William Wongso has been in the food industry for more than four decades. But slowing down never once crossed his mind.
His culinary journey began when he became a baker in 1977. He traveled the world to learn about international cuisines, and after 20 years, he decided to dedicate his time and energy to Indonesian culinary pursuits. He visits villages across the Indonesian archipelago to learn more about traditional cooking methods. Wongso also loves going to traditional markets. For him, the traditional market is a living food encyclopedia where he can ask vendors anything about spices and ingredients, and listen to the stories.
Wongso participates in international culinary fairs and teaches in well-known cooking schools in many countries as his contribution to put Indonesian dishes in the global food map. He cofounded Aku Cinta Masakan Indonesia (I Love Indonesian Cooking) community to nurture the love of Indonesian cooking in the national and international stages. He released Flavors of Indonesia: William Wongso’s Culinary Wonders cooking book, which won the Best Book of the Year at the 2017 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
His expertise earned him the Medaille d’Honneur by the Academie du Pain Award in 2018, and with this, he becomes a member of the prestigious culinary club Elite de La Boulangerie International. The 73-year-old never feels too old and too tired to continue promoting Indonesian food.
In his own words:
“As long as I still can contribute to Indonesian culinary, I will never stop even during this time. Before COVID-19, I spent 60 per cent of my time to travel, but now I travel through the cyber world. With Instagram and Zoom, I can share with young people and the world about Indonesia’s cooking treasure. I make photo essays on social media to interact. Through photos, I can convey better to people about things I love. It was difficult for me at first to use social media, but I got used to it eventually. Many say that I’m too old for social media, but why can’t I do that? I like keeping myself active and busy.
“I always control my food; I restrain from eating too much. I think that’s the secret why I’m still active. Food intake is vital for elderly to stay healthy. The government should pay great attention to this matter. Moreover, the government should also provide adequate elderly care facilities for those who do not have families that can take care of them. It’s better if the facilities have proper kitchens and healthy menus. I think ASEAN as an organisation can play its part by monitoring the facilities.
“I always control my food; I restrain from eating too much. I think that’s the secret why I’m still active. Food intake is vital for elderly to stay healthy. The government should pay great attention to this matter. Moreover, the government should also provide adequate elderly care facilities for those who do not have families that can take care of them. It’s better if the facilities have proper kitchens and healthy menus. I think ASEAN as an organisation can play its part by monitoring the facilities.
“I am so lucky that I am quite independent at this age. I can go here and there by myself. Recently, I was featured in the National Geographic’s Uncharted with the British chef Gordon Ramsay. I picked rendang, which is beef slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices, because everyone in Indonesia knows it and it can become like a national bond. People can also see the vibrant culture of West Sumatra province. Nowadays, street food and indigenous cooking are taking over fine dining. I remember Anthony Bourdain once told me that ‘wherever you travel, you always get culinary surprises from street food.’
“My next project is to build an interactive platform for culinary education. Students in many culinary vocational high schools here do not have opportunity to learn about the richness of Indonesian culinary. I hope this project can improve this situation. It is important for the youth or those who are interested in culinary to have solid knowledge about Indonesian culinary. They can master all types of international cooking, but they must know about the essence of Indonesian culinary as this will make them creative.
“I don’t have plans to retire. It is always my dream for Indonesian culinary to be known around the world and preserved by everyone, so I will keep working.”
Interviewed by Novia D. Rulistia. The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. The views and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the interviewee and do not reflect the official policy or position of ASEAN.
