Art of Nusantara: A Culinary Tribute to Indonesia's Coastal Splendour
A 30x25 cm frame is presented on the dining table. From a distance, it depicts a coastal scene with white sand and blue waves lapping at the shore. The anomaly: it is not hung on a wall but served on the table.
Closer inspection reveals it is not a painting by a renowned artist, but a dish crafted by Chef Yohhei Sasaki of Rin Culinary Art Jakarta, who has experience including cooking at Michelin-selected restaurants in Singapore.
“This dish is called Art of Nusantara, inspired during my visit to Lombok where I witnessed the sunset beauty of Lombok Beach. That inspiration was translated into the dish,” said Chef Yohhei Sasaki during an interview at Rin Culinary Art in Jakarta on Tuesday, 26 May.
Beyond its visually unique presentation, Yohhei offers an unconventional dining experience. Instead of the usual cutlery, guests are provided with a small brush and a container of lemon juice.
Before eating, Yohhei invites guests to appreciate the dish’s true beauty. He asks them to dip the brush into the lemon juice and apply it to the blue pea foam sauce, made from butterfly pea flowers, which resembles ocean waves.
“This is made from butterfly pea flowers; when brushed with lemon juice, it changes colour to mimic a sunset,” explained Yohhei.
The dish features prawn ravioli shaped like black coral formations at the shoreline, blue pea foam resembling crashing waves, and a serving of Italian Cacciucco sauce.
Art of Nusantara demonstrates how art can be integrated into a dish, delivering a dining experience that is not only delicious but also artistically profound.
The new fine dining restaurant Rin Culinary Art has officially opened in Jakarta. A culinary art studio blending Michelin-starred techniques, Japanese precision, Italian craftsmanship, and distinctive Indonesian local ingredients into an artistic and intimate dining experience, with every presentation detail curated to international standards.
Rin draws inspiration from Japan’s meaningful aesthetic philosophy. In Japanese, ‘Rin’ can be written with various kanji representing different values, including elegance, dignity, tranquillity, and refined character.
“Rin was built not just to serve exceptional food, but to create emotional connections through a holistic experience. We aim to deliver exclusive and refined fine dining that still feels warm, welcoming, and relevant to a broader audience,” said General Manager Ken Kuwako of Rin Culinary Art.
Located in Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta, Rin’s menu features local seafood, aromatic spices, seasonal vegetables, and all main ingredients sourced from Indonesia—such as banana heart, sweet potato, breadfruit, lemongrass, and kluwek—curated in meticulous detail to create elegant, expressive dishes that leave an emotional impact.
Amid Indonesia’s growing prominence in the global culinary scene, Rin Culinary Art aims to elevate Indonesian local ingredients onto the world gastronomic stage. The restaurant aspires to set a new benchmark for contemporary dining in Jakarta by merging global culinary craftsmanship with Indonesian soul in an authentic experience.