Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you of my undying love of Studio Ghibli and by extension anime. The recent Loewe drop featuring Totoro was already a little too much for this die-hard fan.
Besides the unique and unexpected story arcs, one of the best things about watching anime is the food sequences. I mean, who can forget tantalising bowls of ramen from Ponyo or the trays and trays of food NoFace ate from Spirited Away.
Therapeutic and oddly calming, those beautifully drawn scenes steadily captured my imagination. Worlds collide with Indonesian illustrator Alfeus Christieh. The 30-year-old from Yogyakarta, Indonesia takes the appreciation of Studio Ghibli to a whole new level by illustrating Indonesian cuisine in a Ghibli-style, and I’m in love.
These Studio Ghibli-esque illustrations run the gamut, from traditional dishes such as the Bubur Manado, an Indonesian porridge made out of rice, tubers and pumpkin to icy cups of Cendol Dawet. Just like the Ghibli drawings, these life-like illustrations make want to reach out through the screen and grab them.
The pièce de résistance, which I think needs to be plastered on my wall, is this plate of Indomie. I can’t even begin to tell you how much Indomie has been part of my life. The Mi Goreng flavour has had a firm place in my heart. Just looking at that perfectly fried eggs makes me swoon in admiration. Plus, with the news of the passing of Nunuk Nuraini, the creator of Indomie, this plate of noodles is more poignant than ever.
I must say, it’s utterly refreshing to see traditional Southeast Asian food portrayed this way—major props to Alfeus for highlighting the best of Indonesian cuisine in one of the best ways possible. You can marvel at more of his gorgeous illustrations on his Instagram here.
