Participating in a Cultural Exchange Event, Two Qatari “Chefs” Learn Papuan Cuisine

Two "chefs" from Qatar came to Papua to take part in a cultural exchange event in the culinary field. Both of them followed the process of making authentic Papuan culinary delights as well as introducing Qatari culinary specialties.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

DOKUMENTASI HUMAS QATAR-INDONESIA 2023 YEAR OF CULTURE

Qatari Chef Hassan Abdullah Alibrahim tried the papeda dish at the sago festival in Jayapura City, Papua on Wednesday (21/6/2023). Hassan's presence is part of the Culinary Journey program in the 2023 Indonesia-Qatar cultural exchange activity.

JAYAPURA, KOMPAS - The governments of Indonesia and Qatar are holding a cultural exchange event in the culinary field in Jayapura, Papua, on 21-23 June 2023. Two chefs from Qatar, namely Hassan Abdullah Alibrahim and Noof Al Marri, directly participated the process of making traditional Papuan culinary delights and introducing the unique culinary delights of their country.

The Indonesian-Qatar cultural exchange was carried out through the Culinary Journey program. In the program, two well-known chefs from Qatar were accompanied by a traditional Papuan gastronomy expert, Charles Toto, and Chairperson of the Community I Love Indonesian Food (ACMI) Santhi Serad.

Chef Hassan accompanied by Charles Toto visited Kampung Skouw Sae, Jayapura City, located on the border of Indonesia-Papua New Guinea on Wednesday (21/6/2023). Hassan participated in the sagu festival held by the community to celebrate the harvesting season of the local food commodity typical of Papua.

Hassan, guided by Charles, participated in the process of tapping sago palm trees and processing sago products. He also tasted sago cuisine, which was prepared in a traditional way by using hot stones and included sago worm dish.

DOKUMENTASI HUMAS QATAR-INDONESIA 2023 YEAR OF CULTURE

Qatari Chef Hassan Abdullah Alibrahim, accompanied by the Papuan gastronomy expert Charles Toto and the founder of the Aku Cinta Makanan Indonesia community, Santhi Serad, cooked sago by roasting it over hot coals at the Sago Festival in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday (21/June/2023).

Stone burning is one of the traditional cooking methods in Papua that is carried out by the community together in the village. This tradition is a form of gratitude, peace, solidarity, welcoming birth, traditional marriage, and the inauguration of tribal leaders.

In the next activity, Hassan and Noof held a cooking demonstration in front of students from the Culinary Department of SMK Negeri 1 Jayapura on Thursday (22/6/2023). In that activity, they presented madrouba menu or traditional Qatari chicken porridge, ayam mashkhuol, and spiced basmati rice.

Also read: ”Burning Stones” Introducing the Taste of Papua

The Culinary Journey program was closed with a cooking collaboration with local residents at the bird of paradise ecotourism in Isyo Hills, Nimbokrang, Jayapura Regency, Friday (23/6/2023). Chef from Qatar cooks a traditional sweet and savory dish popular in Qatar called balaleet which is made from vermicelli and eggs. Local people serve papeda and fish with yellow sauce.

"Enjoying local cuisine from Indonesia in Papua is a first and valuable experience for me. Papua has diverse natural resources and cultures that are still preserved," said Hassan.

KOMPAS/RYAN RINALDY

Various foods were served at the Al-Mourjan Lounge at Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar on Tuesday (26/2/2019).

Meanwhile, Noof appreciated the enthusiasm of Jayapura 1 State Vocational School students to learn food from Qatar. "I am very happy to see the enthusiasm of the students of SMKN 1 Jayapura. We hope that the food served can provide new inspiration for them, future chefs," said Noof.

Charles Toto admitted that he was very happy and proud of the presence of the two Qatari chefs in culinary cultural exchange activities in the land of Papua. According to Charles, this program will increase the attractiveness of local food among Indonesian people, especially in Papua.

"The presence of these two chefs is a trigger to increase the interest of millennials in preserving local food. For example, by opening a culinary business made from sago, taro and petatas,” said Charles, who is the founder of Papua Jungle Chef.

Also read: Protecting Papuan Local Food from Home Pages

Papua has a diversity of natural resources and cultures that are still well preserved.

Santhi Serad who is also the Coordinator of the Culinary Journey Program said, this event was a series of Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture activities. Culinary cultural exchange activities between the two countries were held in Papua, North Sumatra and Bali.

"We chose Papua because it has very rich biodiversity, especially local food. In this activity, we introduced the two chefs about sago, the process of taking it to the culinary processing of sago," said Santhi.