The UGM Faculty of Agricultural Technology (FTP UGM) has launched a 12-part series of culinary books written by three professors.
The three professors from FTP are Professor Murdijati Gardjito, Professor Umar Santoso, and Professor Eni Harmayani. The launch of this culinary book series is expected to enrich academic studies and strengthen Indonesia’s culinary identity nationally and internationally.
Dean of FTP UGM, Professor Eni Harmayani, stated that the launch of these 12 books adds to the 3-series culinary books that were previously released. She described the book as a milestone or significant historical marker for Indonesia’s food sector.
“I believe this is a monumental work that is a historical witness to Indonesia’s culinary heritage. This is not just one creation, but 15 monumental works that preserve the wealth of Indonesia’s culinary traditions and culture,” said Professor Harmayani during the launch of Pesona Cita Rasa Indonesia on Saturday (Aug. 24) at the Kamarijani Soenjoto Auditorium, FTP UGM.
Professor Murdijati Gardjito emphasized the importance of appreciating Indonesia’s culinary wealth by documenting it through book publications. She explained that the first book in this series discusses staple foods, which provide the body with the largest nutritional intake.
The first series successfully recorded 208 staple food recipes in Indonesia, including recipes for rice, corn, bananas, pumpkins, sago, and other ingredients.
“This food diversity demonstrates that the Indonesian people need not worry about a shortage of ingredients, as our staple food options are highly varied,” she explained.
William Wirjaatmadja Wongso, an Indonesian gastronomy and culinary consultant, described these works on food and culinary diversity as a masterpiece on Indonesian culinary culture from an academic perspective.
He stressed the importance of translating these books so the international community can understand the richness of Indonesian cuisine. However, he highlighted the challenges in educating culinary culture practitioners in Indonesia, especially at the vocational school level.
“We are weak in educating culinary culture practitioners. It is rare to find Indonesian chefs who master traditional dishes, which is why these books should be made available in vocational schools so that younger generations can learn and understand the diversity of Indonesian cuisine,” he added.
Professor Marwanti, one of the other speakers and a professor of vocational education in culinary arts at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, explained that food serves various functions, including physiological, health, social, cultural, political, diplomatic, and tourism development.
“This book not only offers recipes but also tells stories and meaningful insights from each region in Indonesia. The language is easy to understand, making the book enjoyable and immersing readers in the history of food from various regions,” she said.
Chef Ragil Imam Wibowo, the founder of Nusa Gastronomi Indonesia, began his discussion by highlighting how these books continue the legacy of Mustika Rasa, published in 1967. For him, these books can serve as a shield to protect the pride of Indonesian cuisine from foreign influences.
“Indonesian food has already been ‘colonized’ by foreign cuisines, so this book is an essential guide to preserving and promoting our culinary richness,” he emphasized.
He also hoped these books could be used as life skills teaching materials in elementary schools, similar to what is implemented in Japan.
“In Japan, elementary school children are already introduced to life skills for daily living, including knowledge of gastronomy. I hope that Indonesia can adopt a similar practice because everything outlined in these books is excellent, from the ingredients cooking methods to modern presentation,” he remarked.
The speakers and presenters agreed that cuisine is integral to Indonesia’s national identity. By promoting and preserving culinary heritage, we are helping to safeguard the continuity of culture and national identity amid the growing wave of globalization eroding local traditions.
Therefore, these Indonesian culinary books, written by the three professors, are expected to become important references for academics, practitioners, and younger generations.
Author: Lintang
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif