The Rijsttafel a Culinary Tradition and Shared Heritage

In this episode we talk about the rijsttafel, a culinary tradition. Everything you always wanted to know or think you know about THE RIJSTTAFEL but were afraid to ask. Myths, half truth’s, facts and any missing piece of the rijsttafel puzzle…., everything, will be on the the table – THE RICE TABLE to be exact.

Special guest: Fadly Rahman, a lecturer in the history and philology department at Indonesia’s Padjadjaran University, is an expert on the history of rijsttafel. He will share his Indonesian perspective on this elaborate meal and shared culinary heritage.

Check out the other articles on Rijsttafel:

Private Cooking Instruction & Rijsttafel • In • A • Box

Indische Rijsttafel officially part of Dutch Cultural Heritage

The Rijsttafel Club – LA

New in the Dutch press - November 2022

Rijsttafel and Indo Dutch cooking in the spotlight again; new press in the Netherlands in November 2022.

In the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad November 15th, 2022:

Indische rijsttafel hoort bij Nederlands erfgoed: ‘Belangrijk voor de Indische gemeenschap’

Indische rijsttafel is part of Dutch heritage: ‘Important for the Indo Dutch community’

The adjective ‘Indische,’ in English ‘Indies’, comes from East India, also formerly known as the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia in colonial times). Indische gemeenschap; people who belonged to the Indies community, worked and lived there; foreign born migrants (named Totoks: European, Arab, Chinese, etc.), and people who have roots in the former Dutch East Indies (Indo-Europeans of mixed race etc.).

This article is in Dutch. Use google translation for English. Click here.

NU.nl online magazine – 27 November 2022

Lang niet iedereen is blij met Indische rijsttafel als cultureel erfgoed

Not everyone is happy with Indische rijsttafel as cultural heritage

This article is in Dutch. Use google translation for English. Click here.

On Facebook the following question was asked:

Dear fellow Dutch Indo people … I have a question regarding ‘Pusaka’ (heritage) in relation to recipes, and maybe rijstafel. So, can recipes be considered ‘pusaka’ if the recipe has been handed down in the family? One of the comments i

My reply:

Yes, recipes are an integral part of the heritage as they are passed down through generations and reflect the cultural and historical influences of a particular community.

They also serve as a means of preserving traditional culinary techniques and ingredients.

The ‘Indische’ rijsttafel and ‘Indisch’ cooking have been recognized as intangible heritage of the Netherlands. This recognition acknowledges the food culture of the Indo-Dutch people and the importance of the rijsttafel in their identity. Each family has their own unique way of preparing the dish, making it a celebration of their right to exist and the preservation of their shared culture.

The concept of cultural appropriation is often viewed negatively as if borrowing from one culture by another is inherently bad. However, this has been happening for millennia and has led to cultural enrichment. It is only negative if it diminishes the original culture. In the case of the ‘Indische’ rijsttafel, it is not meant to harm. It’s a form of ‘cultural APPRECiation, as it allows people to experience the diverse flavors and culinary traditions of the former Dutch East Indies, modern Indonesia.

Food unites and is a vital part of our identity and unique community. Let’s celebrate and appreciate the diverse heritage that makes up our shared history.

Enjoy!