Above: Opening Archipelago Food Festival at Gressmall Gresik by Dra. Hj. Aminatun Habibah, M.Pd - Wakil Bupati Gresik

Gresik, 28 October 2023 - The Archipelago Food Festival (AFF) returned, showcasing the excellence of Indonesian cuisine. This time, AFF took place in Gresik, East Java. The food festival was held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the Gressmall Atrium. AFF is a culinary celebration featuring various chefs under the banner of Archipelago International. The purpose is to delight culinary enthusiasts in East Java with a wide range of local delicacies.

The activities that were conducted before the Archipelago Food Festival took place included the Archipelago Chef Caring event at Alun Alun Gresik, where boxed meals were distributed to people in need. There was also the chef sport activity, which aimed to promote the health of chefs. Additionally, there was an F&B sharing knowledge session where the practical aspects of preparing food and beverages according to 4-star hotel standards were demonstrated. Several schools were invited to participate in this event for free, with the goal of providing students with direct knowledge and experience from professional chefs and food & beverage managers.

The collaboration of chefs at this event presented a variety of unique Indonesian creations, such as Asem Kepala Ikan Manyung, Ayam Legen Sambal Pencit, Nasi Goreng Tek Tek GKB, Siomay Batagor Gresik, Sate Bandeng, Kopyokan Mie Semanggi, Otak Otak Bandeng Bakar Bambu, Otak Bandeng Bakar Bambu, and many other Indonesian dishes.

With the theme "Racing Through a Culinary Adventure," this edition of AFF was supported and enlivened by the Executive Chefs from several hotel brands under Archipelago International in the East Java region. The team of chefs was led by Chef Denny Frederick, the Corporate Executive Chef at Archipelago International. The ten participating chefs included Chef Zahri from ASTON Gresik Hotel & Conference Center, Chef Subadri from ASTON Madiun Hotel & Conference Center, Chef Andri from favehotel Rungkut Surabaya, Chef Danu from The Alana Hotel Malang, Chef Agam from ASTON Mojokerto Hotel & Conference Center, Chef Sinyo from ASTON Bojonegoro City Hotel, Chef Hendra from favehotel Malang, Chef Hendi from Hotel NEO Gubeng, Chef Yosseano from Quest Hotel Darmo Surabaya, and Chef Hanny from NEO+ Waru Sidoarjo.

"Archipelago Food Festival was a roadshow event that traveled to several cities in Indonesia every month throughout 2023. It was an initiative to support the revival of the tourism industry, especially hospitality, and to introduce culinary excellence with the best quality ingredients and professional cooking methods by the Executive Chefs from Archipelago's hotels," added Denny Frederick, Corporate Executive Chef at Archipelago International.

Above: Press Conference, AFF Food & Beverages , Gresik Traditional Dance

"We were delighted to host the Archipelago Food Festival in various regions of Indonesia. Our main goal was to share Indonesian culinary traditions and showcase the extraordinary skills of our talented team to our guests all over Indonesia," said Sari Kusumaningrum, Director Corporate Communications & PR Archipelago International.

The AFF series of events were also enhanced by Food & Beverage Sharing Knowledge sessions presented by Corporate Executive Chef Archipelago International and Food & Beverage Manager ASTON Gresik Hotel & Conference Center. This ensured that guests not only enjoyed delicious dishes but also gained new insights into the world of Food & Beverage. In addition to savoring a variety of Indonesian culinary creations, the Archipelago Food Festival was also spiced up with other exciting entertainments such as Gresik's traditional dance, live bands, and chef live cooking shows.

"This is the second time we have organized the Archipelago Food Festival with the theme 'Racing Through a Culinary Adventure.' This event is a major culinary extravaganza involving the best chefs under the umbrella of Archipelago International. With a variety of Gresik's signature dishes, it certainly has generated enthusiasm among the visitors at the Gressmall Atrium because large culinary events like this are rare in Gresik. The event also aims to introduce and promote the ASTON Gresik Hotel & Conference Center as the only 4-star hotel in Gresik," said S. Paminta Nugraha, General Manager of ASTON Gresik Hotel & Conference Center.