A little taste of Indonesia, served in Sarawak

Some journeys begin in the kitchen, but grow far beyond it.

For Cuca, joining the World National & Asia Tapas Competition 2026 in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia was more than a chance to compete. It was an opportunity to represent Indonesia on an international stage through the language we know best: food.

Representing us was Chef Heri, one of our Chefs de Cuisine, who has been part of Cuca for 11 years. Beyond leading the kitchen, he also plays an important role in hygiene training and mentoring our interns. This competition was a well-deserved opportunity for him, one that Cuca was proud to give as part of his growth and journey with us.

For the competition, Chef Heri presented Indonesia Taco, a dish created to introduce Indonesia in a way that feels familiar to the world’s palate, while still staying true to Indonesian taste and identity. The taco form was chosen because it is simple, practical, and globally recognized. But inside, the soul of the dish is deeply Indonesian.

At the heart of it is beef rendang, one of Indonesia’s most iconic dishes, known for its rich spices, long cooking process, and deep cultural meaning. Instead of a regular tortilla, Chef Heri used a brown rice tortilla, because rice is an essential part of Indonesian food culture. It is not only our staple food, but also part of our memory, our home, and our everyday life.

For us, Indonesia Taco is not just fusion food. It is a meeting point between a global form and the soul of Indonesia. Rendang represents the richness and patience of Indonesian cooking, brown rice represents our connection to rice, and the taco represents Indonesia’s openness to connect with the modern world.

This competition brought together chefs from different countries, each carrying their own culture, ideas, and stories. Being part of it reminded us that food can be a bridge between people, a way to celebrate where we come from, and a chance to share our identity with pride.

From Bali to Sarawak, this journey was about more than competition. It was about creativity, connection, growth, and the people behind the food. We are grateful for the experience, the warm welcome, and the opportunity to bring a little taste of Indonesia to the international tapas stage.

Bali is still beautiful. You just have to know how to find it.

After fifteen years of calling Bali home, we felt it was time to share something deeply personal. Over the years, we’ve watched Bali be loved, photographed, praised, and, at times, misunderstood. Too often, people speak about the island as if it has been lost: too busy, too crowded, too changed. And while it is true that Bali has changed, as all living places do, we also know something else to be true: Bali is still profoundly beautiful, if you plan wisely, move gently, and choose with intention. That belief is the real reason we created Slow Magic Bali, our personal guide to the island we call home. 

At Cuca, we’ve always believed that a journey, like a great meal, should never be rushed. The real magic of Bali is not found in racing from one famous place to another. It lives in quiet mornings, long conversations, hidden coastlines, village rhythms, and in choosing less but better. We wanted to create something that reminded people of that. Not another checklist. Not another “must-see” guide. But a softer, more thoughtful way of experiencing the island.  This guide is a collection of places we genuinely love. Places where beauty reveals itself quietly. Places where Bali still feels like Bali. Each one was chosen not because it is fashionable, but because it has soul. Because it allows you to breathe. Because it helps you feel the island, instead of simply passing through it.

In many ways, this guide is also our response to the idea that Bali should be consumed quickly. We don’t believe that. Bali is not a destination to conquer. It is a place to feel. To listen to. To move through with care. We wanted to show that when you stay in the right places, leave room for spontaneity, and resist the pressure to do too much, the island opens up in a completely different way. Suddenly, Bali becomes quieter, deeper, more generous. Its beauty is still here. You just have to meet it properly.

And of course, this philosophy is not separate from Cuca. It is part of everything we believe in. Slow is not a trend for us. It is a way of living and hosting. We cook with local ingredients, support local communities, and believe tourism should nourish the island, not exhaust it. In that sense, this guide is simply an extension of the same values we try to put on every plate and into every experience we create.

We also wanted this guide to feel human, personal, and honest. The kind of thing you would share with someone you care about. Because that is exactly what it is. A gesture of trust. We hope it inspires you to travel more gently, choose more thoughtfully, and fall in love with a side of Bali that still feels deeply special.

Discover the Bali we know and love. Download your copy of our Slow Magic Bali guide here.

