Meet your host
The Kitchen Garden Bajo
Chef Michael has been a chef for nearly 30 years and has called Labuan Bajo home since 2015. Passionate about preserving local culture through food, he has dedicated himself to learning and reviving traditional Manggarai cuisine, which he believes is slowly being forgotten. He hires all of his staff from Manggarai, works with local communities and NGOs to create sustainable livelihoods, and volunteers to teach foraging and local food knowledge to students. Committed to sustainability, he sources ingredients locally whenever possible and researches ways to grow food in Labuan Bajo's dry soil. For Chef Michael, preserving local food is just as important as protecting the region's natural heritage—it is a way to keep Manggarai culture, knowledge, and traditions alive for future generations.
