Bali Culinary Professionals Updates on Activities For 2007

BALI CULINARY PROFESSIONALS (BCP) has announced its new membership for 2007/2008 and updates on its various activities in Bali and internationally can be viewed on the website www.balichefs.com. This year, many previous members have renewed their memberships as well as more new members signing up. With more than 120 members registered, it has increased from last year. In line with its mission to support its members in Bali, BCP will conduct various activities and open training opportunities locally, regionally and internationally. These activities are expected to bring local and international chefs in Bali and Indonesia closer together for development and the exchange of knowledge.

In May, coinciding with the welcoming of the new members of 2007/2008, a monthly gathering will be held at the Bali Tree Top for fun climbing exercise combined with lunch at the Big Tree Farm in Bedugul for outbound activities. This will include a presentation and visit to a processing and packaging plant, and learning about sea salt and honey production. The following month will bring an educational presentation on Tasmanian Salmon, to be held at the Laguna Resort & Spa.

Another major event in Bali endorsed and supported by Bali Culinary Professional Association is the Bali Dining Festival August 2007 "Cuisines from the world, the ultimate dining experience in Asia". This festival is part of an overall program to promote Bali as the most exciting and most comprehensive destination in Asia, an experience that includes dining as one of the strongest assets of the island, and will also be supported by Bali Hotel Associations and sponsored by HSBC.

BCP will also hold its own well-known annual gala dinner in October 2007, where preparations are currently underway for this major culinary event. Inviting spectacular chefs and introducing famed foreign and local chefs from all over Bali as well as inviting guest chefs from overseas, attendees will take a culinary journey through tasteful dishes prepared and shown live on camera during the dinner.

"Last year's event was a sell out. We allocated part of the ticket sales profits to culinary scholarships for 4 students from the Institute of Tourism Bali. We are looking to do the same for this year," explains Markus Krickelberg, president of BCP.

While overseas, in line with its mission to improve professional standards of chefs and expose them internationally, BCP will be sending local chefs to participate in the Asian regional finals in Hong Kong with the world finals to take place during the WACS biannual world congress held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2008. A prominent member of BCP, Balinese chef Made Putra and his assistant Nyoman Nuarta from the Laguna Resort & Spa have been appointed as World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Indonesia representatives to enter the Global Chefs challenge finals.

www.balichefs.com

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Head for Bali's Beaches!

THE 1st ASIAN BEACH GAMES will be held in Bali, Indonesia from October 18, 2008 to October 26, 2008. Asian Beach Games is an international beach sports competition to be held every four years and is co-sanctioned by OCA (Olympic Council of Asia). During the 46th OCA Executive Board Meeting in Ashagabat, Turkmenistan on 3 August 2006, Indonesia was appointed the host of the first Asian Beach Games 2008.

Bali, as one of the most beautiful islands in the world with its famous beaches and tourism sites, will host 13 categories of sports events: Beach Handball, Beach Soccer, Beach Takraw, Beach Volleyball, Body Building, Dragon Boat, Jetski Sport, Marathon Swimming, Paragliding, Wind Surfing, Surfing, a Triathlon, and a unique game known as Woodball.

www.bali2008.com

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Monte Swims to Fight Child Hunger Again

IN MAY, American humanitarian swimmer Monte Monfore achieved another world first swimming from Lombok to Gili Tranwangan. His 7-kilometer Lombok Fight Hunger Swim was part of a global World Food Program (WFP) campaign supporting hungry school children.

Prior to his predawn start, the 46-year-old Bali resident spoke about the goal of the WFP and the United Nations Millennium Campaign to end child hunger by 2015. In a pre-swim announcement the Californian endurance athlete said, "This swim is to give a voice to the world's hungry, especially hungry children."

Following his two-hour 10-minute swim Monte spoke passionately to the media, "The statistics on hunger are shocking. Every 5 seconds somewhere in the world a child dies because of lack of food. This means in the two-and-a-half hours I swam roughly 2,000 children died. And while you slept last night another 6,000 children died. Every year 6 million children die of hunger. But something can be done about this tragedy. For only 19 cents a day children can be provided nutritious meals with the WFP 'Global School Feeding Program'. And $US34 will feed a child for an entire school year. I ask everyone to please donate generously. You can make a difference at www.fighthunger.org."

Nearly every Indonesian TV station attended the Lombok Fight Hunger Swim. Event footage was sent to broadcasters worldwide by Reuters Television. This was Monte's fourth United Nations-related swim in the past year. His swimming supports Bali-based Advice for Life Orphanage and Bali Community Cares.

Continuing his series of endurance swims in support of the UN Millennium Campaign, later this year the marathon swimmer plans an Environmental Sustainability/Anti-Global Warming Swim, and an HIV/AIDS Awareness Swim supporting the Bali Community Cares organization for children of HIV/AIDS patients. Donate to hungry children and watch swim video at www.monteswimmer.com. Bali & Beyond is pleased to support Monte's swimming and humanitarian efforts.

www.monteswimmer.com
(Photos by Erik Wijaya)

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Get Ready to Thump

DUE TO SPECIAL KUNINGAN holiday in Bali that falls on July 7, the Oakley Thump Pro Surfing Event 2007 moves to July 13-14, but will be held at the same venue, Bingin Beach.

www.isctour.com

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Bali 10K

ON SUNDAY 12 August 2007, Bali will be in the global spotlight as ten thousand runners from throughout Indonesia and the world assemble on the Paradise Isle for the Bali 10K.

