Available via license: CC BY 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
R E V I E W A R T I C L E Open Access
Indonesian food culture mapping: a starter
contribution to promote Indonesian
culinary tourism
Serli Wijaya
Abstract
The food culture of Indonesia is shaped by several factors such as nature, history, and culture. With its enormous
geographic and cultural diversity across the archipelagos, it is evident that Indonesian cuisine is rich in variety and
taste. As such, food can be utilised as a strategic means to boost the tourism industry of the country. In the past
5 years, the Indonesian government has given a great support for the development of culinary tourism as one
special interest tourism sector that is promoted extensively to the international market. Promoting Indonesian
culinary tourism should not be merely exposing the ample varieties of the traditional food that Indonesia has, but
more importantly, telling the market about the socio-cultural values behind the food itself. This study aimed to
portray how Indonesian food culture has been shaped, developed, and held as the value embedded in the society
and has been passed from one generation to the next. For the purpose of the study, a range of literature from
journal articles, books, archives, magazines, and articles to Internet sources that are relevant to Indonesian culinary
discussions was reviewed.
Keywords: Food culture, Indonesian cuisine, Culinary tourism
Introduction
Food plays a significant part in all aspects of human life,
including from fulfilling basic physiological needs to
building social interactions and psychological expression
[1]. Food has become recognised as an expression of
identity and culture and has emerged as one of the
popular aspects of cultural tourism [2]. Discussions
about food are inseparable from culture. As one of cul-
tural tourism’s products, the role of food or culinary
tourism has become increasingly important. Culinary
tourism is a possible competitive advantage that could
be central to destination development, which in turn,
can contribute to the overall economic performance [3].
Moreover, local food can be utilised as a tool for differ-
entiating one destination from others in the global
marketplace since a country’s cuisine exhibits elements
of national culture and identity [4].
Considering the size and diversity of the country, it is
argued that Indonesia should be able to attract more
international visitors [5]. There are thousands of local
foods which potentially offer a strong focal point to por-
tray Indonesia as a tourism destination. Nevertheless, as
stated by the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy
of Indonesia, having very diverse traditional dishes at the
same time also poses a challenge for the government to
select which particular food to be promoted to the inter-
national market [6]. There has been an imbalance in cuis-
ine exposure across regions in Indonesia, giving the
largest focus still on the food of Java and Sumatra. As a
consequence, many non-Indonesians are unaware that
other regions of Indonesia apart from those two have their
own distinct cuisine [7]. A review of literature has shown
that most references about Indonesian cuisines are domi-
nated with popular cooking articles or books containing
the recipes as to how to prepare and serve the dishes. This
paper, therefore, can be seen as one of a few scholarly at-
tempts to introduce the Indonesian food culture to the
broader academic audiences. For the purpose of the study,
the remainder of this paper is structured as follows. The
following section presents food as part of the culture and
different values associated with food. Next, a detailed
© The Author(s). 2019 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to
the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver
(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
Correspondence: serliw@petra.ac.id
Faculty of Business & Economics, Petra Christian University, Jalan
Siwalankerto 121-131, Surabaya, East Java 60254, Indonesia
J
ournal of Ethnic Food
s
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-019-0009-3
review about Indonesian food culture is provided contain-
ing the history and the evolving stages of Indonesian food
culture. The last section provides a comprehensive de-
scription about the characteristics of Indonesian cuisines
followed by the typology of Indonesian food culture as
presented in both narrative and visual ways.
Food and culture
The term culture is used in a variety of ways. Culture is
a key concept in our knowledge of societies both past
and present, and its definitions are constantly being de-
veloped and refined [8]. From the perspectives of soci-
ology and anthropology, culture is being defined as all
that is learned, shared, and transmitted amongst groups
of human beings from generation to generation [9]. Spe-
cifically, culture can also be defined as the values, beliefs,
attitudes, and practices accepted by members of a group
or community [10]. The culture of a particular society is
manifested in various ways, in its art, language, litera-
ture, music, and in all forms of religious and secular rit-
ual [11]. The elements of culture can be categorised into
two: first, observable elements, such as the observable
characteristics of behaviour, material arts, food, lan-
guage, and social arrangements, and second, the non-
observable elements, such as the beliefs, attitudes, and
values held by most people in a society [12]. Also
included in the category of non-observable elements are
role perceptions, stereotypes, categorizations, evalua-
tions, expectations, memories, and opinions. Members
of a similar culture have similar values; conform to
similar rules and norms; develop similar perceptions, at-
titudes, and stereotypes; use common language; and
participate in similar activities [13].
The process of how culture is learned and passed
through different generations via language acquisition
and socialisation is called enculturation [10]. One of the
most significant examples of this learning process in
societies relates to food. Food habits are a culturally
standardised set of food-related behaviours that are
expressed by individuals who have grown within a given
cultural tradition [14]. Food habits can be seen as the
ways and rules by which people use food from how the
food is selected, obtained, and distributed, to who pre-
pares, serves, and eats it [10]. These ways and rules are
shaped by multi factors, such as natural resources (e.g.
climate, land, and water), belief (religion and education),
ethnicity (indigenous or immigrant), technological
advancement (e.g. hunting, agricultural, fishing), and col-
onisation [15].
Food culture can be viewed as a product of codes of
conduct towards acceptable or unacceptable foods and
within a particular social group [16]. It also sets up the
structure of social relationships between members of a so-
ciety [17] and is a daily reaffirmation of cultural identity
through symbolic meanings of ritual, traditions, and spe-
cial occasions within the social group [10]. That is, food
culture in one place will be different from the others.
