A piece of white toothfish, faintly torched, lies delicately on the plate, its surface sprinkled with rice krispies that resemble a soft pillow of clouds. Beside it, a bed of soft pink ginger flower relish rests in the fish’s shadow. A swirl of green curry leaves oil is spread to surround the fish, its shade almost identical with the seasoning peppered across. The chef stands next to you, slowly pouring the yellow broth from a glass teapot as you take in the aromatic notes of turmeric and lemongrass and watch the broth and oil merge.
As reflected in the dish at August, colours, textures and symmetry come together to form a visual presentation that not only sets the mood and senses of diners but also sparks curiosity about the wonder unfolding on the plate. It serves the old adage of “you eat with your eyes”, and it’s an approach that is fully embraced by some of Jakarta’s fine dining restaurants with chefs going to great lengths to execute it, well aware that their role goes beyond preparing a delicious dish—but creating a first impression that would last long after the meal ends.
The First Impression
“With the White Fish, Bilimbi, Ginger Flower for example, we want to hit all the senses; texture from the rice krispies, aroma from the ginger flower relish, the spices from the yellow broth that we thin out, and the colours that blends together when the dish is served,” shared Hans Christian, chef-founder of August. Recently awarded number 46 in the prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, he admits that there’s no one particular ‘rule’ he puts in place when it comes to plating, but rather a shared mentality that taste is not an isolated experience.
“When it comes to visual plating, I would say 50 per cent is about the actual food and garnish, but the other 50 per cent is about how you package it.” – Hans Christian of August
On to their seventh season, the sentiment is reflected through dishes as simple as their Tomato, Kalamansi, Smoked Fish salad. Intentionally crafted to gradually unveil the flavours, the dish starts with the top layer of cured and smoked Lombok Seabream, its silver thread-like vein further accentuated with the glossy sheen of olive oil. Slightly transparent, the flesh hints at the layers underneath: juicy halved tomatoes compressed in Calamansi syrup, marinated roe, and hidden further below, a layer of black tea jelly infused with teh tubruk and cultured cream.
“Sometimes, food can be overly styled and end up looking too gimmicky, which can make it less appetising. We try to avoid being complicated in a way that, even if a dish has a lot of components, we don’t directly reveal everything. The goal is to make people want to dig in and enjoy,” explained Chef Hans.
This element of surprise is also central in Chef-founder Aditya Muskita’s second menu for ESA. Designed to reflect the mosaic of influences and cultures that define ‘Jakarta Cuisine’, dishes like Sayur Besan are developed to taste “familiar, but new” as he reinterprets traditional recipes with innovative textures and ingredient combinations.
The dish transforms the traditional Betawi curry into a light foam that covers the silky chawanmushi and seared Hokkaido scallop base. Typically served at weddings, the foam packs a spicy and woody profile, blending local sunchokes and coconut milk, showered with dehydrated tomato skin powder and Thai basil.
“In line with ESA’s philosophy, the menu is designed for the people of Jakarta to rediscover the flavours of the city. In this case, we wanted to incorporate a soup dish that feels familiar—like Lontong Cap Go Meh or Laksa Betawi—but present it in a different way. The foam gives the sensation of eating opor but with a different texture. It’s lighter, less spicy, and much more exciting to eat that way,” shared Chef Aditya.
The Vessel
Beyond the dish itself, chefs are also sourcing and customising plates and cutlery that further narrate the story behind their creations. Setting the stage for the dishes, the tablewares take turns to fulfill the role needed for any particular dish: from highlighting particular ingredients or colours, evoking nostalgia or intrigue, to imbuing a dish with warmth that links to personal memories.
“Our goal is to create dishes that resonate with diners’ past experiences, paying homage to flavours and presentations they might recognise, but elevating them in unexpected ways.” – Rachel Tjahja of SU MA
“When it comes to visual plating, I would say 50 per cent is about the actual food and garnish, but the other 50 per cent is about how you package it; the vessel, cutleries, to the way you serve. It all comes together into a full package,” shared Chef Hans. Encased in a springy mochi ball with homemade beef floss, the Mochi Cakalang serves the smoked fish on a custom wooden tray with four holes to playfully resemble a congklak board.