Bali packs an incredible amount of diversity into a small area. In one day, a visitor can witness enough exotic cultural performances and participate in thrilling adventure activities to provide memories for a lifetime, and still return to the beach in time for a sunset cocktail and a nap before a gourmet dinner and a night on the town.

Despite a reputation as a raucous surfer hangout, the Kuta area is actually the most cosmopolitan region in Bali where exclusive boutique hotels nestle cheek-by-jowl with budget hotels and home stays. Sanur is an adult version of Kuta, a mix of luxurious beachside resorts and budget hotels with an equally wide range of restaurants, from beachside barbeques to fine dining.

This region in the foothills of Bali's central mountain range is both a major tourist destination and a vibrant center of traditional art, music, and dance. Though the main streets are an unbroken string of restaurants and galleries, a few steps down any alleyway neighborhood brings the visitor into a traditional Balinese village, while a few more strides will unveil a rural landscape of stunning beauty.

Bali's sees its share of dedicated runners at all times of the year, not only race day. The Paradise Island offers a number of excellent and enjoyable running environments, including along the hard-packed sand of Kuta, the five-kilometer pedestrian esplanade at Sanur, the shaded lanes and rice field paths around Ubud, and the cool lakeside trails and demanding hills in the Kintamani and Bedugul highlands.

www.bali10k.com

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Delectable Duck

THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST, Golden Lotus Chinese Restaurant features a special traditional Chinese dish that has history and culture dating back to the Yuan Dynasty.

Peking Roast Duck is the famed dish from Beijing, mostly prized for its thin, crispy skin and lean meat. Golden Lotus Chefs make three dishes out of one duck. The first dish consists of thin slices of skin served with Mandarin pancakes and green onions and hoi sin sauce, followed by shredded duck meat fried with black pepper sauce and a duck bone and vegetable soup.

Peking Duck can be traced as far back as the early 15th century when it had become one of the favorite dishes of the imperial Ming family. Peking Duck can now be enjoyed all over the world and the real taste can be found at the Golden Lotus Chinese Restaurant of the Bali Dynasty Resort.

The special price until the end of August is Rp. 365,000, subject to tax and service charge, and is enough to satisfy 4 diners. The Golden Lotus serves many Chinese dishes, from traditional to home-style dishes. The elegant and sophisticated Chinese restaurant offers fine Cantonese and Szechwan cuisine and Dim Sum. The delightful atmosphere of private rooms compliments business gatherings or special occasions.

The Golden Lotus is open 7 days a week with lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm and dinner from 6:00pm to 10:00 pm. Wednesday evenings highlight a special Chinese Buffet dinner "One Night in Shanghai" at Rp. 110,000 nett per person. Sundays feature a spectacular Dim Sum Buffet.

The Golden Lotus also features its Chopstick Membership Club, where in order to gain membership you need to dine six times within a three month period and you will receive a complimentary membership, designed to recognize and reward regular and loyal costumers. Benefits include a 20% discount off food, a personalized pair of silver chopsticks, and invitations to special events and tastings.

Bali Dynasty Resort
Jl Kartika, Tuban, South Kuta, (0361) 752-403
www.balidynasty.com

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New Title Sponsor for Bali Open

THE WISMILAK INTERNATIONAL will be renamed this year as the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic, reflecting a new sponsorship deal with one of Australia's leading financial institutions.

"After thirteen wonderful years with Wismilak International, we have seen the tournament grow from strength to strength; it is expected to reach even greater heights this year. Wismilak International will still remain as a major co-sponsor," expressed tournament director Kevin Livesey.

The tournament will retain the same staff and volunteers who have helped make the tournament the leading women's tennis event in South East Asia, and the tournament has once again attracted many of the world's leading players. Main draw matches begin on September 10 and continue through to September 16.

The first batch of top players confirmed to enter the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic 2007 include: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic, Nadia Petrova, Patty Schnyder, Francesca Schiavone, Daniela Hantuchova, Tatiana Golovin, Flavia Pennetta and Jie Zheng.

Throughout the next few months the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic will continue to announce more players as they confirm their participation in one of the most popular tournaments on the worldwide Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

The tournament will not only showcase professional tennis on the courts in Nusa Dua but also allow the players to discover Bali's charm through various off-court activities. For the tennis fans there are activities from an SMS competition with various grand prizes to the chance of being up close with their favorite tennis stars.

www.bali-wtatour.com

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Westin Bali Appoints New EAM

THE WESTIN RESORT, Nusa Dua, Bali, is delighted to announce the appointment of Dario Orsini as Executive Assistant Manager. Dario will take responsibility for the daily operations of the resort in general, which includes the Bali International Convention Centre.

