Chef Hassan Al Ibrahim in Papua
Doha, Qatar: The Years of Culture initiative, a bilateral cultural exchange programme launched by Qatar Museums over a decade ago, is organising a culinary journey for two Qatari chefs through Indonesia from Jayapura, to Medan, and Bali, culminating at the Ubud Food Festival taking place at Taman Kuliner from June 30 to July 2.
Chef Noof Al Marri, owner of the Desert Rose Cafe at the National Museum of Qatar, and Chef Hassan Al Ibrahim, known as Captain Chef due his pilot training, will explore the length of Indonesia through unique gastronomic experiences - enjoying unique street food and ethnic cuisine, learning traditional cooking techniques by preparing home-cooked meals in residents’ homes and learning about sustainable foods.
Coming together at the Ubud Food Festival, the chefs will surprise attendees with unique recipe ideas from both ends of an ancient spice trade route from the Arabian Peninsula to Indonesia.
Medan is a melting pot of the many cultures in Indonesia. Here, dishes are made with Acehnese, Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences. Chef Noof and Chef Hassan will visit an incredible array of restaurants and food stalls. First up is the peranakan beef and chicken curry restaurant Rumah Makan Tabona.
The chefs will also sample sweet confections at the oldest traditional dessert spot in the city called Putu Bambu Sudi Mampir; and try dinner dishes at a famous local street food spot Kwetiau Medan. A highlight of the trip will be the search for authentic Bataknese dishes made by the indigenous people of Medan at Ruma Makan Marikena.
Chef Noof and Chef Hassan will be accompanied in Medan by Chef Arsyan Dwianto known for his third-place win on “Masterchef Indonesia Season 9.”
Jayapura, the easternmost capital city in Indonesia, is known for its sago staple food used in similar manner to rice. Cuisine in this region is traditionally made of ingredients that can be foraged from the forests.
Jungle Chef Charles Toto will guide visiting chefs on their journey through Jayapura. Toto’s focus is on actively preserving the culinary culture native to Papua, using various natural ingredients from his native land.
No culinary journey of Indonesia will be complete without Balinese cuisine. Chef Wayan Kresna Yasa, who is a passionate ambassador of Balinese food and cooking, will guide Qatari chefs on a special tour of traditional Balinese cooking demonstrations.
The journey concludes at the Ubud Food Festival happening from June 30 to July 2 where Chef Noof and Chef Hassan will pay homage to soil, tanah, as this year’s theme. Together, Noof and Hassan will partner with Chef Charles Toto and Chef Devina Hermawan, known for her role on “Master Chef Indonesia,” for a series of culinary demonstrations and panel discussions about the impact of land resources on the types of food chefs in Qatar and Indonesia specialise in.
