Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet Invites the World to Dine: A New Culinary Tourism Initiative Launches

The Ministry of Tourism proudly announces the official launch of Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet (WIG), a bold new initiative designed to position Indonesia as a world-class dining destination. The programme, under the direction of the Minister of Tourism of Indonesia, Ibu Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, represents a strategic shift in culinary tourism, building upon but moving beyond traditional food promotion to spotlight Indonesia’s sophisticated and ever-evolving dining scene.

“As part of the Tourism Upgrading Programme, the Ministry of Tourism is committed to enhancing the quality of travel experiences in Indonesia, with gastronomy as one of the key pillars. It is in this spirit that we welcome the launch of Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet,” said Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, at the programme’s unveiling on Monday (22 September 2025) at Balairung Soesilo Soedarman, Ministry of Tourism office, Jakarta.

Indonesian cuisine has gained growing international recognition in recent years. In its latest rankings, TasteAtlas placed Indonesian cuisine at 7th in the world and first in Southeast Asia, with six Indonesian cities listed among the 100 Best Food Cities.

“Our culinary heritage has already become a valuable national asset. Coupled with the growing interest of travellers in gastronomic experiences, Indonesia’s potential is truly vast. This underscores the crucial role gastronomy will play in the growth of Indonesia’s tourism moving forward,” added Minister Widiyanti.

Launching from 25 September to 1 October 2025, WIG will pilot in Jakarta and Bali—Indonesia’s two most established dining destinations and international gateways. The week-long celebration aims to attract quality tourism and global recognition through curated events, media outreach, and partnerships with industry leaders.

Programme highlights include:

The creation of Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet responds to growing demand for high-quality, experience-driven tourism. By amplifying Indonesia’s diverse culinary voices, from modern fine dining to elevated regional cuisine, WIG places Indonesia at the table with the world’s most celebrated food destinations.

“This is more than a campaign,” says Kevindra Soemantri, Head of the Committee of WIG 2025. “It is a national platform to support and celebrate the culinary excellence already emerging across the country—so that chefs, restaurateurs, producers, and culinary creatives receive the international spotlight they deserve." He continued by adding Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet positions Indonesia, particularly its restaurant landscape, on the global stage, competing alongside other leading Asian countries.

This sentiment was echoed by Vita Datau, Chair of Indonesia Gastronomy Network, who said: "The Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet initiative connects upstream to downstream, mobilising the entire ecosystem together. May today's steps mark the beginning of a new chapter where gastronomy becomes not only a cultural identity, but also the backbone of quality and sustainable tourism development; so that in the future it can provide real benefits for the Indonesian nation."

Other than that, WIG has been envisioned as platform that will continuously highlight Indonesia's finest in the dining industry and not only limited to Jakarta and Bali. With the programme's launch, the founder hope to see more and more culinary players level up their standards, so Indonesia will have the spot it deserves in the global culinary landscape.

Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet has been developed in collaboration with top-tier industry professionals, including Indonesia Gastronomy Network, to ensure authenticity, excellence, and sustainable growth.

Media, trade, and the public are invited to follow the initiative via @indonesia.gourmet on Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes stories.