Karma Kandara’s Executive Chef, Joseph Antonishek is extremely excited to be bringing his international experience to the menus at DiMare and Karma Beach Club. Chef Joseph’s dedication to local ingredients and traditional Balinese cooking delivers hotel and restaurant guests extraordinary culinary experiences. Joseph has revamped the resort’s dining offerings, drawing upon their culinary influences to create bold flavours highlighted by the best in local produce.
With a career behind the stoves at some of LA’s hottest hotel restaurants including at the Mondrian Hotel and Raffles L’Ermitage, Joseph has found his calling in Bali, and Karma Kandara in particular.
“I draw inspiration first and foremost from my team,” said Chef Joseph. “I work with an amazing group who are always teaching me about local ingredients, traditions and obscure dishes most people wouldn’t be aware of when traveling to Bali. I also find inspiration in travel, not only on the local street food level, but also throughout Asia. I find that most Asian cuisines are based on either seeds, roots or leaves and the cuisine of Indonesia is a complex balance of all three. I just love creating dishes that stay true to their Indonesian roots.”
A large part of that love is founded in the resort’s superb dining culture, both at the signature restaurant diMare and the Karma Beach Club. Joseph has created food experiences that raise the bar even higher and have guests returning time and again to try something fresh, new and exciting.
Guests enjoying the relaxed atmosphere at Karma Beach Club, the private beach at the bottom of the imposing cliffs at Karma Kandara, enjoy simple, light and fresh Mediterranean-style fare such as Grilled Octopus & Potato Salad; Salt Baked Whole Snapper to share; Wood Fired Oven Pizzas and Rolled Baklava with Coconut Gelato.
Karma Kandara’s magnificent DiMare restaurant delivers a European-Asian style, heavily influenced by local ingredients. Guests can feast on the incredible views as well as dishes such as Fermented Java Green Tea Salad; Roasted Duck Breast with Ubi Gratin and Dragonfruit Gastrique; Rack of Lamb with Ghee Carrot Puree, Petai and Fermented Black Garlic Jus; and Strawberries & Cream: compressed Bedugul Strawberries, Kemangi Ice Cream, Coconut Mousse with Strawberry Firecracker Sorbet.
Chef Joseph includes the usual suspects that that guests might expect whilst holidaying in Indonesia, such as nasi gorengand urab, but what sets these dishes apart is the unusual preparation his team has devised using local ingredients. Cukais a handmade vinegar prepared by the family of one of Karma’s cooks and is used in making Scallop Ceviche with Torch Ginger Flower and Pomelo. Petai, also known as ‘stinky bean” is braised for hours in extra virgin olive oil with red bumbuand citrus before being served with grilled octopus. Almond, anise flavouredKluwakis used as the base for Rawan– a famous Javanese soup and occasionally as an ice cream flavour. All of diMare’s ice cream is made from scratch in house.
At both Karma Beach and diMare, the Bar Manager/ Mixologist works closely with Chef Joseph in to inspire each other with ingredients and techniques for matching the flavours of drinks and food. Once a month the team expresses their creativity through either cuisine & wine or cuisine & cocktail dinners, pairing flavours expertly to create gastronomic experiences to savour and remember.
