The Dinner Series: Present Space

We couldn’t let 2023 pass without The Dinner Series! This time we gathered to dine with Fed and Made Dhanu in the Titik Dua gallery surrounded by the artwork of Salvita de Corte and Naomi Samara. 19 guests joined us for a 5-course meal plated on Jenggala ceramics and a very special performance ended the evening. As always, the Dinner Series was hosted by co-founder Maya Kerthyasa.

We started the design of the dinner wanting a very minimalist and clean table to ensure the artwork of the Present Space exhibition remained the focus of the evening. We chose single white lotus blooms and white canvas cloth for the tables.

Place cards featured a Joan Didion quote used in the curator’s note of the exhibition written in white under the watercolor lettering of the guest’s name so you could faintly read the words.

Guests were invited to explore the exhibition before being seated.

The Fed menu was inspired by ingredients that were once common in Balinese dishes but are slowly disappearing due to the globalization of culinary arts. The local ingredients are slowly being forgotten. Some of the dishes are based on reminiscing about a childhood snack, a combination of Rujak Es and Rujak Cermai, resulting in the creation of cermai granita which was served with raw fish caught by local fisherman. The dessert also came from a home-cooked snack that Made’s grandma always made when salak was in season. The dishes were all plated on ceramics by Jenggala, a heritage Bali brand celebrating over 40 years of making incredible tableware.

The performance was presented by St Udyana, a youth group from Taman, Ubud. The dancers also played instruments and surrounded the guests with a story of knowledge and culture flowing like water and filling up all the spaces.

The final touch came from Salvita De Corte as she washed the white on white printed menus with watercolors to reveal the menu of the evening for attendees. A perfect final moment.