please contact to ESB Business Consultant in Bali (Lidya – +6282145095589).

Whilst ESB are the pioneers of integrated software, they are also community focussed. ESB are a BRCA sponsor and as such play an important role in the growth of the association and our ability to support Bali’s restaurants & cafes.

Thats a wrap for another month

This BRCA March luncheon was a wonderful gathering, and once more we are reminded of a truth; for Bali to become a worldwide dining destination we must support, encourage and nurture our local farmers, producers and suppliers. Buying local is an effective road to sustainability and takes very little effort on our part. And as we now know if we all have a focus on local product, the effects will run deeper than what’s on our menus, our actions could help to preserve a fragile culture and stabilise communities.

From all of us here at the BRCA board HQ, thank you to all who contributed to making our
March lunch a remarkable occasion!

As hospitality professionals we admire and praise innovators in our industry, so when someone digs deep and brings their vison to life, they automatically gain our support (or they should). Mauro Bellodi has a vision, and what a splendid vision it is! Mauro is dreaming big and believes his festival will grow with each passing year (we do to). The BRCA is proud to support this initiative, as this festival in its uniqueness is shining a bright light on innovative restaurants, chefs and producers, and is encouraging growth and creativity within Bali’s bustling food scene. Fire, barbeque smoke, drinks, music and sand, there is something about getting back to basics that has an irresistible pull. Still in its infancy (this is only the festivals second year), we can expect many twists and turns as this barbecue & music festival gathers momentum & morphs into a truly glorious event.

This year the BRCA is collaborating with the Bali Meat Park 2025 Festival & NOW! Bali in what is set to be a memorable weekend for all in attendance. The festival will be held on Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th of July and runs from 3-11pm each day. TICKETS are on sale now at early bird prices, so get them while you can!

The BRCA has eleven members participating. There are fifty tents/ stall holders in total. The BRCA members that you should look out for at the event are:

Becoming a BRCA member is meaningful, and we would like the public to know the commitment our members have made to Bali. We will be in touch regarding BRCA branding, we’d like to ensure you are all highly visible. We also suggest you take the initiative to promote your own venue during the festival.

For further information on this event and to purchase your tickets visit https://balimeatpark.com/

Some photos of Bail Meat Park 2024

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the BRCA.

*Click images for more information.

The more restaurants and cafes that sign up the louder our collective voices become. Kindly share this newsletter with your industry colleagues, we have something to shout about and need your assistance to ensure we are heard. Our industry, working together to promote Bali as a world-class culinary destination is how we send positive messages to the worlds media.

The BRCA board also asks that you share this email with any suppliers or businesses you think have an interest in a food forward Bali. Whilst BRCA members must be a restaurant or café, there are opportunities for sponsorship for other businesses. For more details on how to become a sponsor please contact Efflin at secretary@balirca.id

Here again is just some of the benefits available the BRCA members. Kindly note, new membership fees are worked out prorate, March being the beginning of the new year. The benefits will also be worked out prorate, i.e. a 6-month membership will come with two free lunches.

1. 4 FREE BRCA Luncheons.
2. further FREE BRCA luncheons when bringing 1 new member.
3. 40% off membership fee for 2nd and subsequent outlets.
4. 15% discount on selected BRCA members’ restaurants.
5. Access to BRCA’s online portal with our directory of partners and suppliers and any discount or special offers available.
6. Listing on BRCA Website.
7. Minimum 3 posts on social media & multiple Instagram stories.
8. Monthly networking opportunity through BRCA luncheons.
9. Networking with members and partners through our WhatsApp group.

We look forward to seeing everyone at this event for some great food, fantastic company and our monthly dose of inspiration.

And don’t forget to bring you industry, mates – let’s eat, listen, learn and move forward together, creating a world-class culinary destination.

*More information regarding this luncheon will follow

The BRCA is serious about working together to promote Bali as a world-class culinary destination. Our Member’s Portal is a key tool to achieving this goal as it is here that we share additional knowledge and pass on new, practical ideas to your food businesses. We gather what we have learned into this portal https://balirca.id/login/ so that you can access 24/7 support.

If any members cannot gain access, please contact Efflin and she will assist.

“The ingredients & cuisines of Bali and Indonesia deserve worldwide recognition; Indonesia should be on every foodie’s bucket list.” If these sentiments ring true with you, then we’d love to have you join our board! Expressions of interest can be shared with any of the below BRCA team.

Founders
Dean Keddell – Ginger Moon Restaurants & Author of Our Bali Your Bali – Bali Kita Bali Kamu
Chris Salans – Mozaic
Anthony Syrowatka – Viceroy Hotel, Aperitif, Blossom + others & Gaia Digital Marketing Agency

Board
Kertawidyawati (Widya) – BRCA President
Weni Ariasty – Manager NOW! Bali & the BRCA treasurer
Ana Dewi – Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali – HACCP
Maria Efflin – Administrator at the BRCA
Raphaël Maingot – Sustainability
Jeroen Van Overbeek – Social Impakt, Bali Coop & BRCA Vice President
Min Siah – Wheatfields Bakery, Starter Lab – Advisor
Heru Dwi Soesilo – 2080 Burger & an events, branding & marketing guru
Cynthia Louise Tait – Jhoi Local Eats & championing wellness in the workplace for the BRCA

Terima kasih telah membaca dan kami menantikan anda semua di makan siang BRCA bulan April.

With culinary regards

Dean Keddell on behalf of the
BRCA Founders & Board

For more information and details on how to join please go to:
Email: secretary@balirca.co.id or info@balirca.com
Website: https://www.balirca.id/