Chef and co-owner of FED

I am very grateful to be surrounded by my young, talented local team, with the opportunity to mentor and motivate them to grow together as a collective.
Tell us your story – how did you get here?
FED was first started in 2019 in Melbourne, Australia, as a fun side project, doing private dinners for birthdays or small house gatherings. Fast forward to when we moved back to Bali in 2020, I was working at Baked as a head chef. It was my first time working in a leading role, and I was lucky enough to be mentored by Gustav Groenendijk (CEO of Baked Indonesia). I learned a lot about the management side of the business, and not just the cooking. I met a lot of people in the industry and made a few connections from working at one of the busiest cafes and bakeries in Bali. I realised that having a successful business, it is really important to be surrounded by the community, so I applied that to FED, where we created a small community of young and like minded people.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Probably starting an independent small business at quite a young age with a lack of experience. I was lucky enough to be able to open FED as a restaurant in Seminyak, in the area where my partners (Nikolas and Purwa) and I grew up. I am very grateful to be surrounded by my young, talented local team, with the opportunity to mentor and motivate them to grow together as a collective.
What impact have you made in Bali?
FED was created by the community, for the community. Hopefully we can influence and motivate other young local talents to do whatever they’re good at.
What does the future look like for you?
It’s looking pretty great! We are launching our merchandise collection very soon, and hopefully next year we’ll be travelling to other parts of Asia and Australia (Singapore, Japan, Melbourne and Sydney) to do restaurant takeovers and collaborations. This year we already hosted a restaurant takeover in Melbourne in May, and the response was quite unexpected. One of the events sold out in just two days after we released tickets.
What do you love most about Bali?
The diversity the island has to offer, the culture and traditions. I’m very lucky to call this island home.
What's the best meal you've ever eaten, and why?
The best meal I’ve eaten was at La Pinta and Manze when I visited Melbourne a few months ago. They’re showing what real cooking is like without putting too much effort into the dishes.
Who is your Local Legend and why?
My local legend is my father, Wayan Sumarta. He gave me freedom to decide the direction of my life and where I wanted to take it.