Indonesia has once more strengthened its fame on the international culinary scene after receiving the “New Destination Champion 2026 Award” on the annual La Liste awards ceremony in Paris, France.
The award was presented on to Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhan, in recognition of the country’s rapid development and large potential as an emerging gastronomic destination, recognized as “a must have for foodies.”
This distinction is a strategic achievement for Indonesia, not only increasing its visibility on the worldwide gastronomic map, but additionally strengthening its position in international culinary diplomacy.
A decade of La Liste and global recognition for Indonesia
This yr’s La Liste event was of particular importance because it commemorated the tenth anniversary of the organization. The ceremony was held in cooperation with La Liste and the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and was attended by Jean-Noël Barrot, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Philippe Faure, French Ambassador and President of La Liste.
Each yr, La Liste publishes a listing of the world’s 1,000 best restaurants, together with several special awards given to individuals, restaurants and countries recognized as making a big contribution to global gastronomy.
In this context, the award given to Indonesia confirms La Liste’s recognition of the richness of Indonesian cuisine, which is increasingly attracting global attention.
La Liste is taken into account some of the global and selective culinary guides, with a digital platform that makes it easier for gastronomy travelers to access the very best recommendations from all over the world.
Raising Indonesia’s culinary image all over the world
The honor awarded to Indonesia through the Ministry of Tourism is seen as a very important step in strengthening the country’s gastronomic identity all over the world. The government sees this award as linked to numerous ongoing efforts, including strategic programs that enhance Indonesia’s culinary heritage, reminiscent of Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet.
In remarks after the ceremony, Minister Widiyanti emphasized that this achievement shouldn’t be because of the ministry alone, but is the results of the collective effort of the complete culinary ecosystem of the country.
“This achievement does not belong solely to the Ministry of Tourism, but to our farmers, fishermen, culinary practitioners, chefs, small and medium-sized enterprises and communities across the archipelago who cherish our traditions and continue to enrich Indonesia’s authentic culinary heritage,” said Minister Widiyanti.
Two restaurants as culinary ambassadors
As a part of its 2026 New Destination Champion Award, La Liste also recognized two Indonesian restaurants as exemplary representations of the country’s culinary excellence. They were each appointed Ambassadors of Gastronomy, presenting Indonesia’s culinary standards to the world.
- Rumari – Raffles Balirepresented by chef Gaetan Biesuz, was chosen as the very best example from Bali. This yr, Rumari also debuts on the 1000 best restaurants on the planet 2026 list.
- Esa restaurant from Jakartarepresented by Chef Aditya Muskita, was chosen because the strongest representative of the capital, highlighting contemporary cuisine created with refined local elements.
Both restaurants are recognized for his or her exceptional technique, creativity and modern use of Indonesian ingredients, elevating the nation’s culinary identity to a premium level.
Meeting of world leaders in gastronomy
The celebration of the tenth anniversary of La Liste lasted two days, on November 23–24, 2025, and gathered outstanding personalities from all over the world. The meeting was attended by ministers, former ministers, culinary leaders and renowned chefs from various countries, making this forum some of the vital meeting places for the worldwide gastronomic community.
Indonesia’s participation on this forum opened up wider opportunities to have interaction with international stakeholders. The government hopes this dynamic will foster recent collaborations to strengthen the country’s culinary industry while expanding global networking opportunities.
