Bayu Pranata

Bayu Pranata was born and raised in Jimbaran — the fishing village on Bali's southwest coast that built its entire identity around seafood grilled over coconut charcoal. Before he ever worked in a professional kitchen, Bayu spent his formative years around the beachside warungs that made Jimbaran famous, absorbing the rhythms of live-fire cooking from people who had been doing it for generations.

That foundation gave Bayu something formal culinary training rarely produces: an instinct for heat. He reads fire the way most chefs read a timer — by sight, sound, and smell. A wagyu rump needs three minutes per side over indirect heat. A whole snapper needs to come off before the skin splits. A lobster tail wants a basting brush every 45 seconds. Bayu manages all of this simultaneously, across multiple grill stations, without written notes or printed checklists.

He joined myCHEF to bring that skill set into villa settings — specifically the large-group poolside BBQs that became one of the most booked experience types in Bali as villa rentals grew. Bayu now leads grill events from Seminyak to Nusa Dua and regularly serves groups of 30, 50, even 80 guests for celebrations that run poolside from sunset into the night.

His menus blend international grill technique with Indonesian tradition. A Bayu Pranata event might open with satay, move through wagyu striploin and grilled lobster, and land on a whole pig or babi guling as the centrepiece. It's the kind of cooking that works for every table — from food-obsessed guests who want the perfect char on their steak, to families who just want something generous, fragrant, and unforgettable.