Kori Restaurant

In 1992 we bought a large rambling house in Kuta originally built by an expatriate in 1987, and after renting it out for a few years decided in 1995 to turn it into a restaurant.

I am not a restaurateur and so intended to find a partner to for actual operations, but in 1996 I began the design and extensive renovations necessary to the property.

The concept was a tie-in to Uluwatu, again with the recreation of an iconic Balinese past and imagery of a palace somewhere in the 1920’s.

In 1997 we formed a partnership with an experienced restauranteur Gary Hewson, and we opened in 1998 to immediate success.

In Kori we had room for a sense of humor. The same 1920’s palace provided the imagery, but I kept in mind an essential difference between Uluwatu and Kori: Uluwatu sold sensuality and romance, Kori sold entertainment. (Yeah, yeah... actually clothes and food, but not important. Those physical products were just excuses for our customers to interact with us.)

The imagery, the menus, the music, all was meant to stir conversation. And I took to heart the quote from Pablo Picasso, “Ah, good taste, what a terrible enemy to creativity is good taste.”

If Uluwatu sold the romantic tropical dress for an evening out in Bali, Kori provided the evening.

The food was good, and Gary is a very good host and restaurateur, but the focus was never solely on the food.

Also important was the background music which included everything from Duke Ellington to the Ventures to Outkast. About half was instrumental, but as I often reminded Gary... “The music isn’t to listen to directly, it is a movie soundtrack for our guest’s evening and they are the stars.”