Yogyakarta, Indonesia
While the world changes and continues to adapt to increased globalization, Indonesia remains grounded and unchanged with its attitude toward food. Widely regarded as one of the richest cities in the world when it comes to its cuisine, Street Food examines the ground-level chefs that continue to inspire and showcase this richness. The episode begins with a look at Mbah Santinem. This inspirational chef has perfected the art of making Jajan Pasar, a sweet market snack that sells out almost immediately after going on sale. With residents waking up early just to take a number for this dish, this snack sells out in mere hours. Spilling over to the second chef of the episode, Leonarda Tjahjono, this Jajan Pasar dish is twisted slightly, with a more modern slant on the snack. Combining that authentic recipe with something more akin to fine dining makes Leonarda’s one of the more unusual and interesting takes on this dish. Meanwhile, 100 year old Mbah Lindu is one of the oldest street food cooks in the world and living proof that happiness is the key to living a long and prosperous life. Having cooked for a little over 86 years, this amazing lady lives through her passion for food. After watching her cooking techniques it’s clear to see the key ingredient to her success comes from inner fulfillment and Mbah has this in abundance. The episode then ends with a look at our final chef, situated on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. In this area stands the Mie Lethek factory. Armed with a wood-fired oven and a traditional stone grinder, owner Yasir Ferry Ismatrada shares his big plans for the future and the success he’s experienced so far in his life. Alongside the storied history of the region, this episode reinforces what an incredibly country Indonesia is, peppering the episode with numerous establishing shots of its beauty and the various culinary treats on offer. While the episode doesn’t quite have the same emotional punch or rich historical culture the previous episode had, there’s enough here to make for a thoroughly enjoyable watch nonetheless.
