Bali’s hottest food festival, running from 30 May to 1 June 2025 at Taman Kuliner in Ubud, could shift perspectives on heritage by spotlighting Indonesian and Asian culinary traditions through unique chef collaborations, curated food tours, and interactive workshops. The event merges traditional flavors with contemporary techniques, using one-time-only dining experiences and immersive storytelling to connect participants with the region’s cultural legacy. Attendees discover how culinary innovation can support and reinterpret heritage, with additional insights and activities explored further.
While Bali is celebrated for its vibrant culture and scenic landscapes, the Ubud Food Festival stands out as a key event highlighting the island’s dynamic culinary scene. Scheduled for 30 May to 1 June 2025 at Taman Kuliner, a renowned culinary venue in Ubud, the festival is designed to spotlight both Indonesian and broader Asian culinary heritage. The event brings together chefs, food writers, producers, and innovators from Indonesia and abroad, offering an extensive program that includes street food stalls, immersive dining experiences, culinary talks, hands-on workshops, and curated food tours.
The festival’s branding emphasizes the celebration of Indonesian and Asian food heritage, using culinary offerings to present historical and cultural narratives. Traditional and modern cooking techniques are blended, with a focus on indigenous ingredients and innovative culinary presentations. These approaches support the preservation and reinterpretation of culinary traditions, often through collaborative dishes that bridge regional and international influences. [The festival also features a dedicated “Teater Kuliner” stage, where talented chefs demonstrate their skills and share insights into regional cooking techniques, further highlighting the importance of live chef performances in culinary heritage.]
Unique dining experiences form a core component of the event. “One-time-only” dinners, such as the Crossing Borders Four Hands Feast, feature collaborative cooking between Balinese chefs and visiting chefs from regions like Malaysia. Multi-course menus are created, blending distinctive chef styles and cultural influences, and providing guests with experiential dining that connects them to heritage through both taste and storytelling.
Culinary collaborations, such as those between Apéritif’s Executive Chef Nic Vanderbeeken and Malaysian-Australian Chef Esca Khoo, exemplify cross-cultural dialogue. These partnerships fuse European techniques with Indonesian ingredients and result in shared and individual dishes that reflect each chef’s culinary journey. Such collaborations foster innovation, while simultaneously honoring the unique heritages being combined.
The festival’s program also includes cooking demonstrations, a food market featuring local street foods and artisanal products, workshops on sustainable food practices, and food tours exploring Ubud’s culinary landscape. It serves as a networking and knowledge exchange platform for both professionals and enthusiasts.
