Gastrodiplomacy of Indonesia’s Spice “Indonesia Spice up The World” Towards The United States of America in 2022-2023

Abstract

The “Indonesia Spice Up the World” program, which took place in the United States from 2022 to 2023, was an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (KEMENPAREKRAF), in collaboration with various stakeholders. This program aimed to promote the diversity of Indonesian cuisine along with its spices at the international level. This research was conducted to analyze the implementation of Gastrodiplomacy concepts in the execution of the program in the United States during that period. Gastrodiplomacy is a concept that connects diplomacy with culinary arts, and in this context, the program used activities related to Indonesian food as a tool to strengthen relations between Indonesia and the United States. The research results indicate that the use of gastrodiplomacy theory by Juyan Zhang in this program has proven to be effective, with activities including the promotion of Indonesian cuisine and its spices. Activities that took place in the United States can be clearly seen through various social media platforms that often share information about ongoing or upcoming events in the United States. Thus, the “Indonesia Spice Up the World” program serves as an example of how gastrodiplomacy can be an effective tool in promoting a country's culture and cuisine at the international level, as well as strengthening diplomatic relations between the involved countries.