Warmly,
Kevin & Virginia

Cuca does it again holding our spot in Tatler's Best 20 Restaurants in Indonesia

 

Local ingredients. Legendary flavors. Unforgettable moments. And somehow, here we are again, deeply honoured to be named one of Tatler’s Best 20 Restaurants in Indonesia 2026, for the second year in a row!

At Cuca, this kind of recognition means more than a place on a list. It reminds us that thoughtful hospitality, bold creativity, and genuine care still matter. It reminds us why we keep doing the work every day: cooking with intention, hosting with heart, and never taking a single one of you for granted.

Because for us, it has never been about chasing awards. It has always been about creating moments guests remember: the first bite that makes the table go quiet, the service that feels personal without trying too hard, and the feeling that every detail has been cared for. Behind this recognition is our team, who show up every day with pride, energy, and heart. Behind every plate is a belief that local ingredients can be extraordinary. Behind every service is our commitment to making you, our guests, feel truly looked after.

So to our team, this is yours. To you all, thank you for believing in us, returning to us, and keeping us on our toes. And to everyone who has supported Cuca along the way, we are deeply grateful.

And as if being included again wasn’t special enough, there was one more surprise: our Fish Tartare was featured on the cover of this year’s Tatler Best Restaurants edition. A quiet, beautiful reminder that Indonesia’s ingredients can lead the story too.

We’re proud. We’re grateful. And still after 14 years, we’re just getting started.

See you at the table. 🍴

#CucaCares: Caring for our Environment

 

Bali is our home. Its rivers, forests, oceans, and communities inspire us every day to be better caretakers of this precious island. Through our #CucaCares program, we dedicate ourselves to making a real, lasting difference—not just inside our restaurant, but across Bali and beyond.

Our sustainability efforts touch every corner of our operations:

• We work directly with small-scale farmers, supporting sustainable agriculture and turning Indonesia’s fertile lands into vibrant gardens of flavor.

• We operate as a plastic-free zone, eliminating single-use plastics and embracing recycled, upcycled, and biodegradable materials wherever possible—from reusable cloth bags to eco-friendly lunch boxes for our entire team.

• We innovate constantly, with in-house herb gardens, water treatment systems, and an exciting upcoming project: the installation of solar panels to further reduce our carbon footprint.

But real change happens through collaboration, which is why we proudly partner with incredible organizations making an impact:

🌿 Sungai Watch: Monthly river clean-ups to combat plastic pollution and restore Bali’s ecosystems.

🐟 MDPI: Educating our kitchen team on responsible sourcing and sustainable fish preparation.

👩‍🎓 BaliWISE: Empowering underprivileged women through education and providing career opportunities at Cuca.

🐾 Animals Don’t Speak Human and Protecting Paws: Supporting animal welfare with ethical ingredient choices and daily food donations for Bali’s street dogs.

🎒 The Offering: Investing in the education of underprivileged children through the Bali Children's Foundation.

♻️  Malu Dong: Collaborating on waste collection, recycling, and creative repurposing of materials.

🌊 Role Foundation and SeaSoldiers: Supporting ocean conservation and marine protection through fundraising and educational workshops.

🧠 Right Reasons Funding: Promoting mental health awareness and support through community events.

Each partnership, each initiative, is an extension of the values we live by every day at Cuca. When you dine with us, you become a part of these efforts—helping us protect what makes Bali magical for future generations.

#Cuca Cares: Caring for Our Guests

When you walk through Cuca’s doors, you’re stepping into a restaurant that does things differently.

Not because it’s trendy, but because we believe doing the right thing should be the foundation of everything we create.

Caring for our guests means so much more to us than providing good service. It means crafting every detail of your dining experience with love, integrity, and respect for what truly matters.

At Cuca, we are proud to do things many restaurants don't:

• 100% Made-from-Scratch: Every sauce, every seasoning, every crumble is made in-house, ensuring unparalleled freshness, quality, and flavor.

• Exclusively Local Ingredients: We are the first and only Western restaurant in Indonesia that uses 100% Indonesian products, supporting local farmers and showcasing the richness of this incredible land.

