Rijsttafel: When Exclusivity And Luxury Boost Dutch East Indies Tourism

Ilustrasi photo rice table (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Today, amidst the fame of Indonesian nature and culture, bringing in foreign tourists is perhaps not a very difficult matter. Unlike the Dutch colonial era. In the past, the colonial government tried various ways to attract tourists, including through the Rijsttafel dining procession, which served luxury and exclusivity.

In the past, a visit to the Dutch East Indies was expensive. So, whoever visits is only the rich and very rich. Based on that, the colonial government turned its brains to take advantage of its market share. They also decided to sell luxury and exclusivity. One of the traces of his presence was through a luxurious rijsttafel style banquet.

Rijsttafel, which is simply known as the "rice table" or rice table, is popular throughout the archipelago. In its full definition, rijsttafel is the concept of banquets or serving a complete mix of Indonesian and European-style meals. In stages, this eating procession begins with an appetizer, main menu, and ends with a dessert.

The variety of menus served further legitimizes the luxury of rijsttafel. Mina Kruseman, in the novel Een Huwelijk in Indie (1873), gives a description of the dishes that are usually eaten in rijsttafel.

“The Dutch usually eat a daily menu (daagschen pot) which consists of rice as the main dish (hoofdschotel), curry (kerrie), vegetable dishes, three to seven types of meat dishes, and chili sauce. The number of European dishes they consume is not that great. "

The usual rijsttafel dish is enriched by the presence of various kinds of side dishes, such as chicken, patties, shrimp, beef jerky, crab, salted eggs, vegetables, and chili sauce. Not surprisingly, rijsttafel meals were generally limited to the homes of Dutch East Indies officials and aristocrats.

Equally, the serving time is limited to only during the day and usually Sundays so that all the bountiful rijsttafel dishes can be enjoyed. However, as the colonial government saw this as a potential, rijsttafel banquets began to be featured in luxury Dutch East Indies hotels and restaurants.

As revealed by Achmad Sunjayadi in the book Tourism in the Dutch East Indies 1891-1942 (2019), rijsttafel, which is generally served in households, has begun to be presented outside the home. The proof comes through a newspaper published by Batavia in 1868 which ran an advertisement "looking for a chef specializing in rijsttafel dishes at the Cavadino Restaurant."

"This advertisement shows that rijsttafel can be enjoyed outside the home, namely the restaurant. Apart from the restaurant, the rijsttafel which is considered a surprise to the newcomers can be enjoyed in hotels and inns, ”he wrote.

Photo illustration of the risjttafel (Wikimedia Commons)

The main dish of cruise ships and luxury hotels

Along with the advancement of Dutch East Indies tourism, the prestige of Rijsttafel also rose. Luxury hotels and cruises to the colony (Indonesia) are competing to attend the rijsttafel banquet to attract visitors so they want to stay for a long time for leisure.

To the extent that, the tourism agency formed by the Dutch East Indies government named Batavia Vereeniging Toeristenverkeer was burdened with the moral responsibility of introducing the rijsttafel dinner to a wider audience. Therefore, they launched a Dutch Indies tourism guidebook entitled Java the Wonderland (1900).

In addition to reviewing tourist destinations, the subject of rijsttafel is the most discussed review. "One of the most extraordinary things about hotel life in Java is the rijsttafel served at lunch time with a peculiarity only seen in the colonies of the Netherlands and Singapore."

Not only that, they also proudly labeled the cooks in the Dutch East Indies as the experts in serving rijsttafel. “A careful cook will take into account what foods are included in the 20 dishes that are on the hotel table. For that, readers will immediately be able to judge how complicated the rijsttafel business is, ”writes in the book Java the Wonderland.

Likewise, Fadly Rahman, in the book Rijsttafel: Culinary Culture in Indonesia during the Colonial Period 1870-1942 (2016), reveals that the popularity of rijsttafel has also penetrated into the main facilities of cruise ships bound for the Dutch East Indies. "In connection with tourism for Europeans, at the end of the 19th century there were many luxury yachts serving rijsttafel."

Some of the luxury yachts that present the luxury rijsttafel banquet are the SS (Steam Ship) Rotterdam and the famous Oranje. Those who feel the sensation of rijsttafel on board will have an unforgettable experience of eating a dozen dishes while being served by a convoy of officially dressed waiters.

“In each banquet, the servants who are deployed can reach 20-30 people, even to serve only one table filled with one or several people. These servants stood in line with both hands holding plates containing dishes. This means that the number of dishes served is approximately twice the number of waiters who bring and deliver dishes to the table for connoisseurs, "concluded Fadly.