Canggu, Bali, Indonesia, December 14, 2023 the Archipelago group celebrated a historic occasion with the 5th Black Box Battle—an annual event dedicated to recognizing outstanding Executive Chefs and F&B Leaders in Bali and Mataram. A total of eleven Executive Chefs and nine F&B Leaders participated in the competition, showcasing their culinary prowess by crafting exceptional dishes within a constrained timeframe, utilizing ingredients provided by the event host.

The venue for the Black Box Battle was the Main Lobby of Quest San Denpasar, located at Jalan Mahendradatta No.93, Denpasar. The competition spanned 2 hours for the cooking segment and 1 hour for the beverage segment. The theme for this edition of the competition was 'Sustainability,' challenging the participants to create visually appealing and flavorful dishes while prioritizing sustainable practices.

Winston Hanes, Vice President of Operations, served as one of the judges, and the press conference was led by Winston Hanes and other representatives from Archipelago corporate. The event garnered great success, with the presence and support of all General Managers and their representatives.

The winners of the 5th Black Box Battle were as follows:
Food Competition:
1st Place: ASTON Kuta
2nd Place: Hotel Neo Denpasar
3rd Place: Harper Kuta

Beverage Competition:
1st Place: ASTON Canggu Beach Resort
2nd Place: ASTON Denpasar
3rd Place: Hotel Neo Denpasar

Agung Udiana, F&B Leader at ASTON Canggu Beach Resort, reflected on the significance of embracing sustainability, stating, “Making sustainability a habit isn't easy if we don't live it daily. Imagine the gratitude we'd share with the world by doing so. Starting today, let's save and keep things sustainable!”