Some meals have a way of transporting you home, not through exact replication, but through a feeling—of warmth, of familiarity, of something deeply personal. It is this sentiment that Kindling, a fine dining establishment in Cikini, seeks to evoke. Though the setting is elegant, the experience is designed to mirror a visit to a friend’s house, where the journey through the evening unfolds gradually, moving from one intimate space to another.
“When you go to your friend’s house, or you go to your grandfather’s house, you always hang out in the living room first,” says Chef and Owner of Kindling, Vallian Gunawan. “And then you dine together, and after that, the kids will hang out.”
Opened in December 2024, Kindling is housed in a refurbished 1900s home once owned by the Kasoem family, who were the founders of Indonesia’s optical industry. The interior is left unchanged, preserving the historical ambiance along with the added experience of today’s dining experience that smoothly transitions within. The three areas of the restaurant are separated into The Living Room, where the customers are greeted by amuse-bouches; The Dining Room, where the menu is uncovered course by course; and The Library, where petit fours wind down the evening. It is a deferential progression that copies the sequence of a warm get-together.
“Kindling is a fine dining restaurant where we do French cuisine, but with a lot of input and influences from Asia—Southeast Asia, East Asia, and a little bit of everything,” says Chef Vallian. “It’s influenced by the region where we live.” The concept is rooted in familiarity, drawing inspiration from the way Indonesians gather at home. “When you visit a friend’s house, you start in the living room, share snacks, then move to the dining table for a meal. Afterward, you linger, chat, and enjoy dessert. That’s the journey we want to recreate here.”
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Chef Vallian’s path to Kindling is as rich and layered as the dishes he creates. Born in Medan, he grew up surrounded by the rich flavors of Chinese-Indonesian dishes and street foods of the city. He moved to Singapore when he was 15 years old, where he was exposed to a wider universe of foods. His career took him through some of Asia’s most celebrated kitchens, including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Saint Pierre, and Odette in Singapore, and Seasons Restaurant in Hong Kong. He later honed his craft in Bali, where he was the chef at Aperitif Restaurant and opened SKOOL Kitchen.
“The inspiration for Kindling comes from wanting to do something that reflects everything I’ve been trained to do,” he explains. “All the places I’ve worked, all the techniques I’ve learned—I wanted to bring it all together in one venue. It’s also about training the team and contributing to Jakarta’s dining scene. The goal is to create something special and make our guests feel good.”
When asked to describe his food in one word, Chef Vallian does not hesitate: “Familiarity.” He adds, “I want to know what I’m eating. If it’s chicken, it should taste like chicken. If it’s veal, it should taste like veal.” This is the principle behind all the dishes he creates, bringing together precision with approachability.
Throughout the meal, Kindling’s menu weaves together refined flavors with a hint of nostalgia. The Kombujime Hamachi, served with jicama and ginger flower sauce, is a fresh, crisp start, and the second course is a reference to Kindling’s name, the Crab Custard is a dish that holds a special place in the chef’s career, it is a refined take on a childhood memory.
“I think the Crab Custard reflects me the most,” says Chef Vallian. “It’s a dish I learned to make early in my career. Here, we do a savory version with black moss and crab roe, which gives it a texture similar to shark’s fin soup—but without the animal cruelty.”
“When I was a kid, we’d go to weddings and eat dishes like shark’s fin soup. That gelatinous texture stayed with me. At Kindling, we’ve evolved that memory into something new, using different techniques and ingredients. It’s reflective of what we do here: taking something we love and interpreting it in a way we can share with our guests.”
At the heart of Kindling’s menu is a delicate balance between French technique and Asian flavors. “Every single thing we cook predominantly uses French techniques,” he explains. “Even though we have incorporated Chinese and Japanese styles into it, the identity remains.”
As the meal unfolds through the evening, the dishes become more exciting, with bold flavoring and diverse textures that intrigue each bite. The Slow-Roasted Duck, served with nectarine, tamarillo, and red rice lees, is silky textured and deeply flavored, complemented by the crisp sweetness of the fruits and the earthy richness of the red rice lees. Even the Glazed Brioche, served with cultured butter, is a surprise—its light airy texture and delicate orange touch are a delight without overpowering the palate.
Another highlighted dish is the ‘Paofan’, a rice course made from a mix of Japanese rice and Thai rice, topped with fish maw and black winter truffle. It has an added crunchy texture with crumbs.
Our dining experience concluded in The Library, where we transition from the formal courses of the Dining Room to something more relaxed. Here, the evening ended with a tasting of petit fours with a brown butter madeleine, pineapple choux, sour plum pâte de fruit, and a hazelnut bonbon. The mood and final bites are all about highlighting what Kindling is working towards: not just a meal, but an impression, one that remains long after you leave.
Kindling
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Jl. Cikini Raya No.20, Cikini, Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia 10330
