Paris-based pastry artist Alina Prokopenko ripped up the dessert rulebook for an exclusive brunch collaboration with Lulu Bistro, Bali’s most rebellious French restaurant.
On Sunday, 17 August, Lulu Bistrot welcomed Paris-based pastry artist Alina Prokopenko for the highly anticipated second edition of AVANTBRUNCH — an exclusive, one-day event where conceptual art met the playful side of French cuisine.
Sculptural, ironic, and emotionally sharp, Alina’s work sits somewhere between fine dining and visual art, making her provocative pastries a perfect fit for Lulu’s French sophistication served with a wink.
Known as the enfant terrible of the Paris pastry scene, Alina began her career as a photographer before discovering her passion for food. With an art history background and a degree from one of France’s most prestigious culinary schools, she developed a disruptive vision in the culinary arts through conceptual desserts.
Driven by a curiosity to innovate, she founded APRIS, a creative platform where she explores themes of the unconscious, hidden desires, and sensuality, working across media such as video and performance.
Her work challenges the way we perceive food, transforming consumption into a ritual infused with a hint of irony.
The loyal Lulu Bistrot community were treated to two of Alina’s iconic desserts. Oyster — made with dark & milk chocolate, vanilla, sea salt, caramel, and lemon — was inspired by the Fauvism modern art movement, the work of Matisse, and the shellfish’s connection with nature. Panna cotta gave it a slick texture reminiscent of an actual oyster, while a squeeze of lemon revealed its layered flavours. Each tart shell was hand-shaped, making each one unique.
Meanwhile, French Breakfast reimagined a classic lemon tart with meringue through the lens of Parisian smoking culture. Dedicated to the aesthetics of smoking in Paris, it featured lemon and black sesame in a composition of abstract elements inspired by the Russian Suprematism movement.
The meringue “cigarettes” each told a different story, their tips lightly burned to evoke the fleeting intimacy of conversation over a cigarette.
The AVANTBRUNCH menu didn’t tiptoe onto the table; it arrived in bold, unexpected flavours curated by the Lulu team. Celebrating Alina’s Ukrainian roots and Parisian influences, the menu blended both traditions into a brunch experience unlike any other.
Highlights included zucchini pancakes layered with salmon gravlax, smoked yoghurt, dill ice cream, and dill oil; a French omelette with trout eggs, comté cheese, and a citrus-laced radicchio salad; French toast with pandan cream, lime, and strawberry compote; and syrnyky cheese pancakes topped with spiced cherries, local hibiscus, smoked vanilla anglaise, and sour cream.
Each plate reflected a meeting point between Alina’s sculptural sensibilities and Lulu’s commitment to working with Indonesian produce.
“Alina brings a rare combination of boldness and precision,” said Rafael Nardo, founder of Lulu Bistrot. “Her creations are provocative, yes, but they’re also deeply layered. That duality resonates with our vision for Lulu — to offer something unexpected, full of character, and entirely unique in Bali.”
About Lulu Bistrot
In the heart of Canggu, Lulu Bistrot is an award-winning French-inspired restaurant that cleverly mixes European sensibilities with the tropical charm of Bali. Founded by Rafael Nardo and named after his son, Lulu draws inspiration from the grand cafés of Paris, bringing them to life with an Indonesian soul.
Serving classic French dishes without the fuss, made with seasonal local ingredients alongside an intriguing selection of wines and cocktails from around the world, it’s classy but never stiff.
Lulu isn’t fusion — it’s a conversation between cultures, anchored in precision, creative flair, and a deep respect for hospitality done right. Lulu is also the sister venue of Bartolo, a standout French-Italian restaurant in Uluwatu that helped define the area’s growing dining scene.
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Dining and Cooking