Grandma's Recipe Becomes Inspiration, Chef Firhan Brings the Taste of Medan Curry to Ayam Krispy

Chef Firhan, Caroline and Chef Yulita at the Cinta Warisan Indonesia press conference in Jakarta, recently. (Dinno/VOI)

JAKARTA - Family recipes often contain stories that are longer than just a list of ingredients and how to cook. There are memories, habits, and even tastes that are passed down from one generation to the next.

This became the inspiration for Chef Firhan, a graduate of MasterChef Indonesia, in presenting the taste of Kari Medan in the Chicken Krispy McD menu through the "This is Our Taste" series from the fast food restaurant, McDonald's Indonesia.

Chef Firhan revealed that the taste of Medan Curry has emotional closeness because it reminds him of his grandmother's cooking which is rich in spices and coconut milk since he was a child.

"Since I was a child, I have been familiar with the kari dishes made by my grandmother, with a medok taste, rich in spices and coconut milk. When I went to Medan, I just understood that Medan Kari has a different character, richer in spices and spicy."

"I learned from the elders there and tried to mix it again. When I added the spices and the aroma was immediately felt, it felt like going back to childhood when my grandmother cooked kari for me," said Chef Firhan in a press conference "This is Our Taste" with the theme "Love Indonesian Heritage", in Jakarta, recently.

The trip to Medan is part of the process to understand the character of the cuisine more fully. For Chef Firhan, the taste does not only come from the ingredients used, but also the cooking techniques and habits that have been formed in the community.

The Medan curry is then combined with crispy chicken which presents a new interpretation of a taste that has its roots in regional cuisine. The menu is the first phase of this year's "This is Our Taste" series.

Caroline Kurniadjaja, Associate Director of Marketing McDonald's Indonesia, said the series is part of McD's efforts to present Indonesian culinary stories through menus that are close to people's daily lives.

"Through 'This is Our Taste' this year, we want to invite the public to get to know the stories behind the recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, even those in their families. For us, culinary heritage is not just something to celebrate, but needs to be continued to be introduced and passed on to the next generation," explained Caroline Kurniadjaja.

In addition to Chef Firhan, Chef Yulita who is also a graduate of MasterChef Indonesia is also involved in the series of local cooking campaigns. He sees family recipes as part of a legacy that is often stored in memories, not in recipe books.

This is also one of the reasons for the Indonesian Chicken Recipe Heritage Competition, which invites the public to share chicken recipes and special family sambal and the stories behind them.

"I believe that every family has a recipe that may not be written, but is always remembered because it was made by the people we love. Through this competition, these recipes can be shared to celebrate the stories and memories behind them,"

"For me, it is interesting when a recipe that has only been enjoyed by close people has the opportunity to be better known and enjoyed by the wider community," said Chef Yulita.

The competition also expands the story of "This is Our Taste" from simply enjoying food to an opportunity for the community to introduce recipes that have long been part of their family life.

Through this approach, family recipes do not stop as a dish that only appears on the dining table. The recipe can continue to be told, developed, and introduced to the next generation.

Meanwhile, the Crispy Chicken McD Kari Medan menu is one example of how the taste inspired by family and regional cuisine can be packaged in a dish that is more familiar to the wider community.

The local culinary series served is also complemented by Es Kopi Klepon and McFlurry Pisang Ijo. Ayam Krispy McD Kari Medan is available in the first phase from August 10 to September 13, 2026, while the two accompanying menus are available until October 18, 2026.