We just received this exciting update from Director of Student Affairs Andy Gold who is currently in Indonesia at the United States Embassy teaching to the Council of Chefs, a group of Indonesian chefs with different culinary backgrounds, established by the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) Jakarta.
Council members include nutritionist and author Edwin Handoyo Lauwy (Chef Edwin Lau), hot kitchen chef Muchtar Alamsyah (Chef Tatang), and baking and pastry chefs Ucu Sawitri and Haryanto Makmoer. Here is update about his trip so far. Stay tuned fore more news and photos in the coming days. I’m here in Jakarta, Indonesia with the Indonesian Council of Chefs and the USDA contingent. Included in the group at the Five-Star Hotel Dharmagwansa is ICEalumni Chef Jill Sandique of Manila.
We just finished cooking five entrée plates with over 25 imported US products — from a US Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with Espresso and Dried Chili Crust, to a Knotts Berry Farm Blackberry Compote with Sambal-Rubbed, Brined Turkey Cutlet and Pickled Green Grapes and Garlic Pickles. Our big day with the press with all these chefs will be tomorrow. Most of the council chefs have their own shows on Indonesian TV. They have been recruited by the USDA and yours truly is leading them in culinary training on the blending of US food products and their own Indonesian cuisine. The five entrees were selected from a group of 37 recipes that we have already tried. The results will be featured live this Thursday on Indonesian TV, at a demonstration for over 200 local chefs, restaurateurs, food critics and media types.
Photo from Wikipedia
