Being a part of Ayana as a trainee in culinary department in my second internship is one of my achivements. I wanted it since in senior high school when I chose Hotel Management major in Binus University. I’m so amaze with the environment of the hotel and the people who work with the sincere heart to give the hospitality in Ayana.

I got the chance to work two months in Pastry Kitchen, a month in Dava Kitchen and three months in Rock Bar Kitchen. Eventhough I got three outlets to work with the culinary team, which actually trainees only got two outlets, I still feel need to learn more, so I went to To’Ge Kitchen too at Rimba to learn more about culinary sometimes on my day off.

My first month was very busy in Pastry Kitchen. Not only provide the desserts for all outlets and events in Ayana and Rimba, I was also helping the Jr. Sous Chef, Mrs. Eka as her assistant to make some new products of dessert for the food testing some events in Ayana. We did a trial and error on the new desserts, by write down the quantity of the ingridients, the baking temperature, plating the desserts, and also did ordering some ingridients in the Chef Office. The result of the new dessert will be reported to the Executive Pastry Chef of Ayana, Chef Gilles Delaloy.

Pastry-Ayana
With Ayana Pastry and Bakery Team

Two weeks after, Chef Gilles decided to give me to the responsibilty of making the new six desserts for Dava Restaurant pre-opening, which is changed from fine dining into steak house semi fine dining. It was very busy yet so much fun. I also have to teach the Pastry Chef of Dava and a daily worker for a month how to make the new dessert products, so they can make it after I leave Dava. It was big responsibility for me as a trainee, but I’m very happy to take this opportunity  because they have the trust in me and believe that i can make it from the trial error the menu, pre-opening, teaching until running the restaurant everynight for a month.

It was a great month to be work with Dava team. I never work in restaurant before, it was my first time and fantastic! I always asking about how to make this and that besides the dessert menu, include the beverage that they use in Dava. So many step of food preparation to be done in Dava. Lucky me, Chef Arnold  Sebastian letting me to help him plating and taking order too in the show kitchen when the kitchen is running everynight.

Dava Ayana-Vianny
In charge in Dava kitchen

The most unforgetable moment in Dava is when a Japanese guest taking the picture of me when I look so busy taking order and plating the food. He said I’m so gorgeous when I’m plating the food, he ask me to smile and he took the picture of me and the food which will be served for him. The best moment is after the food arrived on his table, he is smiling while eating all the food. I feel so happy when the guest enjoy the food me and my team made.

Rock Bar is the different case, this is more challanging for me. Rock Bar is serving authentic  Mediterannean food, open for breakfast and dinner. We deliver food every noon before we start working, walking from hotel to kitchen through Padi Restaurant, Sami-Sami Italian Restaurant and the stairs on hot weather with big heavy basket, no wonder no girl trainees are allowed to be work in Rock Bar and lucky me so far is only me the first girl trainee who work in Rock Bar. I take the responsibilty to control the cold kitchen and dessert. Chef Vangelis Zogas letting me to learn in sautee and grill section too when the restaurant is open. He always teach me the right way of cooking and basic knowledge about Mediterannean food that i learn a lot from him. He also believe that i can work alone and taking responsibility from simple thing. I got the perfect team in Rock Bar, we are like soulmate and backing up each other when the restaurant running every night. It was such a wonderful three months to work with the best team.

Rock BarAyana-Vianny
Delivering food to the famous Rock Bar.

Sometimes iI also come to To’Ge kitchen to help making some nasi goreng, pizza and bento section, once I got the permission from Chef Danny, who control To’ Ge Restaurant at Rimba. The preparation in To’ Ge is a lot. We have to work fast and smart. To’ Ge is Asian Western International restaurant, provide so many type of food. Everyone who work in the show kitchen have to be know how to make every single food in the show kitchen, if one of us busy, we have to back up them in their position and make as perfect as they make.

Every single place have their challange theirselves differently. It’s based on us, do we want to make it or not ? I realize that work in the kitchen is not as simple as on tv show. A Chef must think like a Scientist, organize like an Accountant, inspire and motivate like a warrior, move like a track star, plate like an Artist and cook like a grandma.

Thankyou Ayana for letting me be the part of the hotel, especially the culinary team. You guys show me how to work with the sincere heart so it will become with the best result and happy feelings when the food came up on the guests table. It’s not just the food, it’s something we make from our sincere heart to make the perfect result by other help from other department too. We are not working alone, we are working together, with the other department too, making harmonization while the operational is running. One sound, one team, one heart.

Vianny-Farewel Party
with Chef Vangelis and Chef Arnold on Farewell Party.

Best Regards,

Viany Sari Ishak