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Join the Eat Smart culinary team in getting to the heart of Indonesian culture through an exploration of her tantalizing cuisine. Sample the infinite variety of regional Indonesian specialties in their natural setting. Delve into the secrets of Indonesian dishes by participating in a cooking class. Also included will be talks on culinary topics and visits to bustling markets to learn about the herbs, spices and condiments that are prevalent in Indonesian cookery. We will also see the major tourist sights, yet still have time to shop and relax along the way. You’ll come away with a knowledge of the culinary traditions of Indonesia and a deep appreciation of the magnitude of history and culture that this ancient archipelago possesses.
Your Hosts: William Wongso & Joan Peterson
William Wongso - Co-Leader
Indonesian culinary expert, restaurateur and television host, William Wongso, is widely recognized as a food diplomat for his role as a humble Asian street food connoisseur. However, it is his tireless passion for putting Indonesian cuisine on the world's map that has earned him lasting praise and numerous accolades. Mr. Wongso is considered one of Indonesia's national treasures.
Joan Peterson - Co-Leader
Joan Peterson is the author of the EAT SMART series of guidebooks designed for travelers and cookbook lovers. To date she has written guides to the cuisines of Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Morocco, Sicily, India, Peru, and Norway. She has traveled extensively for many years, and leads culinary tours to Turkey, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Norway, Peru, and Sicily.
August 4 - JAKARTA
“Selamat datang di Jakarta!” is the sentence we’ll be welcoming you with. It means “Welcome to Jakarta” in Bahasa Indonesia.
Arriving in Jakarta at midnight, it will only take around 30 minutes to drive to the 101 Dharmawangsa Hotel. It’s a chic 4-star hotel in the heart of south Jakarta, next to a prestigious shopping arcade: Dharmawangsa Square.
August 5 - JAKARTA
Late lunch at Soto Ayam Pak Sadi. Pak Sadi is among the legendary Indonesian food entrepreneurs who started out as a roadside vendor and grew his business into a chain of restaurants in Indonesia—in this case a chain of soto ayam (chicken soup) restaurants. Pak Sadi was voted Street Food Master of The Year at the World Street Food Congress 2013 in Singapore. Soto ayam is a typical eastern Javanese comfort food.
If traffic permits, visit to JAVARA Indigenous Indonesia for Indonesian artisanal and indigenous food products.
After lunch visit to MM Juice, the perfect place to taste tropical fruit juice. Freshness at its best!
Afternoon visit to Javanegra Rainforest Coffee Specialist. Javanegra is a private coffee-tasting venue in southern Jakarta. It is best known for using only Indonesian premium coffee beans. Be sure to check out their instagram account @JavanegraGourmet while you’re enjoying some sweets! Options include cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Dinner at Namaaz Dining. Chef Andrian Ishak is a self-taught molecular gastronomy chef, expressing his love for the exquisite flavours of Indonesia. We will enjoy 15 small courses of Indonesian dishes. Beware of Namaaz Dining’s tagline: What You See is NOT What You Get! Curious about the menu? Not even their website www.namaazdining.com can help you. Because it’s all a surprise!
August 6 – YOGYAKARTA
Fly to Yogyakarta, Java
Lunch at Gudeg Yu Djum, famous for serving a very typical dish from Yogya (short for Yogyakarta) called gudeg. The dish is slow-cooked, unripe jackfruit caramelized with palm sugar, served with braised chicken cooked in coconut milk. Never leave Yogya without tasting this dish!
Afternoon visit to Ullen Sentalu Museum, which is located in the rather chilly part of Yogya called Kaliurang. This museum exhibits a pretty awesome collection of Javanese culture. It has unique old portraits, batik, and ritual tools, and more. Its gardens are breathtaking, too. This museum is not to be missed!
Afternoon visit to Jadah Mbah Carik Kaliurang for tea and a savory-flavored version of the snack called mocchi, which is made with pounded, cooked glutinous rice with grated coconut. It can be served as a vegetarian snack, with braised tempe bacem, which is tempe slow-cooked in palm sugar. If you want to challenge yourself, bite the green chile that garnishes the dish! PS: We would advise that you do, and tell your folks at home about your chile-biting experience!
