At The Embassy of Indonesia, a New Tool: Gastro-Diplomacy
Indonesian Officials Turn to Food as a Way to Inspire Interest
By: Infromation Division, Embassy of Indonesia


The aroma is a hook in itself. As investors, restaurateurs, and officials gather around a conference table on the first floor of the Indonesian Embassy, the scent of fresh food hangs everywhere. Just within sight, satay, rendang, spicy udang, and sweet nasi sit, tempting visitors. An official steps forward. “In Indonesia,” he announces with cheer, “we say: Eat first, and then negotiate.” The episode is revealing.

Officials at the Embassy of Indonesia are increasingly turning to food to inspire interest in their country. Noting the success of Thai and Chinese cuisine in the United States, the embassy has established a Restaurant Task Force to identify ways of bringing Indonesian food to America. Though the atmosphere is light, the initiative is serious.

“On the news, people see disasters in Indonesia,” says Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, the country’s top diplomat in the U.S. “Our cuisine is a way of showing people there is more to Indonesia. So we are very interested in expanding Indonesian restaurants here.”

And activity is growing. In early February, officials presented a market study to an overflow crowd of Indonesian Americans. In March, they met with representatives from the National Restaurant Association, the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, logistics firms, and investors. Encouraged by the response, they are now beginning to distribute promotional materials. And this, they say, is just the beginning.

“Right now we are just in our first baby steps,” says Ridwan Hassan, head of the Task Force and a self-described dreamer. “I love Indonesian food, and I think Americans will love it too. But they have not tried it. That is part of what we are working to change.”

Currently, there are forty-six Indonesian restaurants in the United States, twenty-two of which are in California. In comparison, America hosts over 3,000 Thai restaurants.

At the Task Force, there is no shortage of ideas. Officials are exploring everything from management training and supermarket-based spice marketing to the value of hybrid restaurants and professional networking events. In everything, they say, the end goal remains simple: inspire interest in Indonesia.

Indonesia, a country of 230 million is both the world’s largest state with a Muslim majority and its third largest democracy. With recent direct presidential elections—the country’s first—Indonesia has been undergoing rapid reform. Still, say officials, the image of the devastating 2004 tsunami has been hard to shake. The wave, which struck on December 26, 2004, killed an estimated 130,000 Indonesians.

Though perhaps appropriate for a land once known as the Spice Islands, the embassy’s initiative also highlights the recent broadening of public diplomacy, or the ways in which individuals interact across borders at a less-than-official level. To advocates, food is a natural step in a process already encompassing tourism, popular culture, sports, and education. In the U.S., Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also adopted the approach. On November 9, 2006, she made American figure skater Michelle Kwan the country’s first public diplomacy ambassador. Kwan recently finished a goodwill tour of Asia.

At the Embassy of Indonesia, though, the mission is simpler. Officials are not looking to win hearts, but simply broaden minds. “Not many people see our culture,” admits Ridwan, the effort’s leader. Food, he says, is a way to catch their attention. “We can show people pictures and tell them about Indonesia. But nothing is better than tasting it for yourself.”

Information Division
Embassy of Indonesia