Born in Naples, Italy, Dario is a Catering and Hotel Management graduate of the Instituto Professionale Alberghiero di Stato Ippolito. Fluent in 4 languages, Dario began his international career at a reputable Italian restaurant in Germany. In the ensuing years he gradually worked his way through the hierarchy of the hospitality industry by accepting positions that gave him the opportunity to work in different destinations all over the world.
As a seasoned professional with a comprehensive background in Food & Beverage, Dario will bring a wealth of experience to his position in Bali, having held several strategic roles within the Starwood Hotels & Resorts international chain. His most recent position was as Executive Assistant Manager i/c Food and Beverage for the Sheraton Imperial, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"Dario will certainly be a great asset to the team at The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali," stated General Manager Jan Bundgaard. "His 20 years of experience in hotel operations around the world has given him a solid understanding of guest expectations and how to deliver them, and with Dario's unique extroverted and communicative style, Westin Bali is sure to benefit," he added.

As the only Westin brand hotel in Indonesia, The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, is located within an exclusive enclave on Bali's southern peninsula and offers 350 modern luxury guestrooms, family studios and suites with touches of Balinese hospitality.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit

The Westin Resort, Bali
Nusa Dua, (0361) 771-906
www.starwoodhotels.com

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Conrad Bali Resort & Spa Earns Top Environmental Certification

CONRAD BALI RESORT & SPA achieved Green Globe Certified status under the Global Certification Program to recognize their commitment to operating at the world's highest environment standards.

Prior to achieving certification, Conrad Bali successfully benchmarked against key environmental indicators including energy and water consumption, total waste production and community commitment.

Conrad Bali chose to further demonstrate their commitment to environmentally sustainable tourism by undertaking Certification, the final and highest level of the Green Globe program. The certification process involves an onsite audit by an independent third party Green Globe Accredited Assessor. Once certification was successfully completed, the resort demonstrated strong commitment to the Green Globe Company Standard.

Green Globe is the worldwide benchmarking certification and improvement system assisting the international travel and tourism industry to attain sustainability. Green Globe provides a certification system that responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including the greenhouse effect, over-use of freshwater resources and the destruction of biodiversity.

Jason Keating, Marketing Executive of Green Globe Asia Pacific says: "I am delighted that Conrad Bali Resort & Spa has achieved certified status. Conrad Bali is a prime example of being committed to environmentally sustainable tourism. They have demonstrated through a variety of initiatives that the business and its employees can make a difference by reducing their environmental impact. The commitment they have shown by participating in the Green Globe program and their achievements has set an example for other businesses to follow"

Secluded on 6.8 hectares of tropical gardens and lagoons with cascading waterfalls, the resort is complete with a 350-meter stretch of beach. Conrad Bali Resort & Spa reflects a contemporary style and timeless tradition, designed with a wide range of fine accommodations and panoramic views over the Indian Ocean, a 33-meter infinity pool, lagoon pool, children's facilities and the latest technology and services facilities. A fully equipped conference center and a variety of events and wedding venues including Infinity are available. In addition, the resort provides a well being complex encompassing 12 treatment rooms in the award winning Jiwa Spa, 25-metre spa swimming pool, fitness club, and 2 floodlit tennis courts. The Club Lounge provides an exclusive service for the discerning guest. An excellent choice of three award winning restaurants and two bars are available.

Conrad Bali Resort & Spa
Jl Pratama Raya 168, Tanjung Benoa, (0361) 778-788
www.bali.conradmeetings.com

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The Oberoi Wedding Venues Launched

PIERRE BERCLAZ, General Manager of The Oberoi Bali, greeted participants of the tourism media, wedding organizing businesses, and travel agents with a welcoming speech as the resort unveiled its new wedding venue options and romantic dinner setup on the resort's beachfront.

Set on an uninterrupted stretch of beach on Bali's southwestern coast, The Oberoi, Bali is an ideal location for weddings, commitment ceremonies, or the renewal of vows. A specialized team helps arrange every detail and a choice of pre-arranged packages eases organizing a wedding in paradise.

Accommodation choices include luxury pool villas and lanais designed in the style of a traditional Balinese village and set in 15 acres of tropical gardens. Receptions or parties are matched with food and beverage options. Suitable for small and medium sized groups.

The Oberoi Bali
(0361) 730-361
www.oberoihotels.com

Blossoming Beauty

A NEW LINE of highly sophisticated spa products under the Colorado-based brand Shankara has arrived in Bali. A Sanskrit word meaning “pure beauty with fully blossomed consciousness”, Shankara combines advanced western science with traditional Eastern Ayurvedic philosophy to create a thorough skincare system.

Fifty four retail products are all alchemical blends of bases of organic herbs and oils formulated therape utically to balance varied skin conditions.

The West-East blended concept is described in the lotus-rose logo, mirroring the desire of global customers to acquire scientifically-proven anti-aging products in the time-honored Eastern treatment tradition. Going natural is the essential quality of this product, marketed exclusively in Asia from Bali after its successful venture on American soil.

For product details contact Rinku Hiranandani
(021) 712-721-12, 081-290-704-12
www.shankara.com

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