In the bustling neighbourhood of Dharmawangsa, Jakarta, steakhouse Privy works hard to keep the noise outside. You step off a compact four-person elevator into a low-lit room of dark timber, soft lamps, and a bar. The tone is measured: staff move at an unhurried clip, the music sits under the table, and the pacing lets each course land without crowding the next. And that’s only the dining area on the fourth floor. The first level has its own dry-aging fridge behind a hidden door at the reception, but visible from the sidewalk outside. While the second floor houses the ultra-exclusive Chef’s Table, the third is what started it all: the private dining rooms. It is easy to forget that all of this is situated within a small shopping centre in the middle of South Jakarta.
Chef and owner of Privy Hospitality Group, Jonathan Tek, welcomes epicure with a sharing-style nine-course menu, showcasing every dimension of Chef Jon’s vision in creating his dishes. A trio of openers sets a clear baseline: Caesar Salad Classico brings crisp leaves and a direct anchovy lift, the crab cake leans generously on crab rather than filler, and our personal favourite is the bruschetta of figs and cream cheese that threads sweet and salty on well-toasted bread.
Pasta is their secondi, and it’s treated with restraint. The Spaghetti Carbonara is glossy, well-seasoned, and correctly textured – classic rather than cheffy. We are introduced to a tajarin variation, a ribbon tagliolini, served with truffle butter that doubles down on richness while keeping a fine bite. Lastly, a familiar Aglio Olio Il Mare folds in the sea without turning oily or spicy for the sake of it.
Clearly, steak is the point here and it arrives with a good crust and even warmth from edge to centre. The Australian Wagyu
MB 4/5 Striploin shows a clean, buttery fat line that softens with each slice. With prime cuts of steaks as the main event, it feels inevitable that they’d bring out another – this time giving us the luxury of witnessing its cooking process in the kitchen. The second cut is Dry-aged Stockyard MS 4/5 Ribeye, a magnificent creation that brings deeper marbling and a more savoury finish. This is the moment we realise dry-aged steak can be more than impressive – it can be extraordinary.
We finish our meal with a tiramisu that looks as though it’s sketched from a rough doodle, yet crafted from the finest and most robust ingredients. As we savour the last bite, Chef Jon joins us to share the story behind the restaurant.
You built Privy out of a private dining format, how did you get here to a full-on steakhouse?
We started as a private steakhouse upstairs during the pandemic – one room, 10 seats. It worked because people wanted a
calm place, good products, no gimmicks. The private room outperformed delivery in two months, so we kept building
around that idea. It proved you can keep things small, maintain control, and still give people the kind of dinner they actually
miss: good beef, pasta, and a room that doesn’t shout.
How would you describe the food lens here?
It’s New York steakhouse plus the Italian delicacies I actually want to eat – pasta, bruschetta, tiramisu. Classics. Minimal fuss. You need good produce and a kitchen that doesn’t overthink it. If the seasoning and temperature are right, you don’t need tricks; you just let the plate make sense from first bite to last.
The Chef’s Table upstairs has a loyal following. How do you decide when to run it?
It’s ingredient-driven. If I can get the right stuff in when I get back from Italy or Japan, we run it. Small seats, short window.
Cold cuts and cheeses can extend the run, but fresh produce means one-offs – we’d rather stop than serve a compromise.
It’s a chance to show what we’re tasting and thinking right now, then go back to the steakhouse the next day with the same
standards. I’m a classic. I try not to do too much to my food, I just use the best ingredients possible. As simple as possible.
As high class as possible.
After Privy, Mozzeria, Sola, and other ventures, what’s next for the group?
We’re planning on opening a brand-new concept, which is Taiwanese. We know it’s going to be a whole different ballgame, especially after opening steakhouses and Italian restaurants. Right now, we’re still looking for location, but we’re taking it
slow. Location is more important than you think – just like our ingredients, we don’t want to rush it.