Melbourne man opens ‘Chin Chin’ style eatery in foodie hotpot Petitenget, near Seminyak
One thing spurred this Melbourne expat to trade in his day job and open a new eatery in Bali this year — and he’s not the only Victorian export making waves on the trendy Indonesian island. This is how they did it.
Lifestyle
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A lack of decent-tasting coffee in Bali was enough for Melbourne-born Josh Herdman to trade his London advertising job for island life about 10 years ago.
Since 2009, Herdman’s all-day eatery Sea Circus has been churning out lattes in an area that’s now known as Bali’s foodie hot spot — Petitenget.
Herdman, 41, and business partner Charlotte Hunton took a chance when they opened Sea Circus on Jalan Kayu Aya, near Jalan Petitenget which winds through the strip just north of bustling Seminyak, on the island’s west coast.
At the time everyone was opening restaurants and cafes closer to touristy Kuta, but Herdman liked the area, and suspected the public interest would soon shift.
The Melbourne expat also owns retail outlet Bali Boat Shed and all-day eatery Neon Palms upstairs.
Josh grew up in Hawthorn and worked in finance before moving to the United Kingdom with his girlfriend for an advertising gig.
When they eventually grew tired of the corporate world, the opportunity to move to Bali seemed right as they’d both previously worked in hospitality.
But relocating their lives to the other side of the world didn’t come easy.
“It was very different (in Bali) back then. The biggest challenge was having less people around to give you advice,” he said.
Josh not only had to learn how to run a business, but how to run a venue in Bali while respecting local custom.
Fortunately he found commune with other Aussies working in hospitality on the island.
“A lot of Aussies were over from the east coast of Australia, and a lot from Adelaide.”
“There’s always been an influx of Australians and they give a lot back to the area.”
Herdman is this year looking to open a new restaurant in Petitenget — an Asian eatery inspired by Melbourne’s Supernormal and Chin Chin.
“Coming from Melbourne, I want to create venues with a food and drink offering worthy of my home town,” he says.
Herdman and fellow Melbourne expat Adam McAsey are among the Aussies opening venues in Petitenget.
McAsey owns 8 Degree Projects that’s behind Bali favourites Sisterfields, BO$$MAN burgers, Bikini, Sibling and Fika.
He grew up in Rowville and moved to Bali to open restaurants at 24.
“Looking back, I was quite naive at 24 … I was running by the seat of my pants really,” he says.
“The food and beverage industry was quite lucrative in Bali at the time.”
Last year the 33-year-old opened cafe Fika and this year he’s planning to open pan-Asian restaurant Pink Lao also in Petitenget.
McAsey says more restaurant and cafes opening in Petitenget could shift tourists’ attention away from on-trend Canggu.
“The street is geared to make a massive comeback and for Seminyak to dominate the dining industry once again,” he says.
Herdman says new restaurants often influenced the development of new accommodation in Bali, which explains a boom in new hotels around Petitenget.
“They say the restaurants come and then the beds follow,” he says.
“When Seminyak was the restaurant capital, Legian provided the beds. Now Petitenget is supplying the restaurants and Seminyak, the beds.”
Beach club Potato Head recently opened a new 168 room hotel Potato Head Studios geared towards wellness, joining Potato Head’s established Katamana Suites at Desa Potato Head.
Hotels W Bali Seminyak, The Legian and the Alila already call Petitenget home.
“Just because the area has five star hotels in the street, doesn’t mean (guests) will eat there,” Josh says.
“I couldn’t afford a beach view, but could afford a place (for a restaurant) on the street nearby.”
On the food front, Petitenget’s eat street begins at Jalan Kerobokan and includes restaurants like Mama San, Motel Mexicola, Bambu, Sarong and cafes Baby Revolver Espresso and Sisterfields, and extends as far down as restaurant/bar Ku De Ta.
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Herdman is looking at developing his new pan-Asian eatery further in the New Year.
“Not many people are doing Asian-fusion out here, I want this experience to be more fun and casual,” he says.
“I really like this area and while there’s options to diversify in Uluwatu (southern Bali), I like having my venues close together. Petitenget still has the capacity to grow.”