Petty Elliott

Author | Chef | Culinary | Consultant

Petty Pandean-Elliott is an award-winning food writer, author, chef, culinary consultant, and one of the leading international advocates for Indonesian food culture. Through her writing, public speaking, culinary consultancy, and educational work, she has dedicated much of her career to promoting Indonesia’s rich culinary heritage, diverse food traditions, and remarkable biodiversity to audiences around the world.

Born in Manado, North Sulawesi, and raised in Jakarta, Petty developed a deep appreciation for Indonesia’s extraordinary culinary diversity from an early age. Growing up in a country spanning thousands of islands and hundreds of ethnic groups, she was exposed to a wide range of regional cuisines, ingredients,
traditions, and food stories that would later become central to her work. Her culinary perspective is shaped not only by Indonesia’s vibrant food culture but also by its history as a crossroads of trade, migration, and cultural exchange.

Interestingly, Petty began her culinary career at the age of 35 after spending many years working in an international advertising agency in Jakarta.
Petty is the author of The Indonesian Table and The Indonesian Vegetarian Table, both published by Phaidon. These acclaimed books have introduced readers worldwide to the depth and sophistication of Indonesian cuisine, highlighting both traditional recipes and contemporary interpretations while celebrating the people, ingredients, and communities behind them. Her work has been praised for bringing greater international recognition to one of the world's most diverse culinary cultures.

Before relocating to the United Kingdom, Petty contributed to several publications in Indonesia, including the Jakarta Globe, NOW! Jakarta, and Colours, the inflight magazine of Garuda Indonesia. She began working in professional kitchens in 2012, further expanding her culinary expertise beyond writing and research. Her recent consultancy projects include working with The Ritz-Carlton Bali, where she contributes her knowledge of Indonesian culinary traditions and contemporary food culture.

Petty relocated to the United Kingdom in 2018 and continues to champion Indonesian cuisine on the global stage. She regularly participates in international food festivals, culinary conferences, hospitality summits, cultural events, and educational programmes as a guest chef, speaker, moderator, and consultant. Her collaborations span chefs, restaurants, luxury hotels, tourism organisations, educational institutions, publishers, and cultural bodies seeking to deepen their understanding of Indonesian food and its global significance.
Beyond recipes, Petty's work explores the broader connections between food, culture, history, sustainability, and identity. She is particularly passionate about preserving culinary traditions, supporting local food communities, promoting Indonesia’s native ingredients, and sharing stories that connect people through food.

Through her writing, teaching, consultancy, and advocacy, Petty Elliott continues to build bridges between cultures, inspiring audiences worldwide to discover the richness, complexity, and beauty of Indonesian cuisine.