As the old-age adage goes, “two heads are better than one.” There is no clearer example of this than the partnership and friendship of Chef Ray Adriansyah and Chef Eelke Plasmeijer.

Chef Ray Adriansyah and Chef Eelke Plasmeijer behind the scenes at Locavore. Photo by Restaurant Locavore, www.facebook.com/RestaurantLocavore

The duo met in Jakarta where they both worked at a fine dining restaurant. At that time, Ray had just moved back to Indonesia after spending 10 years in New Zealand where he graduated from culinary school. He then applied for a job at the restaurant where Eelke was the head chef. The two instantly made a connection and eventually put up Locavore. They refer to each other in the kitchen as friends who cook together. They just enjoy each other’s company and maintain to have fun in the kitchen. Interestingly enough, both are married to Indonesian women and their children are born just a month apart.

Photo by Restaurant Locavore, www.facebook.com/RestaurantLocavore

Opening its doors in 2013, Locavore in Bali set out to create a unique and personalised dining experience. They are known for locally sourcing their ingredients and their commitment to sustainability in the dining scene of Indonesia. In fact, 95 per cent of the ingredients they use are Indonesian. They even have their own garden where they source seasonal vegetables and herbs. All the edible waste in the kitchen are either fed to the pigs on their farm or composted for their vegetable garden. They are also dedicated to efficient use of energy; they use solar panels to reduce their grid consumption to at least 50 per cent.

Photo by Restaurant Locavore, www.facebook.com/RestaurantLocavore

Though people consider their establishment a fine dining restaurant, they try to maintain a casual vibe. There is no dress code as they understand that they cater to a lot of tourists. “You can enter in shorts and a t-shirt, and you’ll get the same service as everyone else,” says Eelke. The establishment exemplifies their very grounded nature and commitment to customer service. They make sure that either one or both of them are at the restaurant to be hands-on in the kitchen and talk to the guests on their preferences and get their feedback.

When they were asked what their last meal on earth would be, they both agreed that it would be some home-cooked comfort food from Indonesia, which is basically the same emotion they convey in every dish they serve – personal and made local.