Food is considered to be a cultural practice that distin-
guishes one culture from another [18]. When viewed in
detail, it is clear that there are observable cultural differ-
ences: in the basic ingredients from which food is pre-
pared; the ways in which it is preserved, prepared, and
cooked; the amount and variety available at each meal; the
tastes that are liked and disliked; the customs and tradi-
tions of serving food; the implements and utensils which
are used; and certain beliefs about the properties of
particular foods. Further, techniques used for the serving
and consumption of food also vary cross-culturally [11].
For instance, in some cultures, it is proper to eat using
one’s fingers, whilst convention in others requires the use
of implements. Differences are also evident in eating pat-
terns. Many people, for example, have only two meals a
day, whilst others have one big meal, snacking at other
times. Some like their food hot, and others like it cold. Re-
gardless of these distinctions, however, it is suggested that
all such cross-cultural differences are learned.
As a component of culture, food has a significant role
in shaping individual as well as a cultural group’s food-
ways. At an individual level, food can portray self-
identity [19] and self-expression [10], whereas in a
broader context, food echoes the identity that distin-
guishes one culture from another [20]. Even more, it is
suggested that to understand a culture, an individual
must experience its food [18].
Values associated with food
As a manifestation of culture, food entails both technical
and symbolic functions within a particular cultural
group [21]. Technically, food functions as the fulfilment
of basic human physiological needs [9]. From the con-
sumer behaviour viewpoint relating to consumption
values [22], this type of eating behaviour occurs for utili-
tarian or instrumental reasons, which are to satisfy
hunger and moreover to meet the nutritional needs of
the body.
Discussing about food is not merely about nutrition
[23], rather, consuming food is also associated with
hedonistic reasons such as seeking fun, pleasure, and
sensory stimulation [22]. Food can function as a symbol
of social unity. For example, it can be used to strengthen
family bonding, develop friendships, and to provide hos-
pitality when members and/or non-members of the
group eat together [24]. Furthermore, food represents
ethnic, regional, and national identities. Food habits have
been used as an important, or even determining, criter-
ion for anthropologists studying cultures [10]. Those
from a common culture share the same assemblage of
food variables and vice versa [17,25]. In the context of
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 2 of 10
eating out, food functions as a symbol of lifestyles and is
a distinctive aesthetic feature of modern societies [26].
People often value the sociability function of food and
meals more than the quality of the food [27].
The opportunities to dine out together may increase
during trips where dining plays a stronger social func-
tion amongst visitors, their family members, and/or
friends, and destination residents such as local commu-
nity and tourism service personnel [28]. For some visi-
tors, food offers an entertainment function where it is
one of the most enjoyable activities undertaken during
travel. This allows visitors to pursue their motivations of
relaxation seeking, excitement, and escapism [29]. Food
is a gateway for visitors to really learn about another cul-
ture by experiencing new food in a destination that dif-
fers from what they have at home in terms of ways of
cooking, presenting, and eating [11]. Local cuisine serves
as a major means for visitors to appreciate the culture of
a destination [16]. In this sense, food plays a role as a
novel learning experience for visitors. Beyond this learn-
ing process, eating is a symbolic act, meaning that con-
suming local food means consuming another culture or
geographical location in order to incorporate it into
one’s own identity [30].
Indonesian food culture
The food culture of Indonesia is shaped by several fac-
tors such as nature, history, and culture. Geographically,
Indonesia is the largest archipelago country in the world
with 17,508 islands. Its tropical climate and high humid-
ity support a rich and unique blend of diverse natural re-
sources including beaches, volcanoes, tropical forests,
and wildlife. The country is within the so-called Pacific
‘Ring of Fire’, the meeting point of two of the earth’s tec-
tonic plates which gives rise to frequent seismic activity
which in turn produces fertile ash over the land [31]. To
a large extent, the western islands of Indonesia are lush
and green: Borneo has rainforests and swampy coastlines
and Java and Sumatra, whose volcanos are many, abound
with fertile gardens, coconut groves, paddy fields, fast-
flowing rivers, and beaches. On the other hand, the east-
ern islands of the archipelago, such as Nusa Tenggara
(from Lombok East to Timor), is rocky and semi-arid
and is characterised by dry seasons that are longer and
harsher. Sulawesi (the Celebes) has a variety of climates
and different parts receive their monsoon rains at differ-
ent times of the year. Further east, the ‘Spice Islands of
Maluku’(the Molucas) conform to the image of the lush
tropics, whilst Papua (west part) has everything from
swamps to rainforests [7].
The seas and straits which surround the islands are at
least as important as the country itself. This is reflected
in the way Indonesians speak not only of ‘our land’but
also ‘our land and water’(in Indonesian language: tanah
air kita)[32]. As its endless coastlines are strategically
located between two oceans, Indonesia enjoys an abun-
dance of saltwater fish and seafood. Its many lakes and
rivers provide freshwater fish. Not surprisingly, fish,
which is usually smoked, grilled, baked, or cooked, is a
major source of protein for the people of Indonesia [33].
Indonesia has a striving agriculture industry with sugar
as the largest commercial crop. Improved agricultural
techniques during the 1980s and the 1990s have made it
possible for the country to grow enough rice to meet its
local demands. The country is considered as the world’s
third largest producer of coffee (after Brazil and
Colombia), and the second largest producer of palm oil
after Malaysia [34] (Fig. 1).
