TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The annual event of Gianyar Culinary Festival (GCF) is being held again as a part of Gianyar Regency's 243^rd anniversary in Gianyar, Bali. It is held starting from today until April 22, the festival brings together professional chefs, culinary lovers, horticulture experts, veterinarians, entrepreneurs, and hotel industry practitioners.

"Through the event, we invite people to come back to nature upon which we currently stand. Everything has to be started by us, by putting more value to the local fruits, preserving local culinary, establishing green environment, and knowing the potential of our surrounding nature," said Gianyar Regent A.A Gde Agung Bharata on Friday.

The festival is planned to involve all of districts in Gianyar Regency in the original culinary competitions. The distinctive dishes to be cooked at the competition include: roast pig, betutu chicken, lawar, Balinese distinctive snacks, and twisted satay. This year, the organizer is also inviting the representative of Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI) in an attempt to break the record of the most widely number of people barbequing twisted satay. As many as 45 vocational middle schools are taking part in the attempt.

In the event, the regency also intends to set the tip flower as the icon of Gianyar Regency. The flower depicts loyalty and nature conservation awareness. The event is held by the Gianyar Regency local government and is supported by its agencies that promote the event to Sababay Winery (vineyard), Indonesian Chef Association (ICA), Ubud Chef Community, and in cooperation with Indonesian Gastronomy Academy (AGI), Junior Chamber International (JCI), Indonesian Advertising Association (P3i), Indonesian Restaurant and Hotel Association (PHRI), and various communities.

ROFIQI HASAN