Indonesia Wins Awards at Gourmand Awards in Riyadh

INDUSTRY.co.id - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Indonesia has achieved outstanding achievement by winning two prestigious awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. These awards are part of the Saudi Feast Food Festival, the largest culinary event in the Middle East, held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia (27-29/11).

The Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdul Aziz Ahmad, received the awards on behalf of Indonesia on November 27, 2023. In his speech, Ambassador Aziz expressed pride and appreciation for the works of Indonesian authors and publishers that have elevated the reputation of Indonesian cuisine internationally. "May the books receiving Gourmand Awards be followed by other books," Ambassador Aziz hoped.

The two books from Indonesia honoured with the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are "Tales of the Lands Beneath the Winds" (Negeri di Bawah Angin) by the Negeri Rempah Foundation in the "Special Award of the Jury'' category and "The Indonesia Table" by Petty Pandean-Pelliot selected as "The Best Asian Cookbook in the World." Both books are part of a collection of 11 books representing Indonesia at the Gourmand Award 2023, including "Comfort Food" by the Omar Niode Foundation - Diomedia, "100 Makanan Mak Nyus Tradisional Recipes" by Bondan Winarno (Penerbit Buku Kompas), and "Our Bali, Your Bali" by Dean Keddell.

This victory reaffirms Indonesia's position as a key player in the global culinary and publishing industry. The presence of Indonesian books at the Gourmand Awards is not only a recognition of quality but also a manifestation of the cultural diversity of Indonesian cuisine. Authors and publishers from Indonesia attended Riyadh to participate in various meetings, presentations, workshops, and the Gourmand Awards ceremony. The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were attended by culinary enthusiasts from more than fifty countries.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards is an international award for cookbooks since 1995. Each Gourmand Awards involves more than 100 countries covering thousands of entries of cookbooks, digital books, and television programs highlighting the richness and diversity of global culinary culture. This activity is part of the Saudi Feast Food Festival showcasing the culinary richness from various regions in Saudi Arabia.