With regard to the culture, Indonesia holds cultural
richness and diversity with more than 1340 tribes, most
with their own language and dialects [35]. A seminal
study conducted by Statistics Indonesia in cooperation
with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in
2013 reported that there were 633 major ethnics in
Indonesia. Javanese and Sundanese are the two largest
ethnicity groups in the country holding 40.05% and
15.50% of the total population, respectively [36]. Each
ethnicity has its own local food leading to a diverse char-
acter and uniqueness. There are different ways to
prepare the food (i.e. ingredients used, cooking methods,
cooking utensils applied), to serve the food (i.e. types of
cutleries used and food presentation), as well as the way
to eat the food [37].
Indonesian culinary development
Indonesia’s food culture cannot be separated from the
country’s long history. In relation to this, culinary devel-
opment in Indonesia can be categorised into at least
three phases: (1) original phase, (2) multicultural phase,
and (3) contemporary phase [37]. Each phase has dis-
tinctively way as to how the food is being prepared, be-
ing presented or served, and being consumed or eaten
which, in turn, shapes a strong basis for the establish-
ment of the Indonesian food culture. This food culture
is learned, shared, and passed from one generation to
another and whilst some foodways have been refined
and adapted, the majority are still applied until today.
Original culinary phase
The first phase, called the original culinary phase, oc-
curred during the periods of the great Indonesian king-
doms from the Hindu Kutai kingdom in Kalimantan
(400 AC) to the Islamic Banten kingdom in West Java
(1156–1580 AC). The word original indicates the food
culture in this phase is a reflection of how indigenous
people undertook food-related activities ranging from
food acquisition and preparation to food consumption
without the influence of other nations. The ingredients
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 3 of 10
used to prepare the dishes were taken from the sur-
rounding natural resources whilst the cooking technique
employed was relatively simple and the majority used
hand-made wooden or stone cooking utensils. During
this period, the most popular dishes were being steamed,
wrapped in banana leaves, with the main ingredients as
rice and cassava [37].
Multicultural culinary phase
The second multicultural culinary phase was charac-
terised by the influence of cooking art brought by suc-
cessive waves of traders from Europe, India, Middle
East, and China [37]. Due to the archipelago’s strategic
location, trade with other nations was established and
eventually became one of the most important factors in
the country’s history. European traders came to
Indonesia in the sixteenth century seeking to control the
area’s precious spices, including nutmeg, cloves, cubed
pepper, and others. The Portuguese arrived first in 1512
but were soon followed by the Spanish, the British, and
finally, the ones who became the dominant players, the
Dutch [7]. The arrivals of these traders had a significant
influence on the food culture of Indonesia. Given the
fact that the Dutch colonised the archipelago for more
than 300 years, this brought in Dutch culture,
influencing the Indonesian’s life in many ways including
the food culture, including the way the local cuisines are
prepared and named. For instance, the rijsttafel (‘rice
table’—many dishes served on the table with a rice
centrepiece) has long been popular as a prominent
symbol of colonial eating in Indonesia [32] (Fig. 2).
Cultural assimilation as an impact of colonialism and
migration in terms of different ways of preparing, cook-
ing, presenting, and consuming the food between the
local people and the immigrants was something inevit-
ably taking place [9]. In Indonesian culinary history, this
is also the case, for example, the Indian influences can
be seen mostly in Sumatran cuisine featuring curried
meat and vegetables in which herbs such as cloves and
nutmeg are used following the Indian traditions. In
addition, the satay—the method of preparing pieces of
meat (lamb or goat) on skewers—is considered as the
most noticeable example of Arabic influence on Indo-
nesian food culture; however, the marinades and peanut
sauce with which satay is served originates from Java
[32]. The European colonists contributed in bringing
and introducing chillies to Indonesia, which became one
of the key signature characteristics of Indonesian food.
They had, in turn, originally been brought by the Span-
ish and Portuguese from other colonies in South
Fig. 1 Map of the Indonesian archipelago. The islands of Indonesia are also known as the Indonesian archipelago. The islands comprise the
nation-state of Indonesia or to the geographical groups which include its islands. Indonesia has 17,508 officially listed islands within the territory
of the Republic of Indonesia. This makes Indonesia the world’s largest island country. Indonesia is an archipelagic country located in Southeast
Asia, lying between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is located in a strategic location astride or along major sea lanes connecting East
Asia, South Asia, and Oceania. As an archipelagic country, Indonesia extends about 5120 km (3181 mi) from East to West and 1760 km (1094 mi)
from North to South (picture was retrieved from URL http://www.goway.com/asia/indonesia/index.html)
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 4 of 10
America [32]. Other vegetables such as potatoes, toma-
toes, pumpkins, cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots came
from Europe too [31]. The influence of Chinese cuisine
can be seen in hundreds of Indonesian dishes with
Chinese origin, such as noodles, which have been adapted
to the local taste, customs, and the available ingredients [7].
Moreover, during trading periods, Hinduism, Bud-
dhism, Christianity, and eventually Islam were brought
to Indonesia, and as a consequence, the introduction of
these religions to the local people had its own influence
on the development of food culture. For example, nasi
tumpeng kuning—a large cone-shaped steamed rice
coloured yellow with turmeric and rich garnished—is
traced back to ancient Hindu beliefs. The shape symbol-
ises that of the mythical Hindu mountain, Meru, whilst
yellow, one of the four sacred colours for Hindus, is the
colour of royalty as well as of worship [7]. Therefore, for
most Indonesian people, rice is not only the most im-
portant basic food but it is also regarded as sacred and
therefore has great symbolism in various rituals. It is the
manifestation symbol of Dewi Sri, the Hindus’goddess
of prosperity and fertility [38]. Rice growing in turn
often decides the rhythm of daily life; for example, wed-
dings are often held after the harvest period. Until today,
nasi tumpeng kuning is often served at special occasions
and at opening ceremonies as a symbol of good fortune,
wealth, and dignity. The most important person cuts the
tip of the cone and serves it to an older person who is
held in high regard [32] (Fig. 3).
