Michelin Stars shining at Pullman Jakarta

The term ‘Michelin Star’ is a hallmark of fine dining quality. They are often described as the Oscars of the food world. The French-originating star system comes from the Michelin 'Red Guide' which has been published for more than one hundred years.

It remains the key yardstick by which all Western restaurants and their chefs are judged. Chez TJ restaurant is one of the few elite restaurants in the United States that has been Michelin star-rated and even more impressively has been so for the past consecutive eight years.

Now its young and dynamic head chef, Jarad Gallagher, is coming to visit Jakarta to cook in the unique open kitchens of Sana Sini Restaurant at Pullman Jakarta Indonesia. Jarad, a Seattle native, began cooking at the age of five alongside his chef father. As a Sous-Chef at nineteen and Executive Chef at twenty-one, Gallagher refined his natural skills at cooking at a young age. He has a strong passion for French cooking and took intensive training classes at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and London.

This led to Jarad obtaining work at the acclaimed Bras Restaurant in Laguiole, France. He then went on to work at Michelin starred restaurants Michael Mina, One Market and Plumed Horse before moving to his current home Chez Tj in San Francisco, California.

California is a food haven with a wealth of fresh products on offer but Jarad Gallagher says he is looking forward to exploring Jakarta’s spice markets because “They are recognized as some of the best in the world”.

He is arriving in Indonesia early in order to discover Jakarta and source local fresh ingredients from markets and farmers to use in his special menu for guests and the Sana Sini Restaurant. His basic culinary style is French but his techniques are influenced by what he describes as the “Northern California style” that “focuses on local, seasonal and when possible more emphasis on vegetables,” explains Gallagher.

He is creating a three to six course lunch and dinner menu for Jakarta diners from the 17th to the 22nd of June at Pullman Jakarta Indonesia’s Sana Sini Restaurant.

When asked what diners can look forward to, Jarad says, “This is my first visit so I have no preconceived notions of how or what foods should be cooked.” He says this open minded approach will allow him “To transform foods in unconventional ways and offer a dining experience that is unique and adventurous.”

Jarad is adventurous in spirit and is an avid motorcyclist, duck hunter and horseback rider. He says he plans on “Talking to as many chefs as he can find and eating everything” while in Jakarta.

He has a strong belief that food is one of the greatest expressions of human culture and hopes to capture some ‘texture’ of Indonesian food in his fine dining menus.

The delights outlined in his blue print menu include for lunch: sashimi of yellowtail with seaweed lemon and radish, followed by puffed beef tendon served with asparagus and pickled quail egg and charred onion or a rack of lamb with chicory crust, homemade yogurt with mint, honey and brittle. For dessert is passionfruit soufflé served with milk chocolate, basil and soil.

For dinner there is the addition of Sweet corn ‘Pot of Earth’ with shrimp, mozzarella and chili as well as Spanish octopus served with forbidden rice with candied fennel and cilantro.

Jarad will also feature at the famous Sunday Brunch at Sana Sini Restaurant. Guests will be treated to Champagne on arrival and then three courses from the visiting award winning chef.

On the menu is Crispy duck leg confit with truffle fondue served with roasted baby beets and wilted greens, butter poached beef striploin with creamy horseradish and potato puree sauce and also red eye hash with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

Jarad Gallagher is the first in a series of Michelin star chefs who will be invited to cook at the Sana Sini Restaurant. Pullman Jakarta Indonesia has gone through an extensive renovation of its rooms and public facilities over the last eighteen months and General Manager Philippe Le Bourhis says “We now want to show the new face of the hotel”. By welcoming chef Jarad he adds “We can highlight our western kitchen with new Earth and Ocean signature dishes from California.’

Further information concerning the Pullman hotels is available on www.pullmanhotels.com