Dinner at Gondanglegi, a restaurant surrounded by rice fields, a welcome and surprising sight beyond the now-crowded Yogya. We will taste some Javanese home cooking by Chef Benny, while enjoying old Javanese architecture, complete with the 150 year-old joglo, a type of roof shape traditionally associated with Javanese aristocrats. Relax while munching on a good, homey Javanese-style dinner!
Overnight in the Hotel Gondanglegi. Enjoy its warm, green environment and the calm atmosphere of Yogyakarta.
August 7 – YOGYAKARTA
Visit to see Mbah Lindu, a 96-year old woman who is a legend. She has been selling gudeg—Yogyakarta comfort food—for 80 years at the very same place! She starts serving at 5.30AM and closes at 9AM.
Morning coffee at Nox Coffee Club.
Lunch at GORA Restaurant in the outskirts of Yogyakarta featuring food of northern Java. We will enjoy nasi goring, a popular fried rice dish.
Visit to Pasar Beringharjo, a famous traditional market for foodstuffs, excellent batik, and Javanese gifts.
Afternoon visit to Borobudur, a UNESCO Heritage site. It is a Buddhist temple built in the 8th Century, so rich in history, with magnificent views. It is located about 25 miles northwest of Yogya. Borobudur has the largest number of Buddha relief collections in the world. Be sure to have your camera ready!
Dinner at Holycow Steak. It’s time to bring you back to your own homey tastes, with fusion Italian pizza and pasta with some unique Indonesian flavors, or good hearty steak. Your call.
Overnight in the Hotel Gondanglegi. Enjoy its warm, green environment and the calm atmosphere of Yogyakarta.
August 8 – YOGYAKARTA
Morning visit to Keraton Yogyakarta. This king’s palace is the go-to place to get a better understanding of the history of Yogyakarta, along with its interesting culture. It is located in the heart of the Yogyakarta, so it should not take much time to go around the city after visiting Keraton Yogyakarta.
Lunch at Sate Buntel Solo. This restaurant specializes in a regional version of skewered lamb sausage (sate buntel). The recipe was created 60 years ago by a Chinese man in Solo, central Java. Roughly chopped lamb meat, wrapped in crepine (caul fat) is grilled and served with kecap (Indonesian sweet soy sauce).
Late afternoon Cooking Class and Dinner at Sasanti Restaurant. What’s better than a cooking class at a fine restaurant serving authentic Javanese culinary heritage? At Sasanti Restaurant, we will all learn how to make nasi liwet, rice cooked with pandan leaves and coconut milk, served with braised chicken in spice and coconut cream. It is a local favorite comfort food. As for the vegetable, we’ll simmer chayote squash in coconut milk flavored with chile. The cooking class will be followed by dinner, with a selection of Sasanti’s authentic central Javanese dishes.
Overnight in the Hotel Gondanglegi. Enjoy its warm, green environment and the calm atmosphere of Yogyakarta.
August 9 – BALI/UBUD
Fly to Bali/Ubud
Lunch at Warung Sunset. Enjoy crispy BBQ pork ribs and knuckles, with pork fried rice, and a local freshwater fish, with Balinese sambal (Balinese raw chile relish) on the side.
Visit to Pasar Ubud, a traditional farmer's market, and an enjoyable spot for gifts and souvenirs.
Visit to Seniman Kopi, thee place to find good quality coffee in Ubud, no questions asked. It was founded in 2010 by Rodney Glick and David Sullivan, 2 passionate men whose backgrounds have nothing to do with coffee. Seniman (means “artist” in Bahasa Indonesia). The shop has its own artisan coffee roaster and is located on a secluded street in Ubud. Sip your perfect cup of coffee while enjoying the warm ambiance that Seniman Kopi has to offer.
Dinner at the Petani Restaurant in Alaya Resort Ubud. Enjoy home-style regional cuisine with a modern twist.
