Indonesia Honors Wallacea Bioregion on World Food Travel Day

1 May 2021
Indonesia Food

To celebrate World Food Travel Day, which falls every April 18, Omar Niode Foundation, based in Indonesia , hosted a webinar to raise awareness of the uniqueness of the natural, cultural and culinary travel potentials of the Wallacea bio-region.

“The Wallacea area, which includes Sulawesi Island, Maluku Islands, Nusa Tenggara, and the surrounding small islands, is not only rich in biological ecosystems but also has its food appeal. This makes the Omar Niode Foundation and The Climate Reality Project Indonesia interested in reexposing this area to coincide with World Food Travel Day, “said Amanda Katili Niode in a webinar entitled ‘Wallacea – Nature and Food Exploration, which was held on Sunday (18 April).

Amanda added, “although there are many kinds of food in the Wallacea region, there are still similarities because food in one area is the result of acculturation by residents and migrants.” As an example, Amanda cited that several areas in Sulawesi have Black Soup as a traditional food with kluwak ( Pangium edule ) as one of the ingredients, plus various types of herbs and spices.

Pantollo’Pamarasan from Toraja with 13 types of ingredients, including meat, spices and kluwak. Pallu Kaloa from Makassar uses 16 types of ingredients, including fish, roasted coconut and kluwak. And Sop Konro also from Makassar consists of 23 types of ingredients, including spices and kluwak, has similarities with Tabu Moltomo from Gorontalo which uses 30 types of ingredients including herbs and spices. The difference with other black soup is that the black color of Tabu Moitomo is obtained from roasted coconut.

Of course, there are other Wallacea foods, which were explained by Meillati Batubara from Nusa Indonesia Gastronomy. Apart from the food variety, the webinar also discussed the experience of the Wallacea expedition from Kompas Daily journalist Aris Prasetyo, and provided tips on budget travel to Wallacea delivered by Fitria Chaerani from Campa Tour.

Sustainable food that takes into account the climate, culture, and local community crises is also discussed in this webinar by M. Firdaus from the Wise Foodways of the Archipelago Consortium.

Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, Erik Wolf delivered a welcome video in which he shared his impressions of visiting Indonesia. “During my trip to Indonesia a few years ago, I enjoyed extraordinary culinary delights, and met extraordinary people too,” said Erik.

Erik explained, the World Food Travel Association, which he founded in 2003, is now the oldest and largest organization in the world in this field. Meanwhile, World Food Travel Day, celebrated every April 18, is a day designed to celebrate the world culinary culture and our joy of traveling for food and drinks. “We started this celebration a few years ago, and it is now very popular. Every year, there are thousands of hashtagged posts celebrating that day around the world.”

Erik also invited business people and food travelers from all over the world to participate and share their stories and experiences about food travel. “We hope to see your posts tagged to @worldfoodtravelassn on Instagram and @worldfoodtravelassociation on Facebook, with the hashtag #worldfoodtravelday. We will be happy to like and reply to your messages, “he said.

Ending his remarks, Erik expressed his hope to be able to return to Indonesia soon to sample again the wonderful Indonesian food and coffee, after the pandemic ends.

Promotion for culinary capitals an innovative destination certification and development program for unknown destinations
Taste of place podcast listen to our culinary travel and culture podcast with erik wolf
Food
A membership page with a picture of pancakes on a plate.
by Erik Wolf 26 June 2025
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 77: “Maple, Memories & Migration” featuring Sara England In this conversation, Sara England shares her journey from Ontario to Nova Scotia, her work at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and the significance of food in the context of immigration. The discussion highlights the new exhibition 'Eat, Make, Share: A Taste of Immigration,' which explores the relationship between food and cultural identity in Canada, emphasizing the contributions of Indigenous peoples to Canadian cuisine. The conversation also touches on historical aspects of immigration, including the harrowing experiences of those who traveled on coffin ships during the Irish potato famine, and the evolving identity of Canadian food. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel.
by Erik Wolf 26 June 2025
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 76: “Morocco by Hand and Heart” featuring Siham Lahmine In this episode number 76, we explore Morocco through the eyes of Siham Lahmine, founder of Morocco Travel Organizer. Siham shares how she crafts immersive culinary experiences that connect travelers with Morocco’s rich food heritage, local artisans, and vibrant communities. From farm visits to tea ceremonies in mountain caves, discover how food becomes a powerful gateway to culture, identity, and human connection. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel.
28 May 2025
Announcing the 2025 Global Culinary Travel Awards Winners
A picture of a lobster roll with the words announcing our 2025 awards semi-finalists
10 May 2025
Announcing the 2025 Global Culinary Travel Awards Semi-Finalists
A man wearing a hat and glasses is smiling for the camera
9 May 2025
Episode 75: “From Tunisia, With Flavor” featuring Jamie Furniss. Dive into Tunisia’s rich culinary heritage in our latest podcast episode!
Association Names New Ambassador on Aruba
by Erik Wolf 15 April 2025
Association Names Dr Gerald Kock as New Ambassador on Aruba
More posts