Another evidence of the religious influence on Indo-
nesian food culture can be seen from different meats
used across the country. The majority of the Indonesian
population is Moslem and as part of their religious be-
liefs, they are not allowed to eat pork. Consequently,
chicken and beef are amongst the most common meats
cooked in Indonesian cuisine. By contrast, on the island
of Bali where 90% of the population are Hindu, people
there do not eat beef. Instead, pork is often found in
many Balinese traditional dishes [7].
Contemporary culinary phase
The final phase is the contemporary culinary phase
where the food habits of Indonesian people have been
pretty much influenced by the rapid development of
Fig. 2 aThe rijsttafel. It is a Dutch word that literally translates to ‘rice table’and is an Indonesian elaborate meal and serving ritual introduced by
the Dutch during their colony in Indonesia in the early of the nineteenth century. The ritual involved many servers who passed around a large
number of various dishes from rice, meats, and vegetables and served the guests. The classic style rijsttafel involved serving of up to 40 different
dishes by 40 male waiters. Rijsttafel was initially a symbol of high status; therefore, it is symbolised by the abundance and variety of dishes being
displayed and served. bThe rijsttafel in today’s Indonesian dining style. Indonesians adopted rijsttafel as part of daily dining practice where all
dishes are being served altogether on the dining table. In contemporary Indonesian cuisine, rijsttafel has been adapted into a western style or
buffett style (retrieved from https://www.merdeka.com/gaya/rijsttafel-kuliner-indonesia-belanda-yang-terlupakan.html)
Fig. 3 Nasi kuning tumpeng. Nasi tumpeng is a large cone-shaped
yellow steamed rice dish with side dishes of vegetables and meat
originating from Javanese cuisine of Indonesia. It is traditionally
featured in a religious ceremony as a symbol of thanksgiving to
gods of nature. Nasi tumpeng comes from an ancient Indonesian
tradition that revers mountains as the abode of the ancestors and
the gods. Rice cone is meant to symbolise the holy mountain. The
feast served as some kind of thanksgiving for the abundance of
harvest or any other blessings. In today’s society, nasi tumpeng is a
common dish served in various events of corporates, personal, and
other organisations, holding the same philosophy for gratitude
expression (picture was
retrieved http://nasikentjana.com/menu-nasi-tumpeng/)
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 5 of 10
global food service chains [37], starting with Kentucky
Fried Chicken (KFC) which opened its first outlet in the
mid-1980s, to the subsequent expansion of McDonald’s
from 1991. Since then, hundreds of global food service
brands have proliferated and in many ways have shaped
local eating-out lifestyles. Further, as an impact of glo-
balisation, restaurants that offer what so-called ‘modern’
international cuisines such as Japanese, Thai, Indian, and
French have grown dramatically in the country, both op-
erated by global and local business players. Ironically, in
the contemporary phase, traditional food appeared to be
put aside since more people prefer to consume what
they call ‘modern’food. However, in the past few years,
the government has taken an impressive initiative to
promote Indonesian traditional culinary and re-
appreciate the traditional food of the country. To do so,
relevant stakeholders such as industry association, busi-
ness practitioners, and educational institutions have
been invited to step in to actualise and promote Indo-
nesian culinary both to domestic and international
markets. Indonesian cuisine has regained its popularity
amongst Indonesian people: traditional food is not just
sold at local food street hawkers (called warung), but
there are growing numbers of medium-large scale
restaurants which specialise in traditional Indonesian
food [39].
Characteristics of Indonesian cuisine
Pre-food consumption: ingredients, cooking methods and
utensils
As abovementioned, Indonesian cuisine characteristics
are heavily influenced by natural and cultural conditions.
Basic ingredients of Indonesian cuisine consist of a var-
iety of herbs, seasoning, and spices. Most Indonesian
dishes use fresh herbs such as onion and garlic, spring
onion, ginger roots, turmeric, galangal, candlenuts,
lemon basil, lemon grass, and not to mention chilli [7].
In addition to these fresh herbs, the inclusion of spices
is at the heart of almost every Indonesian dish. Known
as islands of spices, the spices available range from seed,
fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance, and the most
common include coriander seeds, pepper, nutmeg,
cumin, and cloves. Either grated, chopped, or dried,
these spices, together with other fresh ingredients, play a
part as a seasoning for the purpose of flavouring the
food (in Indonesian language, it is called bumbu)[32].
Besides for cooking, the spices are extensively used for
other purposes such as to preserve the food, as a medi-
cine, part of the rituals, and ingredients of cosmetics and
perfumery [40] (Fig. 4).
