The Random Truths

On November 30th 2012, I was lucky enough to get an invitation to Jakarta Culinary Festival (JCF) Food Blogger's Dinner - a collaboration between Ismaya Group and goorme.com. I was really lucky actually, considering I'm not really a food blogger. Rarely do I blog about food, mostly I just tweet about it. Anyway, am glad all the tweeting counts, otherwise I wouldn't have scored an invite to this event.

The event comprises of three main agendas
1. A Talk Show About Writing, with Ivan Sielegar (goorme.com) and Erza S.T. (Food Writer & Contributor for Jakarta Post, Jakarta Post Weekender, Elle, Herworld)
2. Photography Tips & Tricks, with Himawan Sutanto (Foodtography)
3. Seven-Course Gala Dinner, by 7 of Jakarta;s most renowned Chef

I was super excited that I even came to Grand Indonesia at 4pm to anticipate the traffic! And the event was worth all the excitement! And am not just talking about the 7-course dinner! Here are the 7 things that really got me excited about JCF Food Blogger's Dinner

1. I finally got to visit The Pop-Up Restaurant! It's been opened for a month and I haven't had the chance to go there. If it wasn't for this event, don't think I would've made the time to go ^^;;

Pop Up's Signage

2. This event "forced" me to get a replacement DSLR immediately (I bought it the day before the event), and hence this was my first time really using it. That alone got me an adrenaline rush!

Table's all set up for the 7-course dinner

3. It was really exciting meeting new friends with the same hobby, taking pics of the food before we eat it! Haha I can't tell you how frustrated my husband is about how am always taking quite some time to take pics of my food. But with these dudes and dudettes? No problem! Some of them even took longer than me! And they were all very nice and chatty, made me feel like I've met them way before this event.

Me (in the middle) with Nath (@natalixia) on the left, and Michelle (@glister_blister) on the right

4. The talk show about writing was quite insightful. Now I have to keep in mind that when writing a review about a restaurant, I need to be really factual - and not at all emotional. Something I have to be conscious about, since i tend to get really cranky when I don't have it my way about food. After all, like one of the boards say at Pop Up,  The Belly Does Rule The Mind, right?

5. Now, the part about food photography tips and tricks was aspirational. Himawan Sutanto from foodtography gave some interesting tips about food photography, be it using point & shoot or DSLR. His tips was quite the simple ones, and most I already know, but what amazed me was seeing his food shots! Hey, who knows? Maybe with a bit more experience, I too can have my own foodtography business!

6. And of course, there's the 7-course dinner.

 
Cold Appetizer: Balinese Chicken Salad with Coconut Vegetables and Sambal Matah by Fahmi Widarte - Corporate Chef of Rotaryana Prima

 Hot Appetizer: Braised Wagyu Cheek in Sweet Miso by Hugo Adrian - Executive Chef of Blowfish Kitchen & Bar

Soup: Authentic Sultan's Tomato Cream Soup with Foie Gras by Agus Ishermawan - Head Chef of Ismaya Catering

Pasta: Red Shell Pasta with Duck Ragout, Pine Nut, and Rocket Salad by Gianfranco Beltrame - Italian Chef de Cuisine at Casa d'Oro, Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta

Fish: Chilean Sea Bass Seasoned with Lee Kum Kee Ginger Oyster Sauce by Sofyan Joshua - Technical Culinary Chef of Sukanda Djaya

Meat: Short Rib, Truffle Demi Glaze, Charcoal Oil, Glazed Carrots, Potato Hot Foam, and Nuts Fake Cous Cous by Ignacio Virgen Jiminez - Chef de Cuisine of Potato Head

Dessert: Green Tea Cake ala Tropicale by Rinrin Marinka - Artistic Chef

This was my first 7-course dinner, and I can definitely say that 7 course is waaaaay more than I can handle! By the 5th course, The Chilean Sea Bass, I had to fight my way not to sleep at the dinner table because I was already really full! I ended up only having one third of the portion from the 3rd course onwards to manage the space in my stomach, but still.. by the time the short ribs arrived I was only able to eat two slices :(

My fave of the 7 courses is definitely the Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek. Seriously the texture was awesome, the meat was moist and juicy even though it was well done. And I just love how the miso blends so well with the meat. I think if I could, I would've gladly traded the next 5 menus to get this one again and again! My second fave was the Sea Bass. I loooove the soft texture and how it felt so light in my mouth. Too bad I was already half way full so I couldn't finish it. The rest was ranked at about the same, except for the cold appetizer. I am never much of a fan of cold appetizers, and this one didn't manage to make me change my perception.

7. Last but not least, what made this night so exciting for me, was the first time experience of attending this kind of event. This is the very first time that I got an invite to a food blogger event, the first time meeting a bunch of fellow take-a-pic-with-a-proper-camera-before-you-eat kind of people, the first time having a 7-course dinner, all of those things really build the excitement! Am a fan of first time experience, and this one was truly a memorable one!

Thank you @goorme, for the invite! Hopefully there will be more to come, yes? :)