Paon is derived from pawon, the Balinese word for kitchen. In this conversation with UWRF Festival Director, Janet DeNeefe one of Indonesia’s foremost chefs, former Global Executive Chef and Culinary Director of Potato Head, Chef Wayan Kresna Yasa will shine a light on the depth and diversity of Balinese cuisine and provide insight into food and worship, sacred fare, and zero-waste cooking.

Wayan Kresna Yasa is a Balinese chef born on the island of Nusa Penida, off Baliʼs east coast. He trained and worked in the US for six years, sharpening his cooking skills in Michelin-rated kitchens such as Blue Hill Stone Barns in New York and Acadia in Chicago. His signature cooking style is Modern Balinese, marrying classical French cooking technique with the complex flavor profiles of his Southeast Asia island home. In Bali, Chef Wayan is known for the deftness of his cooking, his deep respect for the environment and his drive to put the flavors from his homeland on the global culinary map. As the Global Executive Chef and Culinary Director for Potato Head, Wayan opened Ijen, a zero-waste sustainable seafood restaurant,- Kaum, a venue known for its revival of rare Indonesian tribal recipes,- and Tanaman, a plant-based project which was listed as one of the best new restaurants in the world by Condé Nast Traveller in June 2020. His cookbook, Paon: Real Balinese Cooking, was released in Summer 2022.

Melbourne-born Janet DeNeefe, Founder & Director of the Ubud Food Festival and Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, has lived in Bali for more than three decades. Her latest book is Bali: Food of My Island Home, following her memoir Fragrant Rice. She is also the owner of Casa Luna, Indus Restaurant, and Honeymoon Guesthouse and Bakery in Ubud.

Other events with Chef Wayan during UWRF Perth include:
A Taste of Paon - a very special Literary Lunch featuring a 3-course meal prepared by Chef Wayan, fine wines by Plantagenet and words from award-wining authors Jennifer Down and Josephine Wilson.
Cooking With Wayan - an exclusive opportunity to learn from one of the best chefs in the world today.

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Doors: 2:55 pm
Start: 3:00 pm
Show Duration: 45 min
Entrance: Main Entrance located on William St.
Age Suitability: 18+
Content Warning: N/A
Accessibility: Please contact [email protected] for any accessibility enquiries.