William Wongso
🇮🇩 Indonesia · Indonesian cuisine · b. 1947
The dean of Indonesian cuisine — chef, ambassador and tireless documentarian of regional Indonesian cooking.
Biography
William Wongso is widely regarded as the dean of Indonesian cuisine. A chef, restaurateur, food writer and TV presenter, he has spent more than 50 years documenting, teaching and promoting Indonesia's astonishingly diverse regional cuisines — from Padang in West Sumatra to Manado in North Sulawesi to the rendang of Minangkabau, which he has campaigned to have recognised globally as one of the world's great dishes.
The Indonesian government has appointed him as a culinary ambassador on multiple occasions, and his work with international chefs (including Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein on their Indonesia episodes) has done more than almost anything else to introduce Indonesian cuisine to global audiences.
His Jakarta restaurant Cork & Screw, his consultancies and his foundation work have shaped two generations of Indonesian chefs.
Cooking Philosophy
Indonesia is not one cuisine — it is hundreds. Wongso argues that the food of Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and 700+ languages, is not a single cuisine but a family of regional cuisines as diverse as those of Europe. His mission has been to document those traditions before they are lost and to make sure dishes like rendang, soto and gado-gado get the international attention they deserve.
Restaurants
- Cork & ScrewJakarta
His long-running Jakarta restaurant and wine bar.
Awards & Recognition
- Indonesian Government Cultural Ambassador (multiple appointments)
- Lifetime Achievement Awards (multiple Indonesian and Asian food associations)
Iconic Dishes
Cookbooks
- Flavors of Indonesia
- William Wongso's Indonesian Kitchen
Signature Recipes Inspired by William
Original recipes we created as homages to William's cooking style and signature dishes. Not direct reproductions of any copyrighted material — these are our interpretations of the traditions William has worked with throughout their career.
Recipes in William's Style
These recipes from our database reflect the indonesian cooking tradition that William works in. They are not direct reproductions of William's copyrighted recipes, but traditional dishes inspired by the same culinary heritage.
Career Timeline
Begins his culinary career after studies in Switzerland and Europe; works across Jakarta hotels and restaurants.
Opens his first restaurant venture in Jakarta and begins regional-cuisine documentation work across the Indonesian archipelago.
Opens Cork & Screw in Jakarta — a long-running restaurant and wine bar that becomes a cornerstone of the city's dining scene.
Indonesian rendang tops CNN Travel's 'World's 50 Most Delicious Foods' poll — a milestone Wongso had advocated for over decades.
Hosts Anthony Bourdain in Indonesia for the 'Parts Unknown' episode on Jakarta — internationally raising the profile of Indonesian cuisine.
Appointed as Indonesia's official Cultural Ambassador for Gastronomy by the Ministry of Tourism.
Continues to consult on Indonesian-themed dinners and festivals from Singapore to Madrid to New York.
Frequently Asked Questions about William Wongso
Who is William Wongso?
William Wongso is widely regarded as the leading authority on Indonesian regional cuisine. He has spent 50+ years documenting and promoting Indonesia's regional cuisines, has served as a Cultural Ambassador for the Indonesian government on multiple occasions, and has worked with most major international food TV personalities to introduce Indonesian cuisine to global audiences.
Did William Wongso help make rendang famous globally?
Yes — Wongso has been the most visible international advocate for Padang rendang, including the 2011 CNN poll in which rendang topped the World's 50 Most Delicious Foods list. He has worked extensively to ensure international recognition of rendang as one of the world's great dishes.
Why does Wongso emphasise regional Indonesian cooking?
Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands with hundreds of distinct cultural groups, and its food traditions are correspondingly diverse. Wongso argues that lumping all of this under 'Indonesian food' obscures profound regional differences — Padang, Manado, Javanese, Balinese, Sundanese, Acehnese — each with its own techniques, spice profiles and signature dishes.
What is Cork & Screw?
Cork & Screw is the long-running Jakarta restaurant and wine bar Wongso opened in 2000. It pairs an extensive wine programme with modern Indonesian and international cuisine and has been a fixture of the Jakarta dining scene for two decades, helping define the city's modern fine-dining ecosystem.
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