KJRI San Francisco Introduces Tempe Culture to the American Vegan Community
San Francisco Kartininews.com - Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in San Francisco, Yohpy Ichsan Wardana, emphasized that tempe is not merely a daily food ingredient, but a noble cultural heritage that represents the meeting point between biological richness and local knowledge of the Indonesian people.
Yohpy made the statement to strengthen international understanding of the historical and philosophical value of tempe, which is currently being nominated for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
“Tempe is a beautiful example of the intersection between biological wealth and culture. It contains soybeans, the Rhizopus oligosporus fungus, and a fermentation tradition that has long existed in Indonesian society,” Yohpy said in a written statement received in Jakarta on Monday (11/5/2026).
Yohpy highlighted the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and the United States as reflected in a piece of tempe.
He noted that although the production technique originates from authentic Nusantara (Indonesian archipelago) tradition, most of the soybean raw material used in Indonesia today is cultivated by American farmers.
This synergy makes tempe a symbol of friendship that brings together the cultures of both countries through sustainable food security.
The introduction effort was also carried out to gather international support for the nomination of tempe culture to UNESCO, with the decision expected this year.
Such recognition is considered crucial to solidify tempe’s position as a healthy, community-based food tradition acknowledged globally.
Similar support was expressed by Ravinder Sehgal, Vice President of the San Francisco Vegan Society (SFVS), who stated that tempe’s processing technique truly deserves world-class appreciation.
As a concrete step in culinary diplomacy, the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco held a series of promotional activities attended by approximately 140 participants from SFVS members to local culinary communities.
The event featured a session on the history of tempe, a workshop on traditional preparation techniques, and a vegan cooking demonstration. The program concluded with a lunch reception serving various tempe-based dishes and other signature plant-based Nusantara cuisines.
