As the waves ripple gently to Bali’s southern shore in Nusa Dua, it washes over the bed of a white-sand beach overlooking the luxurious five-star beachfront sanctuary, Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort. The multi-award-winning resort stands elegantly facing the Indian Ocean with its enormous range of facilities, from its 415 rooms including suites and villas, lagoon pools, tropical gardens, wellness, kids’ entertainment, function rooms, and various dining facilities.
This year, Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort will reopen its signature restaurant, Cucina with a new exciting concept. The recently revamped Cucina offers an invigorating new look, a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere, an Italian head chef – Chef Patrizia Battolu to lead the culinary team and a new zero-waste concept uniform.
Cucina welcomes guests to its newly built imposing entrance, elegant bar areas, and a very new mozzarella pizza bar side by side with its unique copper “beech” oven. All these elements blend in a perfect harmony of senses from the beautiful mixes of warm colour to the essence of Italian cuisine and music.
The new concept of Cucina will instantly remind you of the surrounding nature as reflected through several elements of its interior design. The element of the sea is exhibited throughout the restaurant with different shades of blues and exquisite patterns on the uniform, hanging fabric on the ceiling and curtain. Meanwhile, the artisan-made tiles from Ubud, which are mostly in terracotta, represent the element of the earth. Subsequently, the individually crafted tableware from one of Bali’s most established ceramic producers, Kevala Ceramics, is mainly green to represent the element of lush green grass-covered mountains and forests.
Speaking of a restaurant, one can never resist the beauty of art poured onto the food at the heart of its concept. The freshly cooked Italian-Mediterranean cuisines by our kitchen’s artisans led by the new Italian head chef, Patrizia Battolu, offer a vast selection of fine delight starring fresh local ingredients and authentic Italian flavour.
Respectively, one could never deny the joy of having options to make own choices as the best thing in life, which is exactly what is offered when dining at Cucina. Embark on a journey through absolutely diverse foods and beverages, from apertini (starter) to dolci (dessert), from salad to cannoli. Not only
you can find a cheese platter on the menu, but an extensive range of Italian delicacies such as the Chef’s recommendations Spigola Alla Marinara, Frutti Di Mare Pizza, and Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola are also available on the menu. Simultaneously, quench the thirst and enjoy a selection of uniquely crafted cocktails and best Italian wines. Enjoy this magnifique unlimited-to-order authentic Italian delicacies, every day for dinner and brunch every Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm with an extension to Seaside Delight. Guests can enjoy a Magnifique soirée by the shore, savoring the picturesque Nusa Dua coast with a drink in hand, light bites, happy hour selections, and a live DJ performance.
Captaining the artisans in Cucina is Chef Patrizia Battolu, whom is no stranger to Asia. Born and raised in South Italy among a passionate family about food diversity. Pursuing her passion for travelling and food, Chef Patrizia has been fortunate with opportunities to experience island life around the world throughout her culinary career. For the past decade she has been living in China and Thailand before embarking on a journey to the island of the gods in Bali – Indonesia. During which she has been exploring Italian-Mediterranean cuisines while adapting to the local culture and taste buds.
Chef Patrizia joining Sofitel as the lead chef is like a breath of fresh air, a cool breeze from the coast of southern Italy to the southern coast of Bali. The fact that she is originally from South Italy is aligned with the concept of Cucina which serves Italian-Mediterranean cuisines and interior design that is inspired by the invigorating natural scenery of Amalfi on the southwest coast of Italy.
Influenced by the Mediterranean weather and the region’s agriculture, South Italian cuisine uses tomatoes, olive oil, herbs and spices like oregano, basil, and citruses to bring out the flavour and aromatic of the food, especially the seafood. “That’s why the most important element in Italian food is the ingredients need to be fresh and of good quality. For Cucina, I always try to source everything from the locals. It’s more important to have fresh ingredients rather than imported preserved ones. Also, sourcing from local is a responsible thing to do to help the community,” said Chef Patrizia.
Having Chef Patrizia as a woman in a leadership position is aligned with Accor’s commitment to a more inclusive and diverse workplace. Meanwhile, in an effort to support the local communities and Sofitel’s CSR programme, Cucina also reveals handcrafted and sustainable uniforms designed by an Indonesian artisan, while the tiles are handcrafted by artisans from Ubud. Apart from being Sofitel’s CSR programme, these initiatives also allow Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort to contribute and be part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) movement.
Ultimately, Cucina’s uniforms are designed by Adrie Basuki, a mindful Indonesian artisan who specialises in using crafty “kain perca” and recycled cotton rayon for a minimum environmental impact. The colour and pattern of the new uniform are inspired by the sky and ocean view of Positano village on the southern Amalfi coast in Italy. These uniforms are tailor- made by housewives in Kampung Perca, Bogor – Indonesia.
The revamped Cucina with its invigorating new look and concept will be launched during the reopening events on 28 August 2022 and soon after it is open for in-house and non-staying guests.
For more information and reservations, email fb.reservation@sofitelbalinusadua.com or call
+62-361-849-2888. Please click here for hi-res images of Cucina Restaurant by Sofitel Bali Nusa
Dua Beach Resort.