Top 40 Winners of Bali’s Best Eats Award

The Crowning Top 40 Winners of Bali’s Best Eats Award and Guide 2018

Bali, 29 November 2018 – FoodieS Magazine and Aqua Reflections proudly announced the Top 40 winners of the inaugural Bali’s Best Eats Awards at the Awards Gala on 29 November 2018 at Ayana Resort & Spa, Jimbaran, Bali

Recognizing the large manifestation of quality restaurants in Bali and the rise of a foodie-driven culture in locals and tourists alike, FoodieS Magazine together with the leading mineral water in the country, AQUA Reflections, expands the Best Eats concept and launched the first reputable search for world-class dining venues on the Island of Gods, Bali.

Bali’s Best Eats Awards and Guide will provide an expert eye to inform local and international diners and travelers alike about the creative talents behind Bali’s lucrative culinary industry and inspire chefs and restaurateurs to continuously develop world-class dining experiences.

Encouraging A World-Class Dining Scene

Prominent international awards have taken on nearby cities like Bangkok, Seoul, and Singapore, giving chefs there a chance to bask in the international spotlight. It’s time for the hard working and aspiring local chefs in Bali to receive similar recognition.

Jed Doble, the Publisher of FoodieS Magazine said, “We wanted to create an award system not only as a guide for diners to choose the best dining venues in Bali but also to show visitors to Bali all the great work that chefs on the island have been doing and what truly sets one restaurant apart from another. Bali’s Best Eats Awards will encourage culinary creativity and excellence, drive the local scene to even greater heights and help ensure that every night is fully booked at the restaurants.”

Manifestation of “Reflections of You” in Culinary Industry 

Reflections of You, a campaign by AQUA Reflections that continuously appreciates Indonesian inspirational figures who dedicate themselves in lifestyle, art, fashion, as well as culinary industry. Working together with FoodieS Magazine allows AQUA Reflections to give appreciation to culinary industry talents who are constantly progressing the industry by raising the quality of their offerings, actively stepping up industry standards, and being able to compete by international standards.

“We are taking a tangible step to show our commitment as AQUA Reflections in contributing to lift–up the standard in quality for Indonesia’s culinary industry through Bali’s Best Eats. In addition, we hope that Bali’s Best Eats will trigger more local culinary talents to keep on progressing and innovating to achieve excellence in the Bali culinary industry”, said Flora Tobing, AQUA Reflections Brand Manager.

Bali’s Best Eats Judging

Bali’s Best Eats has assembled a panel of reputable industry experts from diverse backgrounds and specialties, to ensure a credible, honest and ethical judging process. The judging panel included:

• Yuda Bustara – Celebrity Chef
• Janet de Neefe – Founder, Ubud Food Festival
• Sandra Djohan – Chef & Hotelier
• Jed Doble – Publisher, FoodieS Magazine
• Guillaume Epinette – Sommelier & Hotelier
• Pierre Lang – Gourmand and member Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Baillage Bali
• Rinrin Marinka - Celebrity Chef
• Corine Tap – President Director PT. Tirta Investama (Danone AQUA)
• Simon Ward – Founder, Bali Food Safari

Restaurants were segmented and competed in one of three categories: Fine Dining - venues making an illustrious effort in the pursuit of perfection in taste, presentation, creativity, service and table arrangement. Upscale Dining - venues going the extra mile to provide foodies with a smart, conceptual dining in an inviting ambience. Casual Dining - venues that rose above many other establishments, offering relaxed, lively and straightforward food and beverage experiences.

The establishments were judged on the following criteria:

• 50% - Cuisine, based on taste, creativity and execution
• 20% - Quality of service
• 20% - Drinks menu or wine list
• 10% - Interior design or character

Each judge can only vote for a restaurant if they had eaten at the restaurant in the last 12 months. All past visits to the restaurants were made without identifying themselves as part of the jury. Further, the award organizers, sponsors, short- listed restaurants and jury members kept the restaurant selection and deliberation process confidential before the awards night.

They also certified that they had not been offered nor had they received any incentives as part of the judging process.

List of Winners:

Restaurant of the Year
LOCAVORE

Chef of the Year
WAYAN KRESNA YASA, EXECUTIVE CHEF OF KAUM

Bar of the Year – Presented by Johnnie Walker
FRESTRO

Fine Dining

Venues making an illustrious effort in their pursuit of perfection in taste, presentation, creativity, service and table arrangement.

1. Blanco par Mandif
2. CasCades
3. CUCA
4. Kayuputi
5. Kubu
6. Locavore
7. Metis
8. Mozaic
9. Salon Bali
10. Teatro Gastroteque

Upscale Dining

Venues going the extra mile to provide Jakarta’s foodies with the best in smart dining, regardless of size.

1. Above Eleven
2. Barbacoa
3. Bikini
4. DaMaria
5. Dava
6. Hujan Locale
7. Indigo
8. Ji Terrace
9. Kaum
10. Kayu Bakar
11. Kilo Kitchen
12. MamaSan
13. Manarai Beach House
14. Merah Puti
15. Nusantara
16. Sake No Hana
17. Sangsaka
18. The Sayan House

Casual Dining

Venues that rose above many other establishments, offering relaxed, livelier and straightforward food-and-beverage experiences.

1. Biku
2. BO$$ MAN
3. Full Circle
4. Ginger Moon
5. Mason
6. Sisterfields
7. Soul on the Beach
8. Tropicola
9. Ulekan
10. Watercress



About FoodieS Magazine

FoodieS is the premier English-language magazine covering food and beverage in Jakarta, Bali, the rest of Indonesia and beyond, with each edition focused on the day-to-day search for delicious, interesting or new restaurants, showcasing appliances and equipment for the home cook, looking at spirits, and cocktails, profiling chefs and offering coverage of international foodie destinations, and sharing easy-to-do recipes for budding Bourdains.

Offering a print readership of 30,000, FoodieS also racks up more than 60,000 digital impressions each month through its online channels.

About AQUA

AQUA, a pioneer of packaged drinking water, was established in 1973. As a manifestation of its vision and commitment to responsible management in social and environmental operations, AQUA is developing the AQUA Lestari initiative, comprising four pillars: water resource protection, CO2 reduction, packaging optimization and plastic waste collection as well as community development and improvement. AQUA is part of the DANONE, one of the world's largest producers of food and beverage products. In Indonesia, DANONE's business units cover three main categories: beverages (packaged drinking water, non-carbonated soft drinks and tea RTD), nutrition for early life (Nutricia and Sarihusada), as well as medical nutrition. Danone-AQUA is the first FMCG in Indonesia that is BCorp certified. BCorp is a highest standard on social and environment performance. Sustainability Report of the company can be accessed through www.aqua.co.id. . Please send feedback as well as customer comments to AQUA Menyapa 08001588888 (toll free) Facebook SehatAQUA and aqua.co.id

About AQUA Reflections

AQUA presents all the benefits of natural goodness in AQUA Reflections, packed in premium glass bottles with exquisite design that reflects a drive for healthy lifestyles amid the dynamics of modern premium life. AQUA's premium product is packaged in an elegant, 380ml & 750ml glass bottles created by the hands of talented Indonesian designers / artists,

AQUA Reflections is a reflection of the modern, dynamic person who continually moves forward in a life balanced by a healthy body. AQUA Reflections comprises AQUA Reflections Still and AQUA Reflections Sparkling.