Michelin-starred Dutch chef Syrco Bakker sets down new roots in Ubud, Bali with Syrco BASE
Syrco BASE is a four-in-one concept with a bar, restaurant, chef’s table and shop that uses ingredients from local farmers and suppliers.
Ubud is known for yoga, spiritual healing and all things wellness, but these days, it’s becoming just as famous for its hip restaurants, bars, and nightlife scene. Now, with the opening of two Michelin-starred chef Syrco Bakker’s new restaurant, Syrco BASE, Ubud is only getting hotter as a foodie destination.
Hailing from the Netherlands, Bakker was head chef of Sergio Herman’s Pure C restaurant in Zeeland for 13 years, earning his first Michelin star after just one year, the second star in 2019 and the coveted title of Gault&Millau’s Chef of the Year in 2022. On leaving all this behind to start a new venture in Bali – where he is virtually unknown – he said: “Of course, you get comfortable after building everything up, but it was a necessary step to make – and I’m very happy to have made it.”
The result is Syrco BASE – a sprawling four-in-one concept with a bar, restaurant, chef’s table and shop. Bakker has also personally selected to work with some of the local producers, farmers and suppliers. Built around a lush garden of local fruits, vegetables and herbs, the 39-year-old chef explains that the decision serves two purposes – to educate guests and his team on what can be grown locally in Bali, and of course, how to use them in the kitchen and behind the bar.
Walking us through the garden, which includes edibles such as tomatoes, lemongrass, eggplants, aloe vera, moringa, lemon basil, butterfly pea and more, Bakker said: “I’m very surprised at how fertile the ground and soil is in Bali – everything is growing so fast. We really have to be creative with using all the products and conserving them.”
Besides growing their own produce, “Syrco BASE is all about giving local products a stage and telling the story about the people behind them,” said Bakker, who has curated a collection of knives, textiles and ceramicware locally as well. Under his culinary vision and values of “Traceability, Transparency and Nature”, his menus are strongly rooted and influenced by Balinese and Indonesian flavours, which he regularly crowdsources from the team.
“We recently hosted a fantastic workshop where everyone brought in their family recipes, and I’d taste each one and dig into its ingredients, process and tradition,” he said. “From there, we’d get inspired to make our own creations.”
Bakker’s own heritage serves as inspiration as well since his grandparents were originally from Indonesia – Java and Sumatra, to be exact. “I grew up with the flavours of Indonesia on special occasions when my family would spend days in the kitchen cooking together,” he recalled. Although most dishes were made from memory by his grandmother, Bakker was able to recreate dishes from his childhood thanks to recipes kept by his father (who is also a chef).
At Syrco BASE, diners can enjoy Bakker’s unique creations through three different menus: Pure Local, Heritage and Plant BASE (this is Ubud, after all).
“The Heritage menu is inspired by the local traditions and flavours of Bali and Indonesia, so that's a little spicier, whereas our Pure Local menu features local products prepared in more of a Western way,” said Bakker, who suggests getting a mix of menus for the table to sample and share.
The restaurant – a stylish and spacious terracotta-themed dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the garden – takes diners on a multisensory culinary journey of colour, taste and texture with each dish meticulously presented like a work of art.
Highlights of our seafood-centric Pure Local and Heritage menus included hamachi with passionfruit and radish, local tuna with tomatoes and lime leaf, and grouper with taro and turmeric (most of which were presented ‘au jus’), while the Finally Nasi Goreng was a cute play on Indonesian fried rice that we could assemble ourselves at the table.
Each dish arrived at the table with thorough explanations by the staff – with the option to pair with drinks such as sambal cocktails, Sesshu Otokoyama sake, Islands of Imagination beer and world-class wine. Dessert – a mix of pure chocolate, avocado, soursop, and vanilla with pandan brem, a type of fermented rice wine – was served upstairs comfy lounge seating and a selection of aperitifs, wine and cocktails.
Ideal for date night or group dining, diners can then move onto Syrco BASE bar with a shiny, horseshoe-shaped counter overlooking the main garden that regularly hosts disco nights with vinyl tunes, drinks and bites. However, for foodies wanting the full and immersive Syrco BASE experience, Bakker recommends the Chef’s Table, also known as Syrco BASE Ku – a three-hour, 17-course culinary journey for up to 14 diners with front-row seats to the open kitchen and chefs in action. Meaning ‘my’ in Bahasa Indonesian, the Ku is where “we really go into the essence about all our products and how they are prepared,” said Bakker.
In some ways, Syrco BASE is Bakker’s way of returning to his roots, although he’s quick to admit that it’s not as dramatic as it sounds.
“It's less about me coming back to my roots than creating a new story in a place that I have a connection with, which makes me even more eager to explore all the flavours, traditions and products. Since I didn't have much Indonesian knowledge growing up, I'm now more willing to explore, learn about and respect it,” he explained.
“Besides that, I want to create a story of partnerships and cooperation – it's not a one-man show. With Syrco BASE, I want to create a stage for all the suppliers, the producers, and the craftsmen, as well as a place where young professionals can develop and step up their careers. That's really my main goal.”