French technique met Indonesian creativity in Jakarta on September 23 as chefs, hospitality professionals, students and government representatives opened the fourth edition of Rendez-Vous Rasa: France–Indonesia Gastronomy Week.
Formerly known as Le Goût de France–Cita Rasa Prancis, the festival continues across Indonesia until October 4, bringing French-inspired menus, tastings, workshops, competitions and collaborative dinners to approximately 150 participating establishments in 40 cities and at least 10 islands.
Two Chefs, One Shared Culinary Ambition
The opening at Institut français d’Indonésie began with a press conference featuring Stéphane Carrade, the two-Michelin-starred French chef behind Le Skiff Club near Bordeaux, and Fabrice Danniel, Vice-Director of Culinary Arts and Head of Pastry and Boulangerie at Le Cordon Bleu Paris.
Danniel described opening a Le Cordon Bleu school in Jakarta as “a big dream” and expressed hope that it could soon become reality. He pointed to Indonesia’s growing generation of ambitious young chefs as evidence of the country’s demand for advanced culinary education.
Le Cordon Bleu already has a strong Southeast Asian presence through its schools in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Danniel was closely involved in the 2006 pre-opening of Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School in Bangkok before returning to Paris in 2016. The international institution now operates more than 35 schools in 20 countries and trains about 20,000 students from more than 100 nationalities each year.
Carrade offered a candid assessment of the restaurant industry. He said culinary businesses worldwide were facing a difficult period as more people chose to eat at home instead of dining out. Nevertheless, he saw significant international potential in Indonesian cuisine, with its regional diversity, distinctive ingredients and strong cultural identity.
Gastronomy as a Diplomatic Bridge
Fabrice Fize, First Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the French Embassy, addressed the opening on behalf of the embassy. He expressed hope that Rendez-Vous Rasa would deepen the French-Indonesian partnership not only through food, but also through professional training, education and long-term cooperation between culinary institutions.
Although French Ambassador Fabien Penone was not present at the opening, he reinforced that purpose in the festival’s official statement: “Gastronomy is at its best when it creates dialogue, exchange and mutual inspiration.”
Ni Made Ayu Marthini, Deputy for Marketing at Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, thanked the French Embassy and IFI for involving the ministry in the programme. She connected the festival with Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy 2026, Indonesia’s campaign to strengthen gastronomic tourism, promote regional cuisines and expand opportunities for culinary professionals.
Marthini also welcomed the prospect of a Le Cordon Bleu school in Jakarta, saying its presence could contribute to the education and international exposure of Indonesian chefs. She described gastronomy as a bridge between the two countries, allowing French expertise and Indonesian flavours to generate friendship, sustainability and cultural understanding.
Aprons, Ideas and a Live Kitchen
The formal speeches were followed by a panel discussion involving the visiting French chefs, emerging Indonesian culinary talents and participants associated with the MasterChef competition. The conversation explored career development, changing dining habits and the challenge of bringing Indonesian cooking to wider international audiences without losing its regional character.
Speakers and representatives of participating institutions received festival aprons, symbolizing the collaboration behind the event. The gesture placed government representatives, chefs, educators and businesses within the same culinary team.
Carrade then moved from the discussion stage to the kitchen for a live demonstration. He prepared a pen-shell dish using French techniques, showing how classical methods could be applied while allowing the character of an ingredient to remain central.
After the demonstration, participants walked through the venue to sample dishes, drinks and desserts presented by participating institutions. The tasting transformed the opening from a formal diplomatic programme into the kind of direct, shared experience that Rendez-Vous Rasa was designed to encourage.
A Festival Reaching Across Indonesia
The 12-day programme comprises approximately 200 events. Restaurants, cafés, hotels, bakeries, pastry shops and bars are presenting French-inspired dishes, while educational and cultural partners are organizing workshops, discussions, demonstrations and collaborative dinners. The official festival runs nationwide from September 23 to October 4.
Carrade’s Indonesian programme continues through September 30. After opening the festival in Jakarta, he is scheduled to conduct a cooking demonstration aboard a traditional phinisi vessel in Makassar and participate in the opening of Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy at Pura Mangkunegaran in Surakarta.
On September 26, he will join Indonesian chefs Degan Septoadji and Wayan Ari Wibowo for a six-hands dinner at the historic palace. His itinerary also includes a four-hands dinner in Bandung and a Jakarta collaboration with Disciples Escoffier chefs Gilles Marx and Richard Gillet.
Danniel will lead workshops with IFI’s educational partners, placing the transfer of culinary knowledge at the centre of the festival.
Training the Next Culinary Generation
Rendez-Vous Rasa is also connected to longer-term vocational programmes. Through the Indonesian-French Culinary Arts Apprenticeship programme, six Indonesian culinary and pastry students are entering their second year of training in France, while five new students from Indonesian tourism polytechnics are joining this year.
The third French-Indonesian Training of Trainers programme will open in Depok on September 28. Co-financed with Indonesia’s Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, it is intended to strengthen the French culinary skills of Indonesian vocational teachers and trainers.
Further workshops are scheduled at the Bali Tourism Polytechnic and Medan Tourism Polytechnic. A national food-photography competition, organized with Nikon Indonesia, is also inviting diners to photograph participating dishes and share the stories behind their culinary experiences.
A Table That Remains Open
The September 23 launch established the festival’s central message: culinary diplomacy becomes most meaningful when it develops into education, professional opportunity and reciprocal exchange.
Until October 4, Rendez-Vous Rasa will continue inviting Indonesians to encounter French methods while giving French chefs a closer understanding of Indonesia’s ingredients, regional traditions and emerging talent. Its lasting value will be measured not only in meals served, but also in the skills transferred, partnerships formed and confidence given to a new generation of Indonesian chefs.