In a similar vein, The Flower Drum at SU MA is a dish that taps into tableware to “enhance the dish’s story”. Inspired by Executive Chef and Co-founder Rachel Tjahja’s childhood memories of eating Kembang Tahu with her family, the dish is served in a custom ceramic plate designed to mirror the shape of the finely sliced tofu that takes form once the broth of red yeast rice consommé is poured over it.
“We aim to evoke a unique blend of nostalgia, surprise, and familiarity in our customers. Our goal is to create dishes that resonate with diners’ past experiences, paying homage to flavours and presentations they might recognise, but elevating them in unexpected ways” says the chef.
Working closely with local ceramicists, Chef Rachel and the team at Suma are careful to not let the visuals overshadow the other sensory elements. “Every ingredient and design choice is curated to thoughtfully reflect Southeast Asia’s culinary heritage, taking inspiration from pottery and calligraphy traditions. We combine this with Japanese influences on minimalism and simplicity, emphasising the effective use of negative space and embracing the philosophy that less is more.”
The Storyteller
Aesthetics aside, chefs rely on visual plating to serve as an instrument to translate their vision, ensuring that everything on the plate, down to the supporting players has a purpose beyond its artistic value.
“It’s important that each element tells a story and has meaning. If it doesn’t serve the purpose of the dish, it’s better not to use it altogether,” shared August’s pastry chef Ardika Dwitama. He goes on to admit that it’s pretty rare for the team to design a dish based solely on visual elements or colours. One of the exceptions to the rule is the Blue Pea, Mulberry, Melon, a dessert whose colour palette draws from Ardika’s favourite song at the time, ‘Sea Blue, See Green’ by New York singer-songwriter Jaymay.
“As this dish is served after the main course, I wanted it to be sour and refreshing. I settled on green melon, blue pea flowers and local mulberries from Lembang,” he explained. Layered on the plate, the green melon ice cream and lavender granita sit under a pastel robin blue meringue roof. “The garnish is carefully chosen to complement the flavours. Like the oxalis for example, it’s there to add acidity to the dish, not just to look pretty.”
“At a fine dining restaurant, flavour is a given. But visual presentation adds a layer of connection and dialogue, opening up another realm of creativity in the kitchen.” – Aditya Muskita of ESA
While the use of colour is often celebrated in culinary presentations, be it for vibrancy or its emotional and psychological influence, there is also a unique charm in monochromatic dishes such as the all-white Nurungji by Chef Ryan Kim of Suma.
Though the simplicity of such dishes can sometimes be mistaken for plainness, the flavour more than compensates for it. Like eating a bowl of snow, this dessert centres on a trio of ice cream, brûlée, and powder that dissolves once it touches the tongue. Reimagining the traditional Korean crispy rice dish Chef Ryan grew up eating, the dish balances sweet, smokey and salty flavours from the yuja (Korean yuzu) meringue and honey gel and sea salt mousse.
Another trick chefs have up their sleeves is the clever manipulation of proportion, scale and ratio to establish the focal point of a dish, as seen in the Kastengel at ESA. Set on delicate Dutch lace paper napkin atop a bed of rice, the closing dish features a solitary tart-like base with a crown of pristine white foam. Broken down into three parts—the cracker base, rose-like filling and foam top—the dish offers a fresh take on the beloved cheese biscuit.
Within the evolving landscape of fine dining across Jakarta, restaurants such as August, ESA, and SU MA has, in their own ways, demonstrated the power of visual presentation in setting the mood and perception of flavour. “It’s something I’ve observed, that in Indonesia, a big part of a restaurant’s role is making sure that the dishes look colourful and pretty. Of course, at a fine dining restaurant, flavour is a given. But visual presentation adds a layer of connection and dialogue, opening up another realm of creativity in the kitchen,” shared Chef Aditya.
