TEMPO.CO, Nusa Dua – Although we have received information that the cafe will host guests from foreign embassies on the sidelines G20 Summit, Putu Fabian von Holzen did not suspect that the visiting person was the prime minister of three countries at once. Monday, November 15, 2022, Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Fumio Kishida, British PM Rishi Sunakand Canadian PM Justin Trudeau dine at Bumbu Bali, Fabian’s authentic concept cafe on the island of the gods.
“Initially, the embassy was only informing them that a VVIP guest would be arriving,” Fabian said when met by Tempo at his place of work on Thursday evening, November 17, 2022.
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Last September, representatives from the Japanese Embassy, the British Embassy and the Canadian Embassy came separately to Fabian’s cafe for lunch. Not immediately reserving a seat for VVIPs, each embassy employee first tried different menus that are the mainstay of Bumbu Bali.
Bumbu Bali’s entire menu has a local flavor. For example, mixed rice, sate lilit, chicken pelalah, be sampi mebase and lawar. Three to four times, the representatives of the embassies of these countries then reserve tables for the important guests.
Someone from the Japanese embassy informed a few days before the G20 summit that the important guest was Fumio. However, the other two embassies, namely the United Kingdom and Canada, did not inform Fabian until the day before the dinner that the guests arriving from their countries were Trudeau and Sunak.
Even though Bumbu Bali has been established for 25 years, Fabian is still nervous about getting the place ready for the food that will be enjoyed by state officials. He had to make sure his dish wouldn’t fail.
He also went back and forth to check the room and the table for the Prime Minister’s three dinners. As for Fumio, he dines in a separate room with Trudeau and Sunak. Fumio was on the second floor, while Trudeau and Sunak dined together on the first floor.
Fabian shared how the number one in Japan, Canada and England enjoyed dinner with local menus in a traditional Balinese ambiance. He said Fumio, who came to his cafe at 7:30 p.m. WITA, immediately enjoyed the set menu, which was presented in its entirety from appetizer to dessert.
“There was a request for the Japanese PM, who should have a set menu for two servings, they asked for each serving to be made. So one serving contains half so they can try all the menus,” a- he declared.
Meanwhile, Tredeau and Sunak, who arrived at 8:30 p.m. WITA, ordered chicken sambal matah and satay lilit. The two of them dined casually chatting in a laid-back atmosphere.
“They ate and pronounced ‘thank you very much, you were so good'”, says Fabien. “When they got home they asked for a photo with us (owner and employee) even though we originally wanted to ask for a photo together which wasn’t good.”
Fabian explained that menu prices consumed by heads of state ranged from IDR 65-170,000 per serving. The three prime ministers then left Bumbu Bali after an hour’s presence. “The Japanese prime minister had met with the Canadian and British prime ministers,” he said.
Sunak uploaded the informal state guest reception to his personal Instagram. “I enjoyed sitting down with Prime Minister @justinpdtrudeau earlier today,” Sunak said.
Fabian hopes visits by foreign heads of state to local Balinese restaurants will help restore the local economy. “To say that the impact is actually too fast, but I hope all the restaurants in Nusa Dua will be crowded. Because all the restaurants here are delicious,” he said.
Bumbu Bali was founded by Fabian’s parents who come from Bali and Switzerland. This restaurant serves local menus from the Island of the Gods and other dishes from Indonesia. The interior carries a traditional Balinese theme. Fabian displays statues and paintings by local artists on almost every side. The furniture in the café is mainly made of wood.
Bumbu Bali has been visited by other foreign dignitaries, such as Janet Yallen and Kim Hun Hee, wife of South Korean President Yon Suk Yeol. While receiving officials and heads of state, Fabian did not close his restaurant to the public. “We are always open to repeat customers,” he said.
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