In regards to the cooking method, Indonesian food is
prepared according to a variety of ways, being shallow or
deep fried, grilled over hot coals, simmered, steamed and
baked, and relatively speaking, does not require complex
kitchen utensils [32]. Its basic cooking utensils include
mortar and pestle, chopping board, cleaver, wok (wajan),
spatula, ladle, and steamers, with wok and mortal-pestle
considered as the most characteristic. Whilst the wok is
used to fry the food, a flat saucer-shaped granite grinding
stonetogetherwithagranitepestleisfrequentlyusedto
grind or crush the fresh herbs and spices and make them
into spice paste (bumbu). Unlike neighbouring Malaysia
and Thailand where the ingredients are pounded with a
pestle inside a deep mortar, the Indonesian people rub or
grind ingredients with a backwards and forwards motion
across the granite [7]. Also widely used in Indonesian
cooking is the banana leaf, either for wrapping food for
grilling, steaming, or placing directly onto hot coals. Ba-
nana leaf can be found abundantly in Indonesia’s tropical
islands and the use of the leaf as a wrapper contributes au-
thentic flavour and aroma on the food. There are different
ways of wrapping the food in banana leaf, depending on
the contents and particular style of preparation [7](Fig.5).
During food consumption: meals and ways of eating
The traditional Indonesian meal does not involve
courses that are served individually such as entrée, main,
and dessert. Instead, each dish is handed out collectively
[41]. All food is served on the table, given the influence
of Dutch culture—the rijsttafel or rice table. Rice (nasi)
is central to the lives of Indonesians [7]. It is considered
as the most popular staple food for the majority of the
population although in some regions, there are
Fig. 4 Authentic Indonesian spices and herbs. Indonesian cuisine is
rich in herbs and spices. Known throughout the world as the ‘Spice
Islands’, the Indonesian islands of Maluku contributed to the
introduction of its native spices to world cuisine. Pala (nutmeg),
cengkih (clove), daun pandan (pandan leaves), keluak (Pangium
edule), and lengkuas (galangal) are considered as the native and
authentic spices of Indonesia. Whilst some spices such as chilli,
shallot, garlic, pepper, ginger, turmeric, and galangal can be found
throughout the country, several spices are only found in a specific
region. The Western region uses more spices than the Eastern part
of Indonesia (retrieved
from https://www.suara.com/lifestyle/2018/05/10/130000/bumbu-
masak-asli-indonesia-diekspor-sampai-ke-amerika)
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 6 of 10
variations, for example, sago palm in Maluku islands and
corn in Madura island and some eastern islands [40].
The rice is eaten accompanied by one or two main
savoury dishes consisting of meat such as chicken or
beef, fish, and vegetables [32]. Besides the rice and side
dishes, it is common to have condiments which include
chilli-hot sambal as well as something to provide a
crunchy contrast such as deep-fried tiny anchovies (ikan
teri), tapioca crackers (krupuk), or deep-fried tempeh [7].
Tempeh is an adaptation of tofu to the tropical climate
of Indonesia. It is originally developed in Java since the
1700s and made through a controlled fermentation
process that binds soybean into a cake form. The fer-
mented soybean holds more protein, dietary fibre, and
vitamins than regular tofu, and it is widely consumed ei-
ther as snack or part of meal across the country [42].
Having rice as the base of most Indonesian meals, the
typical Indonesian menu is high in fibre, complex carbo-
hydrates, and monounsaturated fatty acids. Breakfasts
consist of rice, noodles, or meat and vegetable soup, ac-
companied by Java coffee or tea to start the day. Lunch
is the main meal of the day. The meal is prepared all in
the morning and is served all at once. Dinner is often
eaten after the workday has ended. Lunch and dinner
normally contain staples, meat or fish, vegetables, and
condiments [41].
Indonesian meals are commonly eaten with the com-
bination of a spoon in the right hand and fork in the left
hand, although in many parts of the country, such as in
Java, it is common to eat with one’s hands. The use the
right hand is an acceptable custom since the left hand is
considered unclean in Moslem religion beliefs. Eating
with chopsticks is generally only found in food stalls or
restaurants serving Indonesian adaptations of Chinese
cuisine. Selamat makan is the polite Indonesian invita-
tion before the meal consumption [7].
Classification of Indonesian cuisine
With its enormous geographic and cultural diversity, it
is evident that Indonesian cuisine is rich in variety and
taste. For example, in using fresh herbs and spices, each
part of Indonesia develops its own combinations and in-
tensities to produce a food taste that is either spicy, hot,
strong, sweet, sour, or a mixture of these flavours [31].
Basically, Indonesian cuisine can be classified based on
six major islands across the country. Each has different
food culture characteristics that are shaped by the
natural conditions, history, and culture of the region.
The food in Sumatra Island is much influenced by In-
dian and Chinese culture. Through its roots in the spice
trade era and strategic location in the India-China trade
routes, most Northern Sumatra cities exhibit the influence
of Chinese and Indian immigrants’ways of life [40]. As
the western anchor of the archipelago, Sumatra was the
first port of call for Indian and Arab traders, and the
coastal Sumatrans heavily adopted their spices as well
as stews, curries, and kebabs from these merchants
[31]. The most popular cuisine from the island is
Padang (West Sumatra) food whose signature dish is
rendang—a spicy stewed beef in coconut milk [43]. In
2011, an online polling undertaken by CNN to 35,000
‘love-food’readers across the globe voted rendang as
the top 50 world’s most delicious foods [44]. Moreover,
the Padang food restaurant chains can be found
throughout Indonesia and neighbouring countries such
as Malaysia and Singapore, thus making Padang as one
of the most favourite Indonesian regional cuisines
amongst international travellers [45].
