August in Jakarta: This Award Will Help Put Jakarta On The Gastronomic Map

August in Jakarta, Indonesia is the 2023 recipient of the coveted Asia’s Best Restaurants One To Watch Award.

August in Jakarta Wins Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants‘ Coveted American Express One To Watch.

Hans Christian and Budi Cahyadi’s year-old restaurant is recognised as a rising star for its elegant and innovative Indonesia-influenced contemporary cuisine.

August Restaurant in Jakarta, Indonesia is the 2023 recipient of the coveted American Express One To Watch Award. This award is determined by the organisers of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in collaboration with their regional advisers, and given to a rising star restaurant that demonstrates the potential to break into the main Asia ranking in future years. August Restaurant was launched in November 2021 and is helmed by chef and co-owner Hans Christian and managing partner Budi Cahyadi.

Buoyed by the success of the duo’s pandemic-fuelled former private dining venture, which garnered a loyal following of local gastronomes, the restaurant’s launch earned critical acclaim. In a short span, it has made waves in Jakarta’s dining landscape with its own brand of cuisine that boasts respectful inclusion of Indonesian elements with additional fine dining flair.

The August Restaurant experience is contemporary and elegant, with conscious efforts made towards creating an inviting space.

The intimate 50-seat restaurant in Jakarta’s business district features warm lighting and earthy colours. An open kitchen, along with bookshelves lined with the team’s personal collection, help create an immersive and cosy dining experience.

William Drew, Director of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “August’s success in such a short space of time is evidence of its commitment to excellence, backed by culinary skill and a deep sense of hospitality. We congratulate Chef Hans, Budi and the entire team on the positive impact they have had on Jakarta’s dining scene. We have no doubt they will go on to fly the flag for Indonesia and the wider region.”

In response to August winning the award, chef and co-owner Hans Christian says: “Jakarta is generally known as a business destination, rarely as a culinary destination. We believe that this award will help put Jakarta on the map and show that there is so much that this city can offer to the global culinary scene. This recognition means a great deal to me, Budi and the August family. We don’t see this as just an award – it also signals a huge responsibility for us to work harder and push our craft even further. The team has never been more motivated and driven.”

Apart from being the founding duo’s birth month, August is also named to convey the restaurant’s belief in ‘respect’, a theme that the team translates into both their personable service and the cuisine they present. Tasting menus at August reflect Chef Christian’s years of experience in fine-dining kitchens such as Yono’s (Albany, NY), Next (Chicago) and VIEW (Jakarta), while incorporating Indonesian and broader Asian touches as an homage to the local land and its roots.

With sustainability at the fore, core ingredients include seasonal line-caught fish from the waters around Bali and Lombok; vegetables from farms in Lembang, near Bandung; fresh vanilla pods from Sukabumi and 100% Indonesian cocoa in desserts.

This approach is evident in dishes such as James & Jen’s Fresh Egg, where fresh eggs from James & Jen’s Farm in Bogor, Indonesia are the heroes: slow cooked at 65 degrees, these are served with bacon marmalade, sautéed Japanese spinach and a sauce made from roasted chicken bones. Nostalgic Indonesian influences can also be seen in Breakfast from Mom, a nod to the chef’s childhood breakfasts of rice with ‘lap cheong’ sausage omelette, reinvented as a snack of crispy rice cake, chicken lap cheong and an egg sauce.

Christian and Cahyadi are both Indonesian natives and graduates in culinary arts and hospitality management, with a complementary mix of F&B experiences under their belts. Cahyadi brings years of operational know-how to the table, while Chef Christian is already regarded as one of the city’s leading young chefs. It is their combined experiences and common ethos that is reflected in the stellar dining experience at August.