Indonesia Introduces Tempeh to the San Francisco Culinary Community

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – A humble fermented soybean cake, commonly known as tempeh, is quietly building a global following. At an event hosted by the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco, tempeh took center stage before an audience of around 140 participants drawn from the city's culinary communities and the San Francisco Vegan Society (SFVS).

The occasion served as a compelling platform to present tempeh not just as a plant-based superfood, but as a living symbol of Indonesian cultural heritage. The event, details of which were shared in a statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco received in Jakarta on Monday, May 11, 2026, featured a rich lineup of activities.

The program opened with an introduction to the history and culture of tempeh, followed by a hands-on tempeh-making workshop and a demonstration of Indonesian vegan cuisine. The event concluded with a luncheon showcasing tempeh-based dishes alongside plant-based culinary traditions from across the Indonesian archipelago.

Indonesian Consul General in San Francisco, Yohpy Ichsan Wardana, was keen to reframe how the world sees tempeh, not merely as an everyday ingredient, but as a profound expression of Indonesian identity. He noted that tempeh was born from indigenous Indonesian food processing techniques and has been passed down through generations of local knowledge.

"Tempe is a beautiful example of the meeting between biodiversity and culture. Within it lies soybeans, the Rhizopus oligosporus fungus, and a fermentation tradition that has long been alive in Indonesian society," said Consul General Yohpy, as quoted by Antara.

He also drew attention to an often-overlooked dimension of the Indonesia-United States relationship embedded in every block of tempeh. Most tempeh consumed in Indonesia today is made from soybeans cultivated by American farmers, while the art of making tempeh, rooted in Indonesian food tradition, is now gaining growing recognition across the United States.

"With this understanding, tempeh also becomes a symbol of friendship between our two nations. Tempe shows how food can bring peoples, cultures, and countries together," he added.

The event was held against the backdrop of Indonesia's ongoing bid to inscribe the culture of tempeh-making onto the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. A decision on the nomination is anticipated later this year, and the recognition is widely seen as vital to cementing tempeh's standing as a healthy, sustainable, and community-rooted food tradition.

Support for the nomination was also voiced by SFVS Vice President, Ravinder Sehgal, who affirmed that the culture of tempeh-making is fully deserving of global recognition. ***