Cover The delicious plant-based Indonesian table by Petty Pandean-Elliott
The delicious plant-based Indonesian table by Petty Pandean-Elliott
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Following the global success of her award-winning cookbook, chef Petty Pandean-Elliott returns with a vibrant new volume that explores the plant-based heritage of Indonesia.
Petty Pandean-Elliott is an award-winning Indonesian chef, writer, and culinary consultant whose two-decade career has pioneered a contemporary approach to the archipelago’s diverse flavours. Her debut with Phaidon, The Indonesian Table, achieved remarkable global acclaim, receiving the Gourmand World Book Award as the world's best Asian cookbook and being named the best cookbook of 2023 by The Los Angeles Times.
Building upon this success, her latest work, The Indonesian Vegetarian Table, offers a vibrant, plant-led celebration of her country’s culinary heritage, crafted specifically for the modern home cook. In this contemporary volume, she reveals that plant-based cooking is deeply rooted in the archipelago’s culinary DNA, serving as a tribute to a way of eating that has nourished generations through ancestral knowledge and sustainable local ingredients. Drawing from traditions across Java, Bali, and her native Sulawesi, she showcases the region’s biodiversity through more than 100 simple recipes ranging from Jackfruit Rendang to Pickled Pineapple.
Here’s our exclusive interview with chef Petty Pandean-Elliott and her new cookbook.
Above Petty Pandean-Elliott
Above Spiced Tofu, one of the recipes
Petty Pandean-Elliott
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Among the dishes in your new book, which is your personal favourite and what makes it so meaningful to you?
My personal favourite is the pasta with minced tempeh, ginger, chillies, and tomato. Every bite carries me home; the warmth of ginger and heat of chillies instantly evoke the bold rica-rica flavours of my childhood in Manado. Tempeh, a remarkable Javanese invention, is finally gaining global momentum as a versatile superfood. Though a simple, modern dish, this pasta bridges my memories of Jakarta and Manado with my life in England, a true fusion of tradition and modernity.
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Inside The Indonesian Vegetarian Table by Petty Pandean-Elliott
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How do you frame the true nature of Indonesia’s plant-based traditions to show they have always been part of the archipelago’s DNA?
While the book prioritises the sensory experience of basic spice pastes and aromatics over detailed chronology, it acknowledges Indonesia as the original "Spice Island". Today, the country remains a global "garden," producing essential commodities like cloves, nutmeg, and coconut, yet often lacks the global branding these premium products deserve.
Each recipe is accompanied by a narrative from my travels across the archipelago. Many communities rely on local grains—such as sorghum and millet—and fermented staples like tempeh and tauco for their nutritional and ritual importance. Influenced by a long history of Hindu, Buddhist, and indigenous traditions, plant-based offerings have always played a vital role in ceremonial life.
Indonesian vegetarianism is defined by using spices, lemongrass, and fermented pastes to build layers of complex flavour without the need for meat. Through this lens, vegetarian cooking is not a modern trend or adaptation—it has always been part of Indonesia’s rich culinary heritage. My book highlights how these traditions can be celebrated in contemporary cooking, using ingredients accessible to non-Indonesian cooks, demonstrating that Indonesian plant-based cuisine is both timeless and inventive.
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Above Flavourful, vegetarian-forward dishes inspired by Indonesia’s rich culinary heritage are brought to life through a collection of easy-to-cook recipes.
Flavourful, vegetarian-forward dishes inspired by Indonesia’s rich culinary heritage are brought to life through a collection of easy-to-cook recipes.
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Publishing a book is always a deeply personal journey. Why does The Indonesian Vegetarian Table matter to you at this point in your life and career?
I started in the culinary world relatively late—twenty two years ago, when I was 35—so turning 57 this year feels like a milestone. Since moving to England nine years ago I’ve had the chance to share Indonesian food culture with a new audience, build new networks, and contribute in ways I never imagined.
By highlighting the richness of plant-based foods, I hope to inspire people to eat more mindfully, sustainably, and healthily, without sacrificing bold, complex flavors.
Ultimately, this book is part of my personal legacy. It blends my lifelong love of Indonesian flavors with my experiences as a chef, author, and consultant, bridging tradition and contemporary cooking. I hope it encourages people—whether in Indonesia or anywhere else—to explore, appreciate, and celebrate the endless possibilities of Indonesian plant-based cuisine.
Credits
Images: Phaidon & Yuki Sugiura
Since embarking on her career as a food journalist in 2012, she has penned hundreds of articles delving into culinary trends, chef profiles, and gastronomic destinations across Asia. Born and raised in Bali, Eve is dividing her time between Bali and Jakarta.
