Kitchenesia met Chef Sisca Soewitomo, Indonesia's Godmother of TV chef, in Le Meridien Hotel on Tuesday (10/09). She talks about her career and the phenomenon of "instant food"
Kitchenesia.com - It was the good old days, the childhood, when everyoned seemed to be in an agreement, including mi famiglia.
But my family had divided opinions when it came to TV program.
The debate among us became more intense during weekends.
However, there is only one TV show that surprisingly, united our contrary opinions.
It was Aroma, a TV cooking show by Chef Sisca Soewitomo that firstly aired in 1996.
Aroma lasted for 11 years, and still rebroadcasted on national channel even until today.
While being the first cooking show in Indonesia, it gained high trust by public audience, proven by its high rating and long-runing time.
Chef Sisca has brought an abundance of positive impact in Indonesia's culinary industry: She was a mentor of next-generation TV chef such as Chef Rudi Choirudin and Chef Tatang.
She has released no less than 150 recipe books and she is still active as a speaker in many local and national cooking workshops.
Due to her lifetime dedication, she earned a title as "Indonesia's Queen of Culinary".
But behold! Now, public are bombarded with cooking shows starring good-looking, millenial chefs - not to mentioned tattoeed.
But, Chef Sisca's dedication in culinary field is irreplaceable.
At the age of 70 (and at her 50 years as a culinary expert), she still looks as pretty as she was in Aroma's first episode 23 years ago. At the Endeus TV festival, Kitchenesia.com asked her a question or two.
Tell us about your culinary career and your current activity?
Before joining Aroma, I was a college teacher for Trisakti School of Hospitality.
Then in 1996, I joined the TV show for the first time. Public responses were great that made Aroma lasted for 11 years and broadcasted in 3 different channels.
Currently, I become a speaker in offline cooking workshops.
Youth todays tend to consume instant food such as instant noodles or nugget. What do you think cause this phenomenon?
Ads are the major cause.
They tend to diminish many important cooking steps.
For example, ads only display boiling steps in cooking instant noodle.
Then, they serve the food with fried egg and noodles. That's why young audience imitate this step,and consume instant noodles without nutrition sources like vegetables and egg. It is really unhealthy.
Then, what do you think the best way to persuade millenials to cook their own food?
Since young, our children should be persuaded to join their mothers cooking food. Don't forget to keep kitchen clean and healthy.
No wants to go to dirty kitchen unless rat! (laugh).
Also, I don't think using instant seasoning will make the food bad. There are many instant seasoning sold in supermarket. It shortens the food process and makes the food tastier.
It is a fact that Indonesia's cuisine is less popular than other Asian countries' cuisine such as Malaysian or Chinese.
Indonesian food really has so many potentials to go international.
However, we are always late.
Governments from other Asian countries have boosted their national food since long time ago, while Indonesian government has just started the campaign recently.
Moreover, many Indonesian snacks actually suit international taste, for example fried banana.
I believe Indonesian cuisine will get recognized, and I can see the progess. But, it takes time.
