Ask ten Indonesians to name the country’s best dish, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. Some will say rendang from West Sumatra, others will insist on soto with its endless variations, while spice lovers swear by Manado’s rica-rica. The truth is: Indonesia is too diverse for one answer. And that’s exactly its magic. BBTF 2026 embraces this culinary richness from many different tourism destinations, showing buyers how the impossibility of choosing “the best for experience” is an invitation to explore. From rice fields to kitchens, food here is less about definition and more about stories – stories waiting to be shared with the world.
Indonesia’s cuisine is a living mosaic of flavours shaped by geography, culture, and history. With more than 300 ethnic groups, each region adds its own rhythm to the archipelago’s culinary symphony.
Consider soto. In Central Java, it’s a clear turmeric broth. In Madura, coconut milk makes it richer. In Betawi, Jakarta’s version has beef and potatoes, while in Sulawesi, it turns into a fish-based soup. Each bowl carries a local identity, proving that Indonesia cannot be captured in a single dish – it must be experienced island by island.
But food here isn’t just consumed – it’s passed down like a story. In villages, recipes are rarely written, and scales are almost never used. Instead, mothers teach their children to cook with their senses: a pinch by hand, a colour judged by eye, a taste adjusted on the tongue. The final ingredient is always intuition – the feeling that the dish is “right.” For travellers, joining a cooking class with a local ibu (mother) is less about mastering a recipe and more about entering this world of sensory wisdom.
Chefs across Indonesia are also giving traditional crops new life, turning village staples into modern cuisine. This reflects global movements – like Italy’s “slow food” or Japan’s farm-to-table kaiseki – yet Indonesia’s story is unique because every ingredient carries ritual, offering, or memory.
For buyers, this diversity is a strength. BBTF 2026 offers the chance to turn Indonesian gastronomy into curated travel products: cooking classes with village families, spice trails, heritage workshops, and immersive farm-to-kitchen journeys. What cannot be defined as “the best” becomes an ever-expanding menu of authentic experiences.
“Indonesian cuisine is not one dish but thousands of stories. BBTF 2026 connects those stories with the world.” Partner with ASITA Bali Region to design immersive culinary journeys. Join BBTF 2026.