Alaya Resort Ubud. Located in the center of picturesque Ubud, near the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Alaya Resort is a tranquil, lovely place to stay. We will enjoy the luxury and hospitality offered.
August 10 – BALI/UBUD
On the way to lunch with Chef Yudi, visit to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces in the village of Tegalalang north of Ubud. These amazingly beautiful rice paddies line the slopes of the valley and utilize the traditional Balinese cooperative irrigation system (subak).
Lunch and Cooking Demo with Chef Yudi at Les Buleleng Village. Chef Yudi is self–taught and was born in a village in the region of Jatipura in the northern part of Bali, next to the coastline. He will demonstrate village-style seafood cookery, using locally grown fresh leaves and spices. Now, however, Chef Yudi can no longer be called Yudi. We must call him Jero Mangku, as he is now a village temple priest, and therefore is not allowed to travel outside of Bali. Chef Yudi used to travel with William Wongso internationally for Indonesia food diplomacy.
Visit to Agung Rai Museum of Art. This museum was founded by Agung Rai, a Balinese who has devoted his life to the preservation of Balinese art and culture.
Visit to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
Dinner at Mozaic. Enjoy Chef Chris Salan’s creation of culinary heaven. He has fused Western cooking techniques with local Indonesian ingredients and flavors—with delicious results. Mozaic is the only Indonesian restaurant to be selected as one of the 100 World’s Best in the San Pellegrino Guide.
Alaya Resort Ubud. Located in the center of picturesque Ubud, near the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Alaya Resort is a tranquil, lovely place to stay. We will enjoy the luxury and hospitality offered.
August 11 – SEMINYAK / KUTA
Breakfast at Warung Teges, Ubud. We’ll have breakfast, Balinese style, with nasi campur Bali. It’s William Wongso’s favorite local Balinese breakfast serving rice and a mix of crackling pork, spicy chicken, minced beef sate, and some unique spicy condiments.
Morning visit to Simply Brew located in Sanur. Enjoy a cup of Indonesian coffee by a lady coffee roaster and barista, Vivi. You can blend the beans to your liking. Check out their Instagram account, @SimplyBrew.
Visit to Sababay Winery.
Lunch at Alila Seminyak Beach Club. Lunch at ease in the newly opened oceanfront beach club overlooking the Indian ocean.
Late afternoon drink at La Laguna Beach Bali. Located in the serene Canggu area, La Laguna Beach Bali will wow you the minute you step inside. Eclectic charm and decor, its quirky and vintage design is a great background to enjoying a cocktail and delicious food. Check out their instagram account @lalagunabali
Dinner at Tiger Palm. This is Chef Will Meyrick’s newest restaurant in Seminyak, which showcases his inspiration from the cultures and cuisines of Malaysia. We’ll enjoy a selection of Peranakan dishes and some prata curry, specialities of the Peranakan Chinese, who are the descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to the Malay archipelago and elsewhere between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Hotel Alila Seminyak Bali. The ultimate expression of contemporary chic, the suites at the 5-star Alila Seminyak are an exquisitely crafted composite of thoughtfully designed spaces, unparalleled quality and comfort, and attention to detail worthy of any luxury home.
August 12 – SEMINYAK
Morning visit to Cozy Spa for a soothing, aromatherapy foot massage!
Lunch with the Royal Family at Puri Agung Jro Kuta, built in the early 1800s. Puri (castle) is the royal residence, which is reserved for descendents of the Balinese king. We will also enjoy seeing the historic buildings within the courtyard and traditional Balinese woven fabric.
Cooking Demo at Sasanti Alila Seminyak. Chef Astrid will demonstrate what the Sumatra has to offer. She will cook sie reuboh, a dish from Aceh, the western region of Sumatra. This classic Acehnese specialty is beef cooked in spices and palm vinegar. It is a dish that warriors of Aceh carried with them during times of war. It is a naturally preserved food, thanks to its sour taste. What makes this dish unique is that it only uses a type of palm vinegar produced locally in Aceh. Chef Astrid will be bringing some of this vinegar for the demonstration. Another Acehnese dish she will demonstrate is ayam tangkap (translated literally as “captured chicken”). It’s given this unique name because the small cuts of fried chicken are somewhat “hidden” in a pile of crispy fried curry leaves, pandan leaves, lemongrass, shallot, and chile. You have to dig into the leaves in order to “capture” the chicken.
