Some of the most extraordinary heirlooms from the Indonesian archipelago’s glorious past are its food cultures. Home to a myriad of culturally distinct peoples, each with their own food cultures and rituals, Indonesia is a nation that celebrates life by making food and eating it together. Food feasts are the way of life. They are ubiquitous throughout the country and they take place every day of the year.
These glorious food rituals started long before the first known ancient kingdoms in Indonesia began their first dynasty. Food feasts for Indonesian peoples’ ancestors had many names, among them: “mahamangsa”.
“Mahamangsa” is a word in Old Javanese or Kawi, the oldest known version of the Javanese language which was practically a form of Sanskrit which existed long before the Javanese we know today developed with influences from other languages such as Malay and Arabic. “Mahamangsa” was used to refer to “the food of kings”. This word was widely used during the era of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom, the largest Hindu-Buddhist kingdom in the Indonesian archipelago – formed after the decline of the Sriwijaya Kingdom in North Sumatra – which flourished from the 8th -11th century and built magnificent temples such as Borobudur and Prambanan.
The term "mahamangsa" referred to a specific category of food, encompassing game meat and other more exotic meats. These exceptional culinary delights were relished daily exclusively by the king and his family, while the rest of the kingdom was prohibited from indulging in such luxuries. The exquisite
reliefs adorning Candi Borobudur also depicted the limited accessibility of "mahamangsa", revealing that it was solely presented to the public during special banquets organised when the king granted tax exemptions to specific fiefs (territories governed by noblemen or lords within the kingdom's jurisdiction).
To pay homage to Indonesian cuisine and offer an exceptional dining experience to their affluent guests, InterContinental Jakarta Pondok Indah has chosen the ancient term "mahamangsa" to represent their exclusive Indonesian food banquet at Sugar & Spice. Just as the Ancient Mataram kings did for their lords and noblemen, the award-winning five-star hotel aims to present the finest culinary creations that showcase the richness of Indonesian gastronomy.
In addition to that, to ensure an unparalleled dining experience, the hotel has invited some of the country's most legendary food artisans and innovators to collaborate with them. Renowned chefs such as Chef Degan Septoadji, Chef Yuda Bustara, and Chef Marinka, among many others, have made significant contributions to elevate Indonesian cuisine to new heights. Chef Degan Septoadji is one of the leading authorities on Indonesian cuisine who was also a Best Asian Chef nominee at the 2012 World Gourmet Summit in Singapore, and a judge in the popular reality TV show MasterChef Indonesia; Chef Yuda Bustara is a young kitchen wizard with many achievements who used to host Iron Chef Indonesia TV show; similarly, Chef Marinka, also known as RinRin Marinka, was also one of the judges for MasterChef Indonesia, Junior MasterChef Indonesia, Iron Chef Indonesia and many other highly popular food shows in the region.
Their expertise and creativity will be showcased through their sensational culinary creations, which the hotel’s distinguished guests will have the pleasure of enjoying each week at Sugar & Spice. Some highlights include a modernised version of an Aceh-origin puff pastry stuffed with slow-cooked short ribs called Sapi Masak Merah and Bir Jawa (a Javanese herbs and spices drink made from ginger,lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon, Pandan leaves, sugar, water and lime juice that was known as the favourite beverage of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana VIII (one of the rulers of Islamic Mataram which rose to prominence in the 16th century) by Chef Marinka; Jimbaran-style grilled seafood and an exotic, Riau- origin clear soup by Chef Yuda Bustara; as well as Crispy-Skinned Salmon served with Colo-Colo Sambal, Potato Fritter and Lemon Basil and Es Jahe Angkringan (Street food-Style Iced Ginger) by Chef Degan Septoadji.
Each chef will take over Sugar & Spice’s Mahamangsa menu for one month: Chef Marinka’s delicious bites will be available in July, Chef Yuda Bustara’s modern interpretation of classic Indonesian dishes will adorn Sugar & Spice’s tables in August, and Chef Degan Septoadji artful masterpieces will be served in September.
Mahamangsa: A Celebration of Indonesian Cuisine food festival will take place every Saturday evening (6PM–10PM) at Sugar & Spice starting from July 1st 2023.
Prices start from IDR 528,000++/person.
For more information or reservations, please call +6221 3950 7355, email [email protected], or WhatsApp +62 811-1037-355