When did you realize you wanted to be a chef?

M: For as long as I remember. It was started when I was 5 in my grandmother’s kitchen. The older I get, the more I cook, the more I see happy people eating my food, the more I feel like the kitchen is my happy place.

What inspires you?

M: Friends eating together, traveling to places, meeting new people, my grandma and the market.

What achievements are you most proud of?

M: In my profession, the proudest moment is when you know you can actually share and pass on the knowledge that you have.

In this case, when your staff that used to be your line cook got offered as a sous-chef at other restaurants.

Also, I’m pretty proud to say that I cooked for few presidents. I cooked for President Clinton, President Senior Bush and President SBY.

What are the challenges of being a woman entrepreneur?

M: The general challenge would be the same like any entrepreneur in any gender. But being an Asian women who lives in an Asian Country, you will sometime get that funny look when you enter an industry that is dominated by men, like the kitchen industry.

When you come in and say “I can cook” or “I want to be your chef”, you’re going to get that doubtful look on whether or not you can do it.

Regardless what challenges that you might come across in any industry, if you’re a born entrepreneur you can always say to yourself that you know you’re good at what you’re doing. Keep believing in yourself and things will fall into places.

Tell us how OTEL Lobby comes about.

M: The talks started at 2009, my best friend and I who are also my partner in OTEL Lobby, we often talk about having a nice concept of eatery in Jakarta where people can always come in and feel comfortable with whatever state that they’re in. They can wear sandals or any clothes they want to wear to have a nice dinner and cocktails.

One summer in 2010, we went to London and stayed in a nice hotel. We were thinking that it would be great if we can have this kind of hotel in Jakarta where you can just chill out at the Lobby, order a cocktail, or use it as a meeting point before you go out for a dinner. Then the talk sort of continues and we decided to go with the OTEL Lobby.

We started the construction on 2010 and then we opened our door at the end of 2010. We’ve been opened for as close as three years.

Tell us more about the design of OTEL Lobby.

M: I like monochromatic and earthy colours. You can see a hint of teal colour in the restaurant that represents the colour of the sea. I’m also pretty obsessive about strong lines and the flow of the design.

When we designed OTEL Lobby, we designed it as to when guests sit everywhere, they can still see a lot of corners in the restaurants.

I can say that the design is a little bit rustic mixed with exciting designs from a lot of designers. We just pick up all these ideas and inspirations when we go traveling.

 Favourite food and drinks from OTEL Lobby?

M: If I’m in a mood of serious eating at OTEL Lobby, I will start in a bar and I would order a cocktail of my favourite. I’m a classic cocktail kind of person. Two of my favourite drinks are Negroni and the Old-Fashioned.

We have this dish that falls in to the category of Appetizer, we called it the Duck Buns. It’s actually a small sandwich filled with crispy duck that have been cooked for a long multiple time; marinated, steamed, and fried that duck. It went through a lot of process, so it’s special to me. I would order that while waiting for a table.

Soon as I’m seated, I would start with a salad. Depends on the mood, but I’m crazy about our slow-cooked salmon paired with a glass of white wine.

I will finish my dinner with a coconut sorbet. We like to create our own ice cream and sorbet. If it’s not too late I’m going to order a cup of coffee and cookies.

What are the three things you can’t live without?

M: At home, I will have everything that I need. But if I’m traveling I won’t go without my running shoes, facial cream by Chanel and yoga pants.

What are your favourite items from Shopdeca?

M: MISCHA handbags and home furnishing design by Toi Moi.

Maya is wearing her Mischa Jet Set Tote 

Shop our TOIMOI Collection here.

Future plans for OTEL Lobby?

M: We’ve been having OTEL Lobby for 3 years. We decided that it’s time to branch out. We’re looking somewhere around that other part of South Jakarta. We are thinking to open it just a small place to cater the earlybird or people who likes to have their breakfast all day. So that might be our next project, hopefully we can open our door to customer by the end of first semester next year.

What defines a Power Woman?

M: There are a lot of power women amongst us. But I think what define a power woman is a woman who has a will of their own, woman who is fearless, have a lot of belief in things they’re doing and decisions in life.

Most of women are power woman, regardless what place they’re in, what position or business that they have.

If you could have lunch with any power woman in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?

M: Right now if I have to pick, it’s going to be Julia Child. I really want to cook together with her. She was a quirky one. I can imagine us having wine together in the afternoon.

Anything else you want to share to Shopdeca community?