• Premium Natural Ingredients Only: You’ll never find artificial flavors, shortcuts, or preservatives in our kitchen—only real food made the right way.

• One of the Island’s Most Extensive Vegan and Vegetarian Menus: We passionately cater to diverse dietary preferences while promoting a greener future, earning recognition from global platforms like Happy Cow.

• Everyday Sustainability: Our commitment touches every part of your experience—menus printed on recycled paper, wine bottles upcycled into elegant glassware, tissues made from biodegradable bamboo, and a complete ban on single-use plastics.

• Zero-Waste Creativity: Our chefs design recipes that use every part of an ingredient, minimizing waste and maximizing taste, demonstrating that sustainability and flavor can go hand in hand.
  

When you dine with us, you’re not just enjoying a delicious meal—you’re joining a movement.

A movement that cherishes quality, respects nature, uplifts communities, and believes that the simple act of sharing a meal can help build a better world. Thank you for choosing Cuca. Thank you for caring with us.

#CucaCares: Caring for Our Team

At Cuca, it has always been about people. From the very beginning, we knew that skills could be taught, but heart could not. So, we chose to build our team not by searching for the most polished resumes, but by believing in raw potential, in dreams waiting for a chance.

Since day 1 we opened our doors to young Indonesians, many of them without any experience but with an undeniable spark—the kind that just needed care to catch fire. Today, when we look around and see that all four of our Chefs de Cuisine started 11 years ago as stewarding staff, washing dishes and learning one small step at a time, our hearts swell with quiet pride as seeing them lead our kitchens and a team of more than 50 cooks with passion and pride. Their journeys are a daily reminder that when people are given a chance—and the right support—they can become extraordinary.

But for us, caring for our team has never been just about work. It’s about life. We come together every week for sessions that go far beyond the kitchen, sharing knowledge about nutrition, sustainability, financial planning, first aid, family health, and so much more. We believe that when our team grows stronger and wiser in their lives, they naturally shine brighter at Cuca too.

Through our internship program, we welcome young talents from across Indonesia’s many islands, hoping not just to teach them, but to learn from them—to share stories, traditions, laughter, and lessons that make us all better, together. Some stay and grow within Cuca; others take what they’ve learned into the world, creating ripples of kindness and excellence in places we may never see but always hope to touch.

Beyond our walls, we try to sow seeds of inspiration wherever we can—partnering with schools and universities, hosting field trips and workshops, and celebrating Bali’s rich heritage through activities that remind us all where we come from and why it matters.

At Cuca, we don’t just build careers, we build a family. A family stitched together by dreams, hard work, laughter, lessons, and an unshakable belief that caring makes all the difference.

Every smile you see here, every warm gesture, every dish lovingly prepared—it all comes from a place of gratitude for the journey we’ve shared. And when you sit at our table, you become part of that story too.

12 Years of Cuca

 

Twelve candles. Twelve trips around the sun. And twelve glorious years of serving up tapas that (let’s be honest) have probably made you lick your plate more than once.

When we flung open Cuca’s doors back in 2013, we had one big dream: to create a place that felt local in spirit, legendary in taste, and unforgettable in the memories it sparked. Fast forward to today, and that dream is alive, thriving, and garnished with a cheeky sprinkle of salt.

We’ve proudly stayed true to our roots—sourcing fresh, local ingredients from our Indonesian backyard, giving classic dishes a rebellious twist, and filling our Jimbaran hideaway with a warmth you can’t fake. (No mood lighting required.)

Of course, none of this would mean much without you. Yes, you. The curious foodies, the date-nighters, the birthday candle blowers, and the “just one more cocktail” crew. You’ve helped us grow from a bold little idea into a restaurant that’s become, dare we say, a little bit legendary.

So as we turn 12, we want to say thank you for making Cuca your delicious tradition, your special occasion go-to, your unforgettable escape. Here’s to the next dozen years of culinary mischief, shared plates, and moments that prove why Local, Legendary, Unforgettable isn’t just a tagline—it’s who we are.

