WPBStars Awards: A Culinary Gem Emerges in Bali
For those who recall the Hollywood blockbuster “Eat, Pray, Love,” featuring Julia Roberts, where she dined in Italy, meditated in India, and discovered love in Bali, a paradigm shift may be in order. Given the recent culinary evolution in Bali, Julia might now be tempted to adjust the sequence and choose to indulge in Bali first. The introduction of Apéritif Restaurant & Bar in 2018 only deepens this temptation. This new culinary destination graces the outskirts of Ubud, perched on a cliff that gazes upon the Petanu River below.
It’s a place literally cocooned by rice fields on one side and the lush Valley of Kings jungle vista on the other. Situated adjacent to the family-owned Viceroy Bali hotel, a perennial member of the world’s most luxurious resorts, the same family decided to establish a restaurant and bar that radiates exclusivity and opulence. The resplendence of the establishment, both inside and out, offers a glimpse of the lofty aspirations harbored by the family behind this ambitious project.
The inception of Apéritif sprouted from a conversation between Anthony Syrowatka, the General Manager of Viceroy Bali and a member of the owning family, and Nic Vanderbeeken, the Belgian Chef who once helmed the kitchen at Cascades, another of Viceroy Bali’s prestigious restaurants. Chef Vanderbeeken nurtured a desire to embark on a high-end culinary venture that would free him from the conventional culinary expectations of resort guests. The Syrowatka family saw promise in this dream, and thus, the concept of Apéritif was born.
