Andrea Astone – Chef at Koral Restaurant
In this interview, Andrea Astone, head chef for Koral restaurant in The Apurva Kempinski Bali, shares his growth and insights into the food and beverage industry.
What do you do?
I am the head chef for the Koral restaurant at The Apurva Kempinski Bali.
How did you get into the industry?
Growing up in Paestum (Salerno, Southern Italy), I always saw my mother and grandmother cooking for the whole family with love and passion. So it was logical that at the age of 14, I decided to study at a culinary school (1/2 in a hotel and 1/2 at school).
Tell us a story from behind the scenes.
In 2008, I worked for six months in one of Don Alfonso’s restaurants (established in 1890) at the Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau. During this period, I was very ill, and the kitchen staff prepared an unknown medical soup for me. At first, I didn’t realise what kind of soup it was… then a second time, the taste was really strong with a lot of spices, and I understood what I was eating. I was shocked, surprised and confused about my ethics and the healthy aspect, but in terms of experience, I felt very lucky because I completely recovered after a few hours.
What food memory from your childhood or travels comes to mind?
My best food memory is my mum’s pollo alla casseruola patate e fungi. I can close my eyes to tell you about that moment embedded in mine. I can smell and remember all the flavours of the herbs from our Mediterranean garden, the juicy taste of the braised chicken and above all, I can still hear the music of the pot on the stove, the colour and the icy action of the red wine reduction on top of the potato, which becomes crispy and shiny. My mother is my best chef.
What is the best/worst part of your job?
I’ve never had the worst part of the business. I have the opportunity to work in many places worldwide, keep in touch with many friends, chefs and colleagues, and learn from different cultures. So my whole career is never had the same routine, and I feel happy and lucky to be cooking and passing on my passion.
What is one of your favourite food and drink pairings?
Spaghetti ai Frutti di mare with Falerno del Massico. It’s simply the Holy Grail for me.
The ideal day off would be…
Relaxing, discovering new things with friends, and enjoying a good meal and wine with a wonderful lady.
A day in the life of Andrea Astone is…
Intense and creative, passionate and committed to my development and to making happiness and pleasure for the guests.
What does Andrea Astone do for fun?
Awaken my curiosity through travel and encounters.
What is one thing you would like customers to know about Koral?
Day after day, we take care of the quality and freshness of our dishes. I am extremely demanding with my vendors and cooks and constantly looking for excellent products. It is a daily job to which there can be no compromise at this level of luxury and expectations. We cook with passion and enthusiasm to share a unique experience with our guests.
How has the pandemic changed your perspective or the way you operate?
The pandemic is a global problem and has changed many of our daily perspectives, including in the culinary and tourist fields. New procedures have been improved to guarantee and protect our customers. We have adapted a lot and focused on creations focused on the authenticity of products or great classics that reassure, with always the search to awaken the senses with more harmonious and modern presentation, develop perfumes and smells until the moment of tasting to entertain and share a moment with our customers.
What is one thing you would like people to know about being a chef?
There are a lot of family sacrifices and psychological fragility behind this job. There is no secret because if we have passion, empathy, altruism and a taste for challenge. The profession of a chef is for me, “the most wonderful job”.
What do you think of the food and beverage scene in Bali?
I arrived in Bali two months before the pandemic, and then everything was blocked. When I resumed, I realised that the rise of the island lived essentially around the catering and hotel industry with every day, with new concepts and restaurants opening. This is exciting and encouraging for the future of Indonesia. Perhaps one day, the Millau or the Michelin would come to Bali.
What practices are you currently implementing or hoping to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability?
We are already working a lot with the hotel team with projects like “Unity and Diversity,” sustainable development of bio culture with local farmers, and training development with schools.
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Very authentic Italian. He talks about his profession and food with much love and passion.