100 Young Aspiring Chefs Create Indonesian Fusion Dishes Using Korean Seasonings

You’re probably already familiar with gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang — Korean condiments known for their rich umami flavor and distinct aroma. These ingredients offer a balanced blend of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, making them highly compatible with the Indonesian palate. This compatibility explains the widespread popularity of Korean cuisine in Indonesia, particularly among the younger generation. Recognizing this promising trend, Cheil Jedang was inspired to empower young Indonesians to further develop local cuisine by incorporating the flavors of Korea.

The Bibigo | Sages Young Chef Competition 2025 serves as a platform for young talents to showcase their creativity in crafting Korea-Indonesia fusion cuisine. As the main sponsor, Cheil Jedang (CJ) is encouraging wide participation from youth across Indonesia in this prestigious competition. Partnering with The Sages Culinary Academy, the competition welcomes participants aged 18 to 25 years old from various culinary institutes across several cities in Indonesia.

A special Golden Ticket program has been introduced for selected culinary institutions that submit a minimum of 10 students to compete in an internal selection round by creating Korean-Indonesian fusion dishes. Golden Ticket winners receive the added benefit of free round-trip flights for students living outside of Surabaya. Motivated by these enticing rewards, many students eagerly crafted creative dishes that blend Indonesian and Korean flavors.

One standout creation came from Brandon Hazzel, a Golden Ticket recipient representing Politeknik Pariwisata Sahid Roxy. Brandon presented a dish titled “Seol of Java”, which featured coconut milk-infused rice paired with chicken satay glazed in a sauce made from gochujang and mayonnaise, and garnished with seaweed. His innovative approach earned him the opportunity to represent his institution in the main competition.

With over 100 participants from major cities throughout Indonesia, the competition will narrow the field down to 36 finalists, who will compete at Sages Culinary Academy in Pandaan for a total prize pool of Rp.50,000,000, including a study trip to Korea. Through this event, CJ and Sages aspire to nurture a new generation of highly creative young chefs.