Fig. 5 aPepes.Pepes is a steamed fish dish with spices, wrapped in banana leaf as a food wrapping. The banana leaf package containing food is
secured with lidi (a small nail made from central rib of coconut leaf) on the left and right sides of the wrap. The cooking method of pepes is
steamed or grilled on charcoal. Such a cooking technique allows the rich spice mixture to be compressed against the main ingredients inside the
individual banana leaf package whilst being cooked, and also adds a distinct aroma of cooked or burned banana leaf. Although being cooked
simultaneously with food, the banana leaf is a non-edible material and is discarded after cooking. bNagasari. Nagasari is a traditional steamed
cake and considered as a snack. It is made from rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar, filled with slices of banana. Nagasari is usually wrapped in
banana leaves before being steamed, or added with pandan leaf to enhance the aroma (retrieved
from https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&tbm=isch&q=aneka+masakan+dibungkus+daun+pisang)
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 7 of 10
Table 1 Indonesian food culture mapping
Characteristics Western part of Indonesia Central part of Indonesia Eastern part of Indonesia
Natural
environment:
geographical
position,
temperature,
landscapes
Sumatera Tropic, hot, humid, many
volcanoes, fertile, green, lush,
many paddy fields.
Kalimantan ▪Tropic, hot, humid.
▪A lot of rainforests
▪Swampy coastlines
▪Many big and long rivers
East
Nusa
Tenggara
Hot and drier
Java Sulawesi Maluku ▪Contains of
hundreds of small
islands
▪Hot and humid but
fertile for spices to
grow (known as
Spices Islands).
Bali West
Papua
▪Hot and drier, but
some parts of the
regions have snowy
mountains.
▪A lot of rainforests
and swampy
coastline.
▪Many rivers and lakes
West
Nusa
Tenggara
(Lombok)
Tropic, hot, humid, fertile and
green although in some parts are
drier.
Socio-cultural:
Major ethnic
groups, religion
Sumatera ▪Acehnese, Bataknese,
Padangnese, more Chinese groups
in North Sumatera.
▪The majority are Muslims, except
Bataknese are mainly Christian.
Kalimantan ▪Dayak, Banjar, and Chinese
▪The majority are Muslims
East
Nusa
Tenggara
▪Timorese
▪The majority are
Christian and Catholic
Java ▪Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese.
▪The majority are Muslims.
Sulawesi ▪Minahasan, Bugis, Torajan
▪The majority are Muslims
except for Minahasan, the
majority are Christian.
Maluku ▪Ambonese
▪The majority are
Christian and Catholic
Bali ▪Balinese
▪The majority are Hindus.
West
Papua
▪Some indigenous
ethnic groups are still
practising a very
traditional ways of
live.
▪The majority are
Christian and Catholic
West
Nusa
Tenggara
(Lombok)
▪Sasak ethnic group.
▪Half are Hindus and the rest are
Muslims.
Food: Staple food,
spices/herbs, main
ingredients,
flavours
Sumatera ▪The influence of Middle East and
Indian culture are strong in the
regions.
▪The cuisines have a very strong
flavour (spicy, sour, thick that
comes from heavy usage of
coconut milk in cooking the
dishes).
▪Rice is the staple food.
▪Beef, chicken as meats used in
the dishes, along with vegetables.
▪For Chinese and some Christian
Bataknese, pork is eaten.
Kalimantan ▪Rice is the staple food.
▪Freshwater fish is abundant.
East
Nusa
Tenggara
▪Corn and cassava is
the staple food
Java ▪Rice is the staple food.
Maduranese eat corn as their main
food.
▪Beef, chicken as meats used in
the dishes along with vegetables.
▪Foods are sweeter in Central
Java and the opposites in East
Java.
Sulawesi ▪Rice is the staple food.
▪North Sulawesi cuisine has a
very strong and spicy flavour;
also some dishes contain
extremely unfamiliar
ingredients.
▪Freshwater fish and seafood
are abundant.
▪Known as the best seafood
produce in Indonesia.
Maluku ▪Corn and cassava is
the staple food, some
eat papeda as the
main food.
▪Seafood is the main
ingredients of the
foods.
▪Land of spices and
fresh herbs
Bali ▪Rice is the staple food.
▪Pork is common in Balinese
cuisine.
▪Many Balinese dishes are spicy.
West
Papua
▪Corn and cassava is
the staple food, some
eat papeda as the
main food.
▪Seafood is the main
ingredients of the
foods.
West
Nusa
Tenggara
(Lombok)
▪Rice is the staple food.
▪The signature flavour of Lombok
cuisine is spicy.
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 8 of 10
Javanese cuisine is strongly influenced by the island’s
traditional kingdoms such as Mataram in Central Java and
Majapahit in East Java. Also named as a royal cuisine,
most of Javanese cuisine is considered relatively mild com-
pared to other regions of Indonesia [33]. In Java Island,
the major ethnic groups are Javanese (70%) who live in
Central Java and East Java provinces; Sundanese in the
western of the island (20%); and Madurese (10%), who in-
habitant the island of Madura in the eastern part of Java.
There are diverse patterns of cuisine across the regions in
the island. Sundanese cuisine uses a lot of fresh vegetables
in its dishes [31]. Further, food in Central Java is distin-
guished for its sweetness whereas East Javanese cuisine
tends to be less sweet and spicier compared to Central
Java’s. In addition, seafood products are widely used in this
region to make shrimp paste condiment, an ingredient
found in many East Javanese dishes [40].
Then there are Bali and West Nusa Tenggara (Lombok)
cuisines. Unlike central and western regions of Indonesia,
Nusa Tenggara whose climate is drier, it is more common
to have sago, corn, cassava, and taro rather than rice, as
staple food [46]. Since the vast majority of the population
in Bali is Hindu, this religious belief has reflected greatly
the way Balinese cuisine is prepared; for instance, beef is
very rarely used whilst pork is more common. On the
other hand, although West Nusa Tenggara is in close
proximity with Bali and the island was ruled by a Hindu
Dynasty from Bali, however, a revolt in 1891–1894 left the
entire island to the Netherland East Indies colony. As a re-
sult, there is a mixture of cuisines wherein some are close
to those in Bali (Hindu’s influence) and the others have a
touch of Dutch influence in taste [40].
