A collaboration between two chefs, Dutch-born Eelke Plasmeijer and Indonesian-born Ray Adriansyah, Locavore sources vegetables for its plant-rich European-Indonesian menus from its own gardens as well as other local farms on Bali. The incredible, edible biodiversity of Bali is inspiration for the restaurant’s “Herbivore” vegan tasting menu. Inclusion in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants has helped to spread the word about Locavore’s alluring plant-forward flavors.

As the catalysts between local producers and discriminating diners, Ray and Eelke’s ingredient-driven menu celebrates the farmers, fishers, and food artisans of Indonesia. Over 95 percent of the kitchen’s ingredients are Indonesian. Locavore’s own garden provides some seasonal vegetables and herbs, further reducing the huge carbon footprint of imported foods. The kitchen uses Kintamani coffee, hand-crafted sea salt from north Bali, spices from the mountains, and fresh seafood from Eastern Indonesia. The chefs honor the animals they use with creative dishes in which very little is wasted.

Their approach
Locavore’s philosophy is a modern cuisine that uses as much locally, sustainable, wild foraged, and organically grown produce from around the Indonesian archipelago. We decided to offer a vegetable tasting menu in the first place because Indonesia has an abundance of indigenous plants, vegetables, wild flowers, and herbs, spices, legumes, nuts, etc. As a cook sometimes cooking vegetables is more interesting and more challenging than to cook a piece of meat. Plant foods have different textures, flavors, and colors, which challenge the creativity and skill of the chef to turn the plant into a gastronomic experience.: What three plant-based foods could you not be without in your kitchen?
1. Andaliman peppers from North Sumatra 2. Ginger torch flowers 3. Kaffir lime fruit