Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah’s south-east Asian restaurant, Lao, has welcomed a new chef de cuisine, Bayu Fidiyanto, from Surabaya on the island of Java, Indonesia.

Rounding out the current flavour-packed menu of the most famous dishes from Vietnam and Thailand, chef Bayu will bring his favourites from the 17,000 culturally diverse islands that make up his home country.

Growing up as the eldest sibling, Bayu first became interested in cooking while helping his mother prepare meals for the family.

After winning an elementary school cooking competition with his Nasi Goreng, he knew being a chef was his calling.

He studied hospitality and tourism and rose through the culinary ranks of working in a cold kitchen, butchery, main kitchen and then international kitchens.

His most recent roles as chef de cuisine at various Asian restaurants in the Middle East has prepared him for this next chapter in his career.

Diners can look forward to chef Bayu creations with all fresh ingredients and prepared in the traditional way, such as his slow-cooked Beef Randang layered with aromatic spices giving the dish incredible depth of flavour.

To celebrate the expansion of Lao’s menu to include Indonesian classics, the restaurant is offering the Indonesian Expedition promotion through the end of November.