Culinary Close-Up

The Alchemist’s Path

Q1: Chef, your CV reads like a manual for 3-star excellence, particularly your time with Yannick Alléno at Pavillon Ledoyen. How did training under such masters shape not just your technique, but your philosophy as a leader?

-I would say it teaches you what excellency means ,precision ,and pressure , in order to master does 3 elements you need to be able to direct a team , can be at different scales but at the score it is the same , a CDP directing his team in his section , or a sous chef directing his team at a larger scale or a head chef directing the whole kitchen . What I learned from working under chefs like Alleno is managing a team that focuses on excellency , then of course comes your own approach that you repercut in your leadership .

Q2: You recently revealed on the JKP Podcast that you have roots in both France and Indonesia.⁴ This is a side of your story few people know. How did that dual heritage influence your palate and your “curiosity” ¹ as a young chef navigating the very traditional French system?

-Yes and not only Indonesian , cause there is as well a part of Hungarian , Dutch and Italian , never less the country and the origin what I fundamentally believe is that traveling ,experiencing different culture opens doors that are worth exploring ,this is what I did  and that created in me even more curiosity. Today this defines my knowledge and palate.

Q3: Your philosophy is to “put the products in the centre”.¹ How did your mentors, from Robuchon to Ducasse, teach you to “listen” to an ingredient?

-Working with incredible Chefs like Mr Ducasse it is like time traveling , you can gain if you are ready to listen in a minimum of time a maximum of knowledge ,you can see how much the ingredients ,the products are valued  , i deeply believe the ingredient being the center of the dish is a form of respect for the ingredient , producer and my values .

The Doha Terroir

Q4:  The Michelin Star for IDAM. You earned this in a new city, in a restaurant with an already formidable legacy. Describe the moment you received the call. Was it a feeling of relief, or validation?

– So , we were invited to the ceremony , and by the way we cooked that same day for the 300 invites at the ceremony, so I didn’t have much time to think or be stressed . But when the announcements started I must say the pressure started too , gradually became more and more intense , but I must say when the Michelin announced that IDAM was nominated for One Star you feel an intense joy , I cant say you feel relieved cause you know that from that moment , you can’t make a step backward ,and yes if you want to call it validation , it is rewarding to be recognized for the work you are delivering daily

Q5: You are a French-trained chef, with Indonesian roots, cooking in Qatar. How does the terroir of Doha—its spices, its seafood, its traditions—speak to you? How do you create harmony between French technique and a Middle Eastern palate?

– I believe that when you are cooking in an area it has its importance to imbibe yourself with the local culture ,explore the possibility of using in your menu , ingredients and  techniques ,  with your own knowledge , philosophy and roots , you just created in my opinion the best narrative possible .

Q6: IDAM is located inside the Museum of Islamic Art. Your visual style is “abstract/artistic”. How does being surrounded by that level of art and design influence the way you plate?

– If you believe that a plate can be artwork and cooking art then being in the museum of Islamic art could make sense , sure the degree of art is different but when I create my dishes I do like to think that they are at the right place art being the nucleus  .

“The Alchemist’s Codex” Vol 01- Foundations of Texture & Memory

Inside “IDAM” Michelin star restaurant by Alain Ducasse-Doha, Qatar

The Curious Craft

Q7: Your guiding principle is “always staying curious”. As a Head Chef, how do you balance that need for curiosity and experimentation with the relentless precision and consistency that a Michelin star demands?

– For me both can perfectly work together ,and in my opinion should , today we have so many great chefs , with so many innovating techniques, concepts and ideas , that you need to be curious and experiment as much as you can , in my opinion the only way to shape yourself ,is with knowledge and practice ,  the way you’ll shape a brut stone.

Q8: You’ve said your goal is to “tell a story”. What story is IDAM’s menu telling right now?

– What I would like to express through my dishes is  my heritage ,my multicultural identity, my memories as a child ,my wandering ,my values and respect for the products.

Q9: You mentioned :Alain Ducasse – your mentor ,Frantzen – the global, systematic brand builder, and Donckele – the poetic, terroir-driven storyteller as Chefs you admire. What do you take from each of them?

– What I admire in all of them is their common obsession for perfection and what I like even more is to see how very different chefs have that common point , all 3 chefs have amazing styles and values.

Resilience & The Path to 2027

Q10: Looking back at the recent ceremony, you spoke about the “weight of light.” As you enter 2026, how are you lightening that weight for your team while maintaining the intensity needed to reach for the next level? 

– I gathered my team this morning to remind them of a simple truth: the plaque on the wall is not our true victory. To lighten the weight, I tell them that this Star belongs to them—to their sacrifices and the “quiet chemistry” they share in the heat of service. We maintain our intensity by shifting our focus from the accolade to the emotion. We are dreamers in the universe of Alain Ducasse, and for us, the journey to the next level didn’t start with a ceremony—it started this morning with the first onion chopped and the first stock simmered. We find our energy in the challenge, and we keep cooking because excellence is a habit, not a destination.