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Jakarta foodies have a month-long celebration ahead of them this November. Ismaya Group, a major club and restaurant operator in the capital, is hosting the first Jakarta Culinary Festival.

The festival consists of a succession of events in venues across Jakarta until Nov. 29, including Social House, Puro Ristorante e Bar, Blowfish Kitchen & Bar, Pizza e Birra, Miele House and Steak House at the Four Seasons Hotel.

“The festival is aimed at introducing a new gourmet experience to food lovers in Jakarta by arousing excitement around the growing culinary industry,” said Christian Rijanto, marketing director of Ismaya Group. “On a bigger scale, the objective is to promote Jakarta as a center of the culinary world in the Southeast Asian region, as well as a fantastic travel destination.”

“In the festival, we celebrate all things related to food, including wine, coffee and tea,” said Kiki Utara, public relations manager of Ismaya Group.

Six chefs and two wine experts from Australia, Bali and Jakarta will share their extensive gastronomic knowledge and techniques in fine food and wine, as well as demonstrate their highly-acclaimed skills.

The culinary stars include Chris Salans, the executive chef and owner of Mozaic, Bali; Paul Wilson, master chef and author of the “Botanical Cookbook” and voted Australian Chef of the Year by The Age newspaper in 2002; and Will Meyrick, executive chef and owner of Sarong, also in Bali.

“We’ve recognized these people for their expertise and high achievements for quite a long time,” Kiki said.

“They also have good communication skills to talk to the audience. We want this event to be educative, as well as entertaining and fun.”

Cooking demonstrations, wine classes, luncheons and dinners will be featured during the festival.

The opening night, themed “Museum of Fine Food and Fine Arts,” was hosted at the lobby hall of City Plaza at Wisma Mulia, Jakarta, on Nov. 4. The hall was transformed into an art gallery showcasing raw food materials, cooking utensils and food products.

A number of video and art installations related to the food industry enhanced the exhibition. An installation by artist Djoni Basri, titled “Nice Date, Nice Cook and Nice Food,” pictured a couple sitting at a table.

A video piece by Prilla Tania, titled “Cooking with Love,” showed the intricate process of cooking and serving food using 3-dimensional chalk drawings.

“Presentation is a key element in the food industry,” said Kiki. “Therefore, it is important to create a unique and artful ambience to enjoy good food.”

“The festival will provide people with good food and great fun for the whole month,” said Vindex Tengker, executive chef of the Steak House, Four Seasons Hotel. From Nov. 12 to 14, the chef will preside over a White Alba Truffle Dinner at the hotel.

Frans Wijaya, director of Ismaya Catering Co., which was launched that evening, said, “It’s not only about food, but also about how food can be more fun and enjoyable.”

The culinary festival features Western, Japanese and fusion cuisine, but no Indonesian traditional food or beverages.

“The festival is our pilot project,” Kiki said. “In the long run, hopefully, we can collaborate with other parties who are experts in Indonesian cuisine.”


Jakarta Culinary Festival Highlights:

A Sicilian Adventure
Nov. 11, lunch
Chef Aldo Volpi presents Southern Italian cuisine at Social House.

Japanese Wine-Pairing Dinner
Nov. 11, dinner
Chef Hugo Adrian shares his love of modern Japanese cuisine at Blowfish Kitchen and Bar.

High SocieTea
Nov. 15, 2 p.m.
A high tea event at Social House featuring a fashion show and tea class.

Cooking Demo and Special Lunch
Nov. 19, 11 a.m.
Master chef Chris Salans shares his home-cooking secrets at Miele House.

Mozaic Masterchef Dinner Session
Nov. 20–21, dinner
Chris Salans presents delights from Mozaic at Puro Ristorante e Bar.

Swedish Bar Mafia
Nov. 20, from 9 p.m.
Swedish bartenders show their expertise at Social House.

Coffee Culture
Nov. 22, from 2 p.m.
Michael Gibbons, coffee specialist and barista, will be at Social House.

Lunch Date With the Chef
Nov. 26, from 11 a.m.
Paul Wilson from Australia hosts a cooking class at Miele House.

Wagyu Wine Dinner
Nov. 27 – 28, dinner
Enjoy Australian wagyu beef paired with wines selected by wine critic Nick Stock at Puro Ristorante e Bar.

Winery Practice: An Industry Session
Nov. 27, from 2 p.m.
Nick Stock, wine critic and wine guide author, shares his knowledge at The Cellar, Four Seasons Jakarta.

Sip, Nibble, Say Cheese
Nov. 29, from 4 p.m.
PT. Bahana Gourmet Indonesia presents a cheese sampling at Social House.