The cuisine from Kalimantan, the Indonesian region
of Borneo island that is located at the centre of maritime
South East Asia, is appealing too. Its sweeping coastlines
and many large rivers provide an abundance of seafood
and freshwater fish used in the local dishes [47]. In
addition to this, there are three major ethnic groups in
Kalimantan including the Dayak (indigenous inhabitants
of Borneo), Malay, and Chinese which make up about
90% of the total population [40]. These distinct groups
support the diversity of the cuisines across the island. A
big percentage of Chinese community lives in the west
of Kalimantan and it is unsurprisingly that cuisine in this
region is dominated by Chinese-related ingredients such
as noodles, soy sauce, and pork. On the other hand, at
the rest of the island, the cuisines have strongly influ-
enced by indigenous Dayak food that uses more indigen-
ous spices and fresh herbs [48].
Sulawesi Island is known for the best sea produce in
Indonesia; hence, its culinary taste has revolved around
seafood cuisines. Fish roasted over charcoal (ikan bakar)
served with a variety of dipping sauce or condiment is a
firm regional favourite. Likewise West Sumatra, most of
the dishes in North Sulawesi have a very strong flavour
that generated from chilli. In addition to this, some dishes
in this region serve animals, such as dogs, bat, and forest
rats, as the main ingredients of the food [46]. Calling the
use of these unusual food as scary food, a study was
undertaken to examine the phenomenon of offering scary
foods as part of adventure tourism for international visi-
tors not only elicit emotional reactions like fear or disgust
but also thrill and enjoyment, dependent upon visitor’s
personality and motivation for travel [49].
Lastly, the cuisines from Maluku Islands and Papua,
which are drier, are similarly defined by seafood. How-
ever, the staple food of native people in Maluku and Pa-
pua, instead of rice like the other five regions, is papeda
(sago congee), usually consumed with yellow soup made
from fish such as tuna and mubara fish spiced with tur-
meric and lime [46].
Table 1summarises the characteristics and the classifi-
cations of Indonesian cuisine mapping which vary across
the regions in the country. The map divides the country
into three major regions: western, central, and eastern
part of Indonesia.
Conclusion
The preceding review and discussions have shown that
Indonesia boasts a long history with diverse influence
from different cultures. This diversity has brought sig-
nificant influences that have supported the establishment
of various unique exotic cuisines in the country. This
study is anticipated to function as a starter contribution
to increase the market awareness of Indonesian cuisine
and its richness particularly through the exploration of
socio-cultural aspect.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank the reviewers for their valuable inputs to the
manuscript to meet the standard of publication of this journal.
Author’s contributions
The author read and approved the final manuscript.
Author’s information
Serli Wijaya is an Assistant Professor at Faculty of Business & Economics,
Petra Christian University, Surabaya Indonesia. She obtained a doctor of
philosophy degree from Victoria University, Melbourne. Her research interest
is in the areas of tourist behaviour, destination marketing, and special
interest tourism including culinary tourism.
Funding
This study was funded by the Directorate General of the Ministry of
Research, Technology and Higher Education, Republic of Indonesia.
Availability of data and materials
All datasets have been presented in this paper.
Competing interests
The author declares that she has no competing interests.
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 9 of 10
Received: 23 May 2019 Accepted: 4 September 2019
References
1. Conner M, Armitage CJ. In: Sutton S, editor. The social psychology of food.
Philadelphia: Open University Press; 2002.
2. Bessiere J. Local development and heritage: traditional food and cuisine as
tourist attractions in rural areas. Eur Soc Rural Sociol. 1998;38(1):21–34.
3. Henderson JC. Food tourism reviewed. Br Food J. 2009;111(4):317–26.
4. Du Rand GE, Heath E, Alberts N. The role of local and regional food in
destination marketing: a South African situation analysis. J Travel Tour Mark.
2003;14(3/4):97–112.
5. Yurnaldi. Pariwisata Indonesia jauh ketinggalan [Indonesian tourism is left
behind]. Kompas. 2010; Sect. Travel.
6. Pertiwi NLM. Kuliner Indonesia layak dipromosikan [Indonesian culinary is
well-deserved to be promoted]. Kompas. 2011;Sect. Travel.
7. Von Holzen H. The food of Indonesia: authentic recipes from the spice
islands. Singapore: Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd; 1996.
8. Giles J, Middleton T. Studying culture: a practical introduction. Oxford:
Blackwell Publishers Inc; 1999. 280 p
9. Mennell S, Murcott A, van Otterloo AH. The sociology of food: eating, diet
and culture. London: SAGE Publications Ltd; 1992.
10. Kittler PG, Sucher KP. Food and culture. 4th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth/
Thomson Learning; 2004.
11. Hegarty JA, O'Mahony BG. Gastronomy: a phenomenon of cultural
expressionism and an aesthetic for living. Hosp Manage. 2001;20:3–13.
12. Sussmann S, Rashcovsky C. A cross-cultural analusis of English and French
Canadians’vacation travel patterns. Int J Hosp Manag. 1997;16(2):191–207.
13. Reisinger Y, Turner LW. Cultural differences between Asian tourist markets
and Australian hosts, part 1. J Travel Res. 2002;40:295–315.
