Chef François
A Little Corner of France in Seminyak
Being French in Bali occasionally comes with a very specific kind of homesickness. Not for Parisian traffic or grey February mornings, thankfully, but for the things France has made almost impossible to forget: good cheese, charcuterie, homemade jam, a proper tart, a pâté that actually tastes like pâté, or simply a sandwich that reminds you what a sandwich is supposed to be.
When that particular nostalgia starts creeping in, everyone needs a refuge. Mine is Chef François Store, on Jalan Raya Basangkasa in Seminyak. It has become my little corner of France in Bali: shelves filled with familiar flavours, French delicacies and things you suddenly realise you have been missing far more than you thought. There is even a tiny terrace outside with just a handful of tables, where I sometimes stop for lunch and order one of those wonderfully simple sandwiches that, for some mysterious reason, seem much easier to find in Paris than almost anywhere else.
Chef François Masson is himself from Lyon, arguably the most food-obsessed city in an already food-obsessed country. Trained there as a chef, he spent around twenty years working in restaurants across France, England, Italy, the United States, Denmark and Indonesia before running restaurants in Bali and eventually developing his own line of traditional French products. Today, the shelves range from foie gras, terrines and rillettes to soups, sauces and classics such as boeuf bourguignon or blanquette de veau. It feels less like a delicatessen engineered for expatriates than the pantry of a French chef who happens to live in Bali. (Take a Chef)
And then comes coffee.
A little further along the same street is Bali Nougat, Chef François’ sweeter sibling. The shop describes itself as Bali’s first homemade nougat maker, and this is where the French detour becomes considerably more dangerous for anyone with a weakness for sugar. Traditional almond, hazelnut and pistachio nougat sits alongside decidedly more tropical variations such as coco-pandan, as well as fruity, chocolate and Pink Velvet versions. They come as bars, small bites and gift packs, which makes the place particularly useful when you want to arrive somewhere with a present that is both local and slightly unexpected. (Facebook)
So my ritual is simple: France at number 38, coffee and nougat a little further down the road at number 15. Bali is still outside, hot, chaotic and unmistakably tropical. But for an hour or so, Basangkasa can feel remarkably close to home.
The Address
Chef François Store
Jl. Raya Basangkasa No. 38
Seminyak, Kuta
Badung, Bali 80361
Indonesia (Maptons AI)
Price
$$ — Moderate
Expect roughly IDR 75K–200K depending on whether you stop for a sandwich or start filling a bag with terrines, jars and French delicacies. Current listed products around Bali Nougat / Chef François range from small nougat around IDR 20K up to jars and larger artisanal products around IDR 150K+.
Also nearby
Bali Nougat by Chef François
Jl. Raya Basangkasa No. 15
Seminyak, Kuta
Badung, Bali 80361
Indonesia
Go for
French deli products, terrines, foie gras, homemade preparations and lunch.
Bring home
A jar from Chef François and a box of nougat for someone you like.
Recommendation
Don’t rush it. Sit outside, have the sandwich, then walk down Basangkasa for coffee and something sweet.