Come hungry. Come curious. And come celebrate with us. After all, you’re part of this story too.

Cuca: a Restaurant that Cares

We believe that a restaurant should serve more than just delicious food—it should serve its people, its guests and its planet. That’s why we created back in 2020 (right when we felt the community needed our commitment the most) #CucaCares, a program that captures everything we stand for: sustainability, education, and heart.

Today, we are thrilled to share some exciting news: we are in the final steps of becoming Indonesia's first independent restaurant to achieve B Corporation certification! With a preliminary score of 83.9, this milestone highlights our promise to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

We didn’t embark on this journey for the recognition. We did it because we believe that excellence in dining can, and should, go hand in hand with caring for the world around us. Every choice we make—from the farmers we work with to the way we empower our team—reflects a simple, powerful truth: we are here to do good.

Through #CucaCares, we aim to show that a better future isn't just possible—it’s already happening, one thoughtful decision at a time. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Together, we are making a difference.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this mission to care, nurture, and inspire.

How Chefs are made

Achieving something great doesn’t have the same meaning without putting in the years of work to get there. It’s like taking a helicopter to a mountain top rather than spending the gruelling effort required to climb it. The beauty is the same and the location identical, but it’s the effort that’s missing, and that’s where the reward means the most. That’s what makes this story so special.

Cooks and Chefs today are created differently than those of years gone by. Cooking is a trade, and cooks are therefore considered tradesman/women same as plumbers, electricians, carpenters, mechanics… Trades are learned through years of practice and a formal apprenticeship, and if you can “take the heat” and master your craft after a few decades, you just may one day get the title of Chef. Today things are different, and Chefs, thanks to the spotlight they get from television and social media, are unfortunately considered rock stars, so the jump from a few years in culinary school to Chef is sadly now the norm. But not in this case…

These four Chefs that run Cuca took the long road, starting in our Stewarding department and climbing slowly over 11 years until they reached the top of the Culinary Mountain. No shortcuts, no easy days, no excuses. These guys, our 4 Chefs de Cuisine in Cuca, are the best of the best, and the foundation of skills and knowledge they have built is unshakable. We are extremely proud of what they have achieved and grateful for the long road they took to get there! We hope their dedication shines in every bite you have with us.

The Heart Behind the Plates: A day in the life of Cuca’s Balinese team

 A Day in the Life of Chef Casper

At Cuca, we take pride in more than just the food we serve; we celebrate the people who make it possible. In our latest video series, “The Heart Behind the Plates”, we offer an intimate look into the daily lives of Cuca’s Balinese staff, showcasing their personal stories, cultural heritage, and passion for their work. Each episode follows a different team member, from kitchen to waitstaff, highlighting both their professional lives at Cuca and their personal lives at home. 

Balinese start the day with Canang sari—an offering to the gods in Balinese Hinduism. This ritual, symbolizing gratitude and respect, sets the tone for a balanced day, reinforcing the importance of spiritual well-being. It reflects the essence of Bali: a seamless fusion of devotion, hard work, and serenity. 

In Balinese culture, family is at the heart of everything, so our team begins and ends their days with loved ones—morning prayers, shared meals, and meaningful time spent together. Family bonds provide the strength and support needed to navigate the challenges of a busy day. These strong ties carry over into the restaurant, where our team operates as a family, working together with shared passion and respect. As the day progresses, you will witness our team’s dedication to their craft. Every dish they prepare and serve is more than just food—it is a labor of love. This passion stems not only from expertise but from a deep cultural pride. The precision and care taken with everything they do reflect the harmonious connection between work and culture.

But the day isn’t solely about work. A critical element of these videos is the emphasis on balance—Tri Hita Karana, a philosophy that promotes harmony between people, nature, and spirituality. This belief shines through in how our team maintains a peaceful connection with their work, family and the local community around them. Their journey exemplifies the perfect blend of professionalism and personal well-being.

At Cuca, we don’t just serve food; we share the stories of our people—those who are deeply connected to their family, culture, and community. Through their passion, spirituality, and balance, our team brings heart and soul to every dish we serve!