Local trio adds Mauritian flavours to Bali

Three Mauritian citizens, Shivesh, Rivashna and Shawn moved to Bali to fulfill their dreams, with nothing more than their talent in hand. Through their hard work, talent, grit and a bit of luck, they managed to rise to the very top. The three young professionals are proudly featuring the blends of our island’s cuisines in Bali, Indonesia.

Opened in August 2017, Ti Moris Bali is the only Mauritian restaurant in Bali, Indonesia and offers Mauritian cuisines accompanied with the colourful selection of drinks and mouth-watering desserts. ‘Ti Moris’ means ‘small island of Mauritius’ in Creole. Bali is experiencing a breath of fresh air from our Motherland. From the all-time favourite chicken curry to the famous banana Tart dessert, Mauritius is highly present in Bali. 

We were very excited for the opening. The most favourite bites over the launching period were ‘gato pima’ and our chef’s chicken curry."

Shivesh Bolah and Fiona Luigi, the founders of the restaurant of 395 square metres introduces us to his team and haven. The door of the restaurant is opened with a dodo marked on the walls.   While taking a walk in the courtyard and terrace, one may celebrate the Mauritian’s heritage. Followed by a grandiose beat of tropical, Zulu reggae, modern jazz and siesta sunset, their local or foreign clients may now dance on the beat of tropical Mauritian music. All his recipes are rustic Mauritius-inspired Creole cuisine and beverages.

In the restaurant, one can experience the flavours of exotic Indian, rustic French and hearty Chinese cuisine in one delicious Mauritian blend. “Tuck into native delights such as ‘Gateaux Piments’ or chilli cakes made from yellow split peas for starters or a sweetly mashed ‘Banana Tarte’ to end a meal. Our highly guarded chutneys and ‘Mazavaroo’ chilli paste recipes help to spice things up, and all to be washed down with a bright pink Alouda drink, a beguiling mix of vanilla and almond or a perfect Barista coffee or lemongrass tea.”

Friendship and business

There is a famous quote that goes like this, “All lasting business is built on friendship.” This is so true for our three entrepreneurs. Despite the various challenges in a multi-cultural environment, they happily work together as a team. A concept by 9186 International Pte Ltd, Ti Moris is managed by a team of global talent with origins from Mauritius, Indonesia and Singapore, says Shivesh. Also in the team Steve Yallop, the CFO and Operational Control and Daniel Grice, the head bartender bring their immense contributions.

Shivesh is supported by Shawn Li, the general manager in charge of the daily operations, Rivashna (Ayushi) Gooroochurn, the head chef. The team never expected that their opening day would be that crowded. They received a lot of good responses from the media, friends and families. “We were very excited for the opening. The most favourite bites over the launching period was ‘gato pima’ and our chef’s chicken curry,” Shivesh highlights. Sugarcane being the main ingredient for making Rum was a must to represent Mauritius in Bali.

Shivesh and Fiona, the co-founder landed in Bali first followed by Shawn, Ayushi, and Dan. “I met Shawn in China in 2012 through his brother, and then head hunted Ayushi whom we found in June 2017,” Shivesh explains. The three young persons always believed that their generation was born to make changes and step out of their comfort zone. He believes that opportunity lies everywhere and even bigger in South East Asian countries. “The idea emerged from one question: How is Mauritius perceived by foreigners?  I found out that people did not know much about our country. So the only way to introduce and showcase our culture was through food and beverages, we are the only Mauritian restaurant, which makes us unique.”

The obstacles faced

Opening a new business in Indonesia is not as easy like in other countries in terms of the laws and regulations, says Shivesh. “We have done an extensive research first before fully establishing our business in Bali. The pre-opening was stressful. We needed to ensure that everything is delivered in good quality, such as getting ingredients from local suppliers, sourcing the venue design material.”

Above all, their major obstacle was training their local Indonesian team to learn about the food and the drinks. “We wanted to deliver the finest products to our new local or expat customers in town,” Shivesh explains. When asked about any future project the team would simply reply, “Yes we do have, but it is still a top secret”.

Reshmee Bheemuck