Global Debut at Expo 2025 Osaka (Seaside Studio CASO)

Serumpun Sarawak made its international debut at Seaside Studio CASO in Osaka, coinciding with Sarawak Week at Expo 2025. Over four days (August 5–8, 2025), Chef James Won and team transformed this waterfront gallery into a Bornean rainforest of flavours and storytelling. The immersive showcase featured a 7-course degustation menu curated by Chef James Won, each course inspired by the 34 Indigenous communities of Sarawak. Guests – including Malaysian dignitaries (the Sarawak Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister) and Japanese VIPs – were treated to an experiential dinner where “each course was presented with evolving soundscapes, visuals and storytelling to immerse guests in Sarawak’s edible heritage”. The menu boldly paired ancestral ingredients with modern techniques: forest-foraged herbs, fermentations, and native Sarawak produce were elevated to fine dining, turning food into a “narrative in motion” about Sarawak’s heritage.

 

The impact was profound. Guest reactions ranged from awe to nostalgia as the multi-sensory elements took them on a journey through Borneo’s ecosystems. A defining climax came during the “Sunrise of Sarawak” ritual when the event’s anthem “Ilun Kuai” premiered live – a collaborative song by Sarawakian artists like Zee Avi and The Tuyang Initiative. As the soulful music played, “the music anchored guests in a powerful atmosphere of reflection and renewal, calling them to reconnect with values of rootedness and reverence for nature”. This moving finale left many guests visibly touched, offering a memorable emotional connection to Sarawak.

 

Media coverage of Serumpun Sarawak in Osaka was extensive, underscoring its success. The story was picked up by major Malaysian outlets and travel press – from Bernama and the Borneo Post to regional travel journals – highlighting Sarawak’s cultural gastronomy on a global stage. In Osaka itself, the event fostered new friendships and cross-cultural partnerships. It was hosted by Sarawak’s Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Board in concert with Japanese organizers, symbolizing a diplomatic bridge. Observers noted how Serumpun “built bridges of understanding that go beyond tourism” by engaging Japanese guests with indigenous Sarawak culture. The presence of an Oxford professor, Prof. Gerard Bodeker, narrating the medicinal value of rainforest ingredients, and local creatives (musicians, storytellers) further enriched the exchange. While exact attendance figures weren’t published, the four-day program was fully subscribed each night with an intimate guest list (including officials, media, and food influencers), ensuring a high-impact, personal experience for all who attended. The success of the Osaka chapter is evident in its aftermath – Sarawak’s rainforest cuisine became a talking point among attendees and media, effectively planting Sarawak’s flag on the world culinary map.

 

“Bringing the World to Sarawak” – Grand Finale in Mulu

The Serumpun Sarawak journey culminated in October 2025 with a grand finale deep in the Sarawak rainforest. From October 2–4, 2025, the event returned to its roots at Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa, on the edge of UNESCO-listed Gunung Mulu National Park. This finale, themed “We Are Nature, Nature Is Us – Everything is Everything,” was a homecoming that immersed guests in the living heritage of Sarawak’s land and people. In the lush backdrop of ancient jungle, Sarawak’s Indigenous communities, artisans and cultural practitioners united to host guests – a powerful statement of cultural confidence on home soil. Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Puan Sharzede Salleh Askor noted the symbolism: “Serumpun Sarawak’s return to Mulu is symbolic, it brings the world home to Sarawak’s living heritage… we celebrate Sarawak not only as a destination of natural wonders but as a source of wisdom”.

 

Over three days, attendees (a mix of international guests, local community leaders, and media) experienced a holistic program. Leadership salons and cultural forums took place by day, exploring how indigenous wisdom aligns with global sustainability goals. In one panel, ESG Institute founder Joanne Flinn and other thought leaders discussed how Sarawak’s community practices – from traditional farming to forest conservation – can model “responsible and regenerative tourism” for the world. Indigenous groups like The Tuyang Initiative, CHASS, Earthlings Coffee Workshop, Dayak Lore, Penan artisans and others held exhibitions, turning the rainforest venue into a living gallery of Sarawak arts and crafts. This cultural exchange allowed visitors to not just taste Sarawak, but to see and feel it – whether through sape music echoing in the trees or craftsmen weaving mats from jungle fibres on-site.

 

Each evening, Chef James Won presented a 7-course gastronomic journey under the forest canopy, this time in even closer collaboration with local “food custodians” from various ethnic groups. The Mulu menu was hyper-local: Ingredients were foraged “from nearby rivers and forests” that very week, and the dining tables were decorated with leaves, bamboo and natural elements gathered from Mulu – embodying a strict “hyperlocalisation” ethos. Guests dined on modern renditions of indigenous recipes, each dish introduced by community elders and narrated by Prof. Bodeker to illuminate its healing or nutritional significance. From start to finish, the finale was imbued with spiritual significance – even commencing with a traditional blessing. As in Osaka, the “Ilun Kuai” theme song featured prominently; during the closing night, local musicians led a soulful performance of “Ilun Kuai” that moved the audience deeply and brought some to tears. The celebration concluded with a heartfelt unity circle, symbolically returning the Serumpun Sarawak journey back to the communities that inspired it. Organizers hailed the Mulu edition as a resounding success, with Sarawak officials calling it “a living archive of Sarawak’s identity” that proved culture, sustainability and creativity can co-exist for inclusive growth. (Indeed, a commemorative group photo after the final dinner shows broad smiles all around, “celebrating a successