If you have been to Plaza Senayan and Pondok Indah Mall in Jakarta, chances are you've been to Monolog; the cafe-cum-all-day-dining popular among Indonesian customers and expatriates. We meet the chef, Takashi Iwasawa, and Director, Evie Karsoho to discuss the ins and outs of their successful restaurant.
Chief Iwasawa, you have lived in Indonesia for over 18 years. Can you share your story of how you ended up living and working here
Chef Iwasawa : I am eager to see the world. I came to Indonesia back in '97 to challenge myself and see how I could support life in a foreign country. Jakarta turned to be my home away from home. Before joining Monolog I worked in several restaurants including Italian, Thai / Vietnamese, Korean barbecue, Indonesian, and Japanese fusion.
You are currently the chef at Monolog, a popular café and restaurant with two branches in Jakarta. Can you explain the concept of the restaurant for us
Evie : Monolog your neighborhood café / diner all day. Over the years Monolog served as a focal point for guests to enjoy great coffee and comfort food in a comfortable and creative environment where you can fall on your good friends, family, and most likely, make new friends.
Whether customers are looking for a hearty breakfast to start the day or coffee blend hot house beer and tea in the afternoon - or even tasty cocktails (PIM branch only) come to bed sun - Monolog has a widely varied menu to suit all.
Monolog is tied with cafes in Melbourne, London and Seattle. Why was it important for your team to bring this concept to Jakarta
Evie : We were inspired by the opening, familiarity, and of course the quality of some cafes worldwide. Being in a country that is one of the largest coffee producing regions, we feel like we have the responsibility to translate and showcase what we are capable in Indonesia.
The owner of Monolog, Christoph Darjanto, was a finalist in Indonesia Barista Competition in 2011. What does it take to really understand the coffee and offer the best cup every time?
Evie: We believe in three simple things to serve a great cup of coffee; love, passion and quality. We love our coffee, and that's why we always look for the best quality grain, roasted or even in its raw form.
However, large beans can result in large cups through the passionate and careful preparation, which is why the Monolog coffee we always train our baristas continuously. This way we can feed their passion and love for coffee and we can serve great coffee of consistent quality.
Chief Iwasawa: I try to understand the local loop and make sure that the ingredients we use are always fresh. Periodically, Evie and I discuss our menu and make tastings; We try not to limit ourselves to some kitchens in the menu creation process. We are inspired by the menus worldwide.
What do you think is the secret of success of Monolog
Evie I'll give you the most cliché answer: we love what we do. It always makes our day when we see that smile and nod in the faces of our bosses when they take that sip of cappuccino or a bite of the Monte Cristo sandwich. We take seriously the feedback, whether it comes from our customers or our own team. We then evaluate and take action on improving.
Chef Iwasawa :. A strong team
Your staff is very efficient. What kind of training do your employees undergo
Chief Iwasawa:. We make a regular training on our menu to maintain consistent quality and we work with a system
Evie We have a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for our operational team and we revisit and recycle our team on a regular basis according to the SOP. In the hospitality industry, you are faced with different types of people with different types of media every day, so flexibility and emotional intelligence is required. We encourage our team to articulate their minds and use their skills and knowledge to solve problems.
Chief Iwasawa, have you integrated all Japanese tastes in the
Head of Iwasawa A little, not much - can -be more about food preparation techniques? rather than taste.
As head of a busy restaurant in Jakarta, what are the obstacles you face and how you treat these
Chief Iwasawa: because of the cultural and language differences, I had some communication problems with people, which sometimes led to a lack of communication. This is very important, especially in the kitchen, where everything is fast and the attention to detail is required. So I try to self-introspection, adapt and continue to try to build a strong team. With open communication and optimism, we now have a good team.
Indonesia seems to enter the "revolution of organic food. Do Monolog also store organic products and if so, where you are the source of
Head of Iwasawa We try to use local products / produce as as possible, but not necessarily organic. We work very closely with our suppliers to get fresh produce and ingredients available on the market.
Where are your customers mainly from and how many clients you turnover a day
Evie We have a customer diverse in Australia, Japan, countries of South Asia, USA, European countries, and more. We love the diversity here. He keeps us up to the challenge in delivering service excellence. We turnover roughly 300 customers daily.
Does PT Gastronomica have plans to open a third branch, perhaps outside Jakarta? What are the future plans of the company
Evie Certainly. When and where, we do not know yet. But we will know for sure
How is it different Indonesian dinner of the Australian dinner, for example,
Chef Iwasawa :? Menu wise, Monolog here, we play around and try to be creative with our menu. We try to incorporate local flavors in our menu, using spices and local ingredients.
What is the most difficult ingredient to obtain in Indonesia
Chief Iwasawa:. Believe it or not, fresh seafood
Do you have any upcoming events
Evie: Yes, we have the local table Saturday, December 5 10am Pondok Indah our branch. We will turn our gourmet coffee in a playground. Chef Japanese fusion Iwasawa will be bringing our guests with a five-course brunch menu, using only ingredients found in the local markets. The music will be performed by KIMA!, A "band of the 90s hip-hop and R & B cover, and we will have well known hosts such as Febrian singer and celebrity chef, Yuda Bustara.
Besides your own restaurant, where is your favorite place to dine in Jakarta
Head of Iwasawa Most of the time I eat at home. I enjoy the food in Garcon and Olivier.
Thank you, both. To contact, please email: people@monolog-coffee.com
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Monolog
Plaza Senayan CP 101 B, Palm Gateway
Jl Asia Afrika No. 8. - Jakarta 10270
P 6221 572 5144
Street Gallery 1st floor No. 101 B Pondok Indah Mall 1
Jl Metro Pondok Indah. - Jakarta 12310
P 6221 2952 9775