This week, something new—a podcast! I chat with Indonesian food guru Arie Parikesit about how Indonesia offers a continent’s worth of eating. Please click on the play symbol above to listen!
Says Arie: “You have breakfast in Aceh, and then you will have lunch maybe in Bandung, you have Sundanese food, and then you have dinner in Bali or Lombok—you will feel like you are in three different countries.”
The founder of Kelanarasa, Arie has been involved in the Indonesian food scene for decades. Jakarta–based, but harking from Solo in Central Java, Arie describes himself as a Jakarta boy with his roots in central Javanese culture. He’s also eaten his way from one end of the country to the other.
At Resto Pecel in Solo, Central Java. Photo: Sally Arnold.
In this interview, Arie explains some of the reasons behind why Indonesian food doesn’t share the same fame as Thai and Vietnamese fare. From Aceh in the west to Papua in the east, Arie touches on regional specialities as he explains the diversity and history of the food.
Most importantly, we get down to the thorny issue of bubur ayam—should you stir or not?
You can find Arie on Twitter, Instagram and if you’d like to contact him direct, email is best— kelanarasa@gmail.com.
Thanks again to Arie for his time—I don’t think I’ve ever done an interview that left me quite so hungry!
This is my first go at recording an interview like this, and the internet connection (and my mixing skills) did us no favours. My apologies in advance for the scratchy sound!
I’m aiming to do one of these every Friday, though not always this long! Please let me know what you think in the comments. Suggestions, as always, are greatly appreciated, and if you know someone you’d like me to interview, let me know!
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