Andy Lesmana comes from Jember in East Java. From his early days his dream was to be a chef. More than anything he loves to cook traditional food, and is still exploring new ways to interpret it. His career has taken him around Indonesia and the Middle East, and now he’s back in Lombok, living his dream as Executive Chef at Living Asia Resort and Spa.  

When did you first become interested in food and why?

When I was a child my Grandma had a catering business. There was no one for me to play with so I would help my Grandma and my mother in the kitchen. They taught me how to cook. I remember, when I was 13, I made my own birthday cake. My passion was to be a chef. When I was in college I didn’t know there was a world like this

What is the one dish you especially love and remember?

The dish I still remember, from my mother’s kitchen, is opor ayam, a traditional dish of chicken in coconut milk.  We only eat this on special occasions and the taste is amazing. It’s complex dish to make, with all the different spices, but when you finally get to eat it…. it is so good

How did your family react when you told them you wanted to become a chef?

My family supported my decision, and they are really happy about my choice.

Tell us about your career so far

I started studying for my Diploma in Bali and then, for about five years, continued my training in many different restaurants in Bali  – learning about Asian, Japanese and Chinese food.

After graduating, I went to Jakarta and first worked in a Motel as the chef de partie. Then I spent some time at the W Hotel Doha, in Qatar, and at the Crown Plaza in Abu Dhabi, as chef de partie.

When I returned to Indonesia, I worked at the Sheraton Senggigi as junior sous-chef and was later promoted to sous-chef.

For two years I worked at the W Bali in Seminyak, and then at Chandi and the Living Asia Resort and Spa as the Executive Chef.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

My style is Pan-Asian and I am also a Pastry Chef

Tell us about the concept for your menu at the Living Asia Resort and Spa

We have a Fusion, or Pan-Asian menu, and we also serve Italian and other western food. There’s also a range of Asian hawker street food, which we serve as finger food as part of our pool menu.

What is your favourite dish to cook for the guests?

Probably dendeng ragi. It’s a spicy Javanese dish – sliced beef with a coconut crust. It is easy to make and the taste never varies. It is delicious! The guests really love it.

What is another favourite dish among your guests?

The ayam taliwang is a favourite, because it’s a traditional Lombok dish and the guests enjoy the flavours.

Do you have favourite ingredients you like to cook with?

I really like using Kaffir Lime leaves. They have a unique taste and you can use them in any Indonesian dishes. The leaf is very aromatic, and also very strong – a leaf that’s really hard to destroy when you’re cooking.

What are your favourite kitchen gadgets?

One of my favourites is the rubber spatula. It is my friend! I definitely need the spatula to cook the omelettes in the morning. In fact, I always carry one in my pocket, as it is very useful and can be used anywhere.

Describe a typical day at work

I arrive at work at 7:30 every morning. First I check the occupancy of the hotel and inform my staff, to make sure they don’t over-prepare for breakfast; we don’t want any wastage. My favourite thing to cook for the guests’ breakfast is omelets, so every morning in the kitchen that’s my job. When breakfast is finished, we have a morning briefing with all the kitchen staff. And then we prepare for lunch. Afterwards I take a break, and when I come back I do the paper work. When that’s done, it’s time to prepare for the dinner service. Then my staff orders all the stock, and I check the paperwork.

What is the biggest challenge in your job?

The biggest challenge is to try to make all our guests happy. We cannot succeed with every single one – they might have expectations that are different from ours, and we don’t always meet them. I walk around and try to talk to all the guests and make sure they are happy.

Catering to all the guests’ individual needs is sometimes difficult. We serve vegan dishes and gluten free food, for coeliac diets. The challenge is to fulfil everybody’s requirements.

When at home, what do you like to eat?

At home I like to buy food from the warungs, or I even make instant noodles. In the morning I normally buy nasi kuning in Ampenan. I have noodles for lunch and lalapan for dinner.

What do you like most about Lombok?

The beaches. My favourite beach is Mawun. I love to sit on the sand and enjoy the sea. I also love the food in Lombok. It is unique and always tasty and spicy.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

When I have time off I like to ride my motorcycle around the island, enjoy the views, and eat at different warungs.

If you hadn’t become a chef, what would you be doing right now?

I like to fix things – my bike, or even mobile phones – so it would be something mechanical, I guess. I think I would probably be a motorcycle mechanic.

Other than creating great food, what are the most important qualities that make a successful chef?

Good preparation – that’s the most important thing. A good chef also needs to be well organised, to be able to order the ingredients from the suppliers and prepare everything that’s needed for each dish without wasting anything.

Who is your favourite celebrity chef?

My favourite celebrity chef is Jean–Georges Vongerichten. He’s a 3 Michelin star chef. There aren’t many French chefs who can cook Asian food. He opened my eyes on how to cook Indonesian food on a completely different level.

Any tips for budding chefs?

I would tell them to explore – first to find out about themselves, and where their passion is. Do they like to work with desserts? Or savoury food? And then they will know which path to take

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