In the heart of Germany’s legendary Black Forest, under the vaulted ceilings and elegant setting of hotel Traube Tonbach’s 3-Michelin-star restaurant, Schwarzwaldstube, a remarkable culinary revival has taken place. After a hiatus brought on by the pandemic, Indonesia’s diverse flavours and culinary traditions have returned, led by the charismatic and deeply rooted Chef Degan Septoadji.
Rediscovering Tradition, Reinventing Presentation
First introduced in 2014, the Indonesian food promotion at Hotel Traube Tonbach offered gala dinners, buffets, and interactive cooking classes. It was a celebration of spice, texture and cultural storytelling – one that European audiences received with enthusiasm.
This year marks a fresh chapter. For the first time since 2017, the events are being held not in the grand ballroom but in the dining room of Schwarzwaldstube. While the original team around head chef Torsten Michel is on its annual summer break, the hotel is using the restaurant as an exceptional location for Chef Degan Septoadji’s guest-chef series. More intimate, more refined, more precise. The setting demands elegance, and Chef Degan has responded with a menu that honours the authentic flavours of Indonesia’s far‑flung archipelago while embracing modernity in presentation.
Every dish is paired with its history: from Sumatra’s pungent pepper pastes, Java’s sweet‑savoured kecap, to the coastal tang of Bali and the spice‑laden richness of Sulawesi. Each course does more than delight the palate; it tells of islands, trade winds, rainforests, markets at dawn, and centuries of culinary evolution.
The Return: Four Gala Evenings & Beyond
From 6 to 9 August 2025, Chef Degan, joined by Executive Sous Chef Setyo Widhyarto of Raffles Jakarta and television personality Norman Ismail, staged four exclusive gala dinners. Each night unfolds a five‑course authentic Indonesian menu, flawlessly paired with German wines, offering guests an immersion into the depth and variety of Indonesia’s gastronomy.
In addition to the gala dinners, this year the programme was enriched with other experiences: a cooking class where guests do more than taste – they learn. They handle the bumbu pastes, explore spice combinations, observe traditional techniques and receive hands‑on guidance. To deepen understanding, the kitchen staff of Traube Tonbach themselves were offered training in Indonesian spice blends and traditional cooking methods.
The Man Behind the Flavours: Degan Septoadji
Born in Jakarta on 1 September 1967, Degan Septoadji’s story is one of bridging worlds. At a young age he came to Germany, growing up in Wörth and Freckenfeld, attending local schools, and pursuing his initial culinary apprenticeship in the Palatinate region at Hotel zur Pfalz in Kandel.
His formative years in Germany planted the seeds of discipline and technique; those in Asia nurtured his flavour palette. Decades of work in prestigious hotels such as Banyan Tree, Grand Hyatt, Ritz‑Carlton, Hilton, as well as visibility as a judge on MasterChef Indonesia and Junior MasterChef have established him as both guardian and innovator of Indonesian cuisine.
Partnered professionally with his wife Nike, who manages much of the coordination and administrative side of his events, and accompanied by seasoned chefs such as Theo Widhyarto and Norman Ismail, Chef Degan has cultivated a team that is as committed to authenticity as it is to presentation. This year, three younger Indonesian chefs from Germany joined, having travelled at their own expense, to be part of the promotion serving as a testament to the respect, passion and inspiration his work continues to stir.
Roots, Return and Resonance
Chef Degan’s deep connection to the Palatinate (Pfalz) region is more than biographical footnote. It’s part of the resonance that underlies this programme. He spent his early years in the region, his schooling, his first steps into the kitchen, the mentors and friends who witnessed his growth. Returning to this land with the flavours of Indonesia underscores both personal journey and culinary diplomacy.
That journey shaped not only his techniques, but his understanding of what food can do: build bridges, awaken senses, evoke memory. Diners are not simply tasting food; they are being invited into stories as well as histories and voyages.
Looking Ahead: Innovation Within Heritage
What makes this year’s programme especially compelling is the balance between tradition and innovation. Though the flavours remain true to their roots, the presentation has become more refined, adapting to the formality and subtleties of European fine dining. The venue change, the limited seating (35 guests per gala dinner), and the focus on paired German wines all contribute to a rare, immersive experience.
Chef Degan has also carried his passion for sharing beyond this event: to culinary schools like Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and London, elsewhere in Southeast Asia and Europe, through cookbooks and television, and via his own public platforms (including “Behind the Chef” on YouTube). It is not just about showcasing Indonesian food. It is about ensuring its story is told globally, richly and with dignity.
A Taste of What’s Possible
The return of Indonesian cuisine to Traube Tonbach is more than a gastronomic event. It is a statement: that authenticity and elegance need not be in opposition; that heritage cuisines deserve the same stages that haute cuisine occupies; that a dish can be both deeply rooted and forward-looking.
This year, Chef Degan and his team are headed back to the Black Forest, presenting Indonesian cuisine from 5–8 August 2026 over four nights, accompanied by two cooking class sessions on 9–10 August.
For guests lucky enough to secure a reservation, the gala dinners are priced at €149 per person. But beyond price, they offer something rarer: a chance to walk between continents using fork, spoon, and palate; a chance to taste Indonesia as only those who listen closely to their roots can serve it.
To dine at Schwarzwaldstube with Chef Degan on the lead is to embark on a rare and unforgettable journey, one that bridges continents, cultures, and generations through the universal language of food. It is an invitation not only to savour the bold, intricate flavours of Indonesia, but to feel the warmth of its spirit and the pride of its heritage.
In the hands of Chef Degan and his remarkable team, each dish becomes a story, each flavour a memory waiting to be made.
We warmly invite you to join us in the heart of the Black Forest, where tradition meets innovation, and where every plate tells a tale worth savouring.
Hotel Traube Tonbach
Tonbachstraße 237
72270 Baiersbronn, Germany
www.traube-tonbach.de
