Bali at Sayan

Denny Frederick, executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, says that cooking is in his blood, having inherited his passion from his parents. After attending Bali Tourism College at Nusa Dua, Denny trained at several of the island’s hotels before joining Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay when it first opened in 1992. Since then, he has travelled extensively, working on food promotions at Four Seasons properties in Tokyo, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Nevis in the Caribbean. Denny has also lent his expertise to Four Seasons properties in Damascus, the Bahamas and the Seychelles.

He laughs when he remembers his first nerve-racking trip overseas, a visit to Tokyo in the winter of 1995. “I spent my first night lost in the centre of the city. It was snowing and I was freezing cold because I wasn’t even wearing a jacket. I had no idea how to get back to the hotel and nobody could speak English.”

In 2006 Denny moved to Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan as resort chef, and three years later was promoted to executive chef. He heads a staff of 24 cooks and assistants in a challenging role that he embraces with characteristic enthusiasm. He has already made several changes to the Resort’s menus, and created such popular theme dinners as the Balinese Rijstaffel and the Rice Fiesta.

At Denny’s domain, Ayung Terrace, dishes come bearing a fusion of East and West, what Denny calls “Asiatic food and ingredients presented in a Western manner.” Proud of his Balinese background, Denny loves to show off local cuisine, explaining to his guests that true Balinese dishes always use “fresh, healthy ingredients, including herbs such as lemongrass, spices such as chilli, and root spices such as ginger, turmeric and galangal, all of which are healing, warming and good for the body.”

Denny says his greatest inspiration comes from Resort's guests. “I interact with them as much as I can,” he says, “talking to them in and outside of the restaurant.” In fact, it is Denny who often encourages the cooking enthusiasts to take part in the Resort’s Balinese cooking classes, so they can experience the excitement of a real, working kitchen and visit Ubud’s traditional markets.

Through his conversations with guests, Denny knows what his visitors hope to find on the menu. “Most people want to try local food,” he says, “and many expect a home-cooking style, which generally means spicy.” But, as Denny knows full well, there are limits. “If a dish is meant to be spicy then it will be spicy. Many of the guests are Asians who know what to expect and it is important to match that expectation.” He adds, however, that the kitchen is versatile and happy to customize dishes to suit the personal palates and individual needs of his guests.

Denny’s mission is to present guests with an unforgettable culinary experience, and judging from the number of return guests, it’s clear that he’s accomplishing his goal.