Chef Dewa Artana describes his passion for Italian food, as well as the roots behind his cooking.
Dewa Artana is Executive Chef at COMO Uma Ubud in Bali. He has over 25 years’ experience, including six years as a Junior Sous Chef at COMO Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos. At COMO Uma Ubud, he helms Uma Cucina, one of Bali’s best Italian restaurants.
I think I was always destined to be a chef. I grew up southeast of Ubud in a village called Gianyar. I come from a family of rice traders, and my parents had a food stall at Gianyar’s famous market, where they sold ‘nasi campur’, a dish made using steamed rice, boiled eggs, shredded chicken, red beans and sambal. My mother was the head chef of our household, and she taught me the fundamentals of good cooking, including the importance of fresh, organic food, straight from the fields.
We’re lucky in Bali, because we have fantastic ingredients available year-round. The fresher the produce, the better the food.
For me, the heart of good cooking is humble origins. That’s how I grew up here in Bali, with my mother sourcing ingredients from her kitchen garden, making everyday food taste extraordinary. I never forget that every dish I make originated in some field or farm — a simple beginning entwined with nature. As a chef, I want my meals to honour that, unfolding organically and without pretension. That’s also why Italian cuisine is such a natural fit for my practice: it’s all about drawing each dish down to its simplest form, using top-tier ingredients. At Uma Cucina, the kitchen is light and breezy, operated by myself and a team of four sous chefs. The setup has a dash of Italian charm to it, in the way we weave around one another to create and perfect each dish. Between lunchtime and supper, it’s a blur of activity with herb-chopping, pasta-making, meat-ageing and fresh deliveries.
I source everything I can from local suppliers including vegetables, herbs and meat. We’re lucky in Bali, because we have fantastic ingredients available year-round. The fresher the produce, the better the food. It transforms classic dishes like pizza and pasta into a whole new experience. Take my salsiccia pizza, for example. It’s one of my favourite dishes on the Uma Cucina menu, made using a homemade pork and fennel sausage. With every element freshly prepared — unlike with most pizzas you’d eat — the result is a meal that melts in your mouth with every bite.
Fresh ingredients are one half of the equation. The other is adding a modern touch. One of my favourite food trends is slow-cooked food. It reminds me of the wood-fired meals my mother would prepare when I was growing up. I make a fantastic chicken dish using free-range meat cooked sous vide in a water bath. Paired with local lemon basil or ‘kemangi’ pesto, it’s comfort food but with just enough of a twist to taste new and exciting. I often find myself using ‘kemangi’ in my cooking — at the moment it’s also serving as a garnish on a seasonal burrata starter with tamarillo compôte.
I’m drawn to fragrant aromas and complex textures in my cooking. If I were suggesting a perfect meal, I’d recommend the burrata and tamarillo to start, followed by our Jimbaran jumbo prawns with a herb sauce. They’re sourced from southern Bali and are particularly juicy when grilled with garlic, ginger and red chilli. For dessert, I can’t imagine a better finish than a classic Italian tiramisu, made with coffee-soaked biscuits and creamy mascarpone. It’s a bold combination that reflects centuries of Italian tradition, combined with the best of Bali’s produce — a slow-cooked, heartfelt meal where each dish does its job and leaves you full, happy, and wanting to come back for more.
To make a reservation at Uma Cucina, please contact our restaurant directly or book with our concierge staff at COMO Uma Ubud.