14. Counihan C, Esterik VP. Food and culture: a reader. 2nd ed. New York:
Routledge Taylor & Francis Group; 2008.
15. Wahlqvist ML, Lee MS. Regional food culture and development. Asia Pac J
Clin Nutr. 2007;16(Suppl 1):2–7.
16. Chang RCY, Kivela J, Mak AHN. Attributes that influence the evaluation of
travel dining experience: when East meets West. Tour Manag. 2010;30:1–10.
17. Reynolds PC. Food and tourism: towards an understanding of sustainable
culture. J Sustain Tour. 1993;1(1):48–54.
18. Bonicafe P. In: Meethan K, Ioannides D, editors. Tasting tourism: travelling
for food and drink. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Limited; 2003.
19. Fischler C. Food and identity. Soc Sci Inf. 1988;27(2):275–92.
20. Edelstein S. Food, cuisine, and cultural competency for hospitality, and
nutrition professionals. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2011.
21. Allen MW, Gupta R, Monnier A. The interactive effect of cultural symbols and
human values on taste evaluation. J Consum Res. 2008;35(August):294–308.
22. Holbrook MB, Hirschman EC. The experiential aspects of consumption:
consumer fantasies, feelings, and fun. J Consum Res. 1982;9(2):132–40.
23. Montanari M. The culture of food. Paris: Blackwell Publishers; 1994.
24. Tian RG. Cultural awareness of the consumers at a Chinese restaurant. J
Food Prod Mark. 2001;7(1–2):111–30.
25. Chang KC. Food in Chinese culture: anthropological and historical
perspectives. New York: Yale University; 1977.
26. Beardsworth A, Keil T. Sociology on the menu: an invitation of the study of
food and society. London: Routledge; 1997.
27. Chang SY. A cross cultural comparison of food preferences employing risk
perception and novelty seeking influences [dissertation]. Townsville: James
Cook University; 2007.
28. Long LM. Culinary tourism. Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky;
2004. p. 306.
29. Sparks B, Bowen J, Klag S. Restaurants and the tourist market. Int J Contemp
Hosp Manag. 2003;15(1):6–13.
30. Bell D, Valentine G. Consuming geographies: we are where we eat. London:
Routledge; 1997.
31. Koene H. Culinary reconnaissance: Indonesia. Aramco World. 1996;47:18–27.
32. Prince R. The real tastes of Indonesia: a culinary journey through 100 unique
family recipes. Melbourne: Hardie Grant Books; 2009. p. 288.
33. Wongso W. Flavors of Indonesia: William Wongso’s culinary wonders.
Jakarta: Bab Publishing; 2016. p. 198.
34. Taylor JG. Indonesia: peoples and histories. New Haven: Yale University Press; 2003.
35. Fadiati A, Mariani S. Codification of Indonesian culinary: critical analysis of
traditional Food. Proceedings of the 3rd UNJ International Conference on
Technical and Vocational Education and Training 2018. Dubai: KnE
Publishing; 2019. p. 19–31.
36. Ananta A, Arifin EN, Hasbullah MS, Handayani NB, Pramono A. Demography
of Indonesia's ethnicity: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; 2015.
37. Alamsyah Y. Bangkitnya bisnis kuliner tradisional [the rise of traditional
culinary business]. Jakarta: PT. Elex Media Komputindo; 2008.
38. Ho AY. At the south-east Asian table. New York: Oxford University Press; 1995.
39. Setyanti CA. Kuliner Indonesia jadi tren, kini dan nanti [Indonesian culinary,
now and then]. Kompas. 2011;Sect. Travel.
40. Tourism MoCa. Indonesia culinary. In: Indonesia MoCaTTRo, editor. Jakarta:
Ministry of Culture and Tourism The Republic of Indonesia; 2010.
41. Sovyanhadi M. Indonesia. In: Edelstein S, editor. Food, cuisine, and cultural
competency for culinary, and nutrition professionals. Sudbury: Jones and
Bartlett Publishers; 2011.
42. Astuti M, Meliala A, Dalais FS, Wahlqvist ML. Tempe, a nutritious and healthy
food from Indonesia. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2000;9(4):322–5.
43. Lipoeto NI, Agus Z, Oenzil F, Masrul M, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Wahlqvist
ML. Contemporary Minangkabau food culture in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2001;10(1):10–6.
44. Cheung T. Your pick: World’s 50 most delicious foods2011 21 January 2012.
Available from: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/eat/readers-choice-
worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-067535. Accessed 25 May 2013.
45. Klopfer L. Padang restaurants: creating “ethnic”cuisine in Indonesia. Food
Foodways. 1993;5(3):293–304.
46. Wikipedia. Indonesian cuisine: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.; 2010. Available
from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Indonesia. [cited 2010 24
September]
47. Asia WD. Borneo foods: what to eat in Borneo: Asia Web Direct; 2012.
Available from: http://www.borneo-hotels.com/info/what-to-eat.htm. [cited
2012 8 October].
48. TravelSmart. Kalimantan restaurants and dining (Kalimantan, Indonesia):
TravelSmart Ltd; 2012. Available from: http://www.kalimantan.world-guides.
com/kalimantan_restaurants.html. [updated 30 September 2012; cited 2012
8 October].
49. Gyimóthy S, Mykletun RJ. Scary food: commodifying culinary heritage as
meal adventures in tourism. J Vacat Mark. 2009;15(3):259–73.
Publisher’sNote
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional affiliations.
Wijaya Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:9 Page 10 of 10
