Exploring Indonesia’s Hidden Culinary Gems at “Batalin di Senayan”

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - An immersive Ramadan dining experience is being offered throughout the holy month at ARTOTEL Senayan through the program “A Wishful Ramadhan: Batalin di Senayan,” as highlighted during a media interview with Ragil Wibowo on Monday, March 16, 2026. The program invites guests to explore Indonesia’s diverse culinary heritage, presenting iftar not just as a meal, but as a curated cultural journey designed for both local and international audiences.

This year, the program features a Four Hands collaboration between Chef Ragil, recipient of the Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year 2018 award, and Chef Raynaldo, Executive Chef of ARTOTEL Gelora Senayan. Together, they curate a menu designed not only to serve as a meal to break the fast, but as a cultural journey through the diverse flavors of Indonesia.

Chef Ragil emphasized the uniqueness of the program, noting that many of the dishes presented are rarely found. “The food that we bring for Batalin di Senayan is very unique, and it’s very rare. It’s not common, especially for hotels or even for people outside the regions where the dishes originate,” he said.

He added that the concept of iftar in this program focuses on variety, with a strong emphasis on Indonesian cuisine. “Around 90 percent of the menu is Indonesian food. So in this place, you can find the proper food that you want to eat, but in a very special way,” he explained.

One of the standout examples is a rare vegetable dish made from wild sugarcane flowers, known as sayur lilin. “It’s quite rare. Even for many people, they don’t realize that sugarcane has edible flowers. We cook it with coconut milk, and it has a very unique taste,” Chef Ragil said.

The menu itself is designed as a culinary journey across regions. “We bring food from several areas—from North Sumatra, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, and more. We rotate the menu, so guests can experience different regional flavors,” he said.

In terms of preparation, Chef Ragil noted that authenticity remains a priority, although slight adjustments are made. “We try to keep the original taste as much as possible. Maybe we only adjust the spiciness a little bit, because it’s very subjective and not everyone can handle the original level of heat,” he explained.

Speaking about introducing Indonesian cuisine to a global audience, he stressed the importance of staying true to its identity. “The best way is to serve the taste as it is. You can reduce the spiciness slightly, but the flavor should remain original,” he said, while encouraging newcomers to start with familiar dishes like fried rice, satay, or rendang before exploring more complex regional flavors.