She will also demonstrate arsik ikan gurame, a dish from Batak in northern Sumatra, the only region in Indonesia using andaliman, a green Szechuan pepper. This dish contains a freshwater fish called gurame, which is cooked in spices and andaliman pepper. This is the staple food for the people of Batak. Its pungent spices will make you come back for more!
Dinner at Sasanti Alila Seminyak. The theme of the menu is a “Taste of Nusantara,” meaning that you will enjoy a selection of popular Indonesian dishes from many different islands in the archipelago.
Hotel Alila Seminyak Bali. The ultimate expression of contemporary chic, the suites at the 5-star Alila Seminyak are an exquisitely crafted composite of thoughtfully designed spaces, unparalleled quality and comfort, and attention to detail worthy of any luxury home.
August 13 – KUTA
We'll have some much appreciated leisure time today in the morning and afternoon before our trip home. Enjoy some swimming, shopping, or visits to a museum or market. Everywhere around Seminyak you are likely to stumble across small galleries and boutiques selling jewelry, clothes, and home decor. Or, simply chill and relax at the beach.
Lunch at Teatro Gastroteque. Enjoy delicious Asian and French fusion cuisine as created by the famous Indonesian Chef Mandif. It is so beautifully presented that the dishes look like works of art.
Dinner at Cuca Restaurant. Sit at the food bar, enjoy the open kitchen, and watch the chef in action. Cuca is a modern western restaurant with a touch of molecular gastronomy, using local ingredients.
Hotel Alila Seminyak Bali. The ultimate expression of contemporary chic, the suites at the 5-star Alila Seminyak are an exquisitely crafted composite of thoughtfully designed spaces, unparalleled quality and comfort, and attention to detail worthy of any luxury home.
August 14 – FLY HOME
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Included Services:
• Accommodation in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Ubud and Seminyak (single or double rooms, including breakfast)
• Domestic flight in Indonesia: Jakarta / Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta / Bali (Ubud)
• All bus transfers: Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bali
• All airport transfers and group transfers
• Land transportation by air-conditioned vehicle
• Professional English speaking guide throughout the tour
• Services of Chef William Wongso, co-leader, Joan Peterson, co-leader, Susan Chwae, co-host, Chef Astrid Enricka, co-host.
• Entrance fees to museums and historical sites: Ullen Sentalu Museum, Borobudur, Keraton Yogyakarta, Teglalang Rice Terraces, Agung Rai Museum of Art, and Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
• All lunches and dinners, unless specified: Soto Ayam Pak Sadi (L), Namaaz Dining (D), Gudeg Yu Djum (L), Gondanglegi (D), Visit to Mbah Lindu (Br), Ayam Goreng Kebon Ndhelik (L), Holycow Steak (D), Sate Buntel Solo (L), Sasanti Restaurant (D), Warung Sunset (L), Petani Restaurant (D) Les Buleleng Village with Chef Yudi (L), Mozaic (D), Alila Seminyak Beach Club (L), Tiger Palm (D), Saigon Street Restaurant and Bar (L), Sasanti Alila Seminyak (D) Teatro Gastroteque (L), Cuca Restaurant (D).
• Cooking class at Sasanti Restaurant, cooking demo at Warung Sunset, and cooking demo at Sasanti Alila Seminyak.
• 1 soft drink, tea and coffee during lunch and dinner
• Bottled water (available on the motor coach and at lunch and dinner)
• Copy of culinary guidebook, Eat Smart in Turkey, by Joan Peterson and copy of Flavours of Indonesia by William Wongso.
• Tips for the porters at the hotels and airport
• Tips for the wait staff
Services not included:
• International flights for the participants
• Alcoholic drinks during lunch and dinner
• Tips for driver and guide
Learn more: http://www.eatsmartguides.com/tours.html
All photos courtesy and copyright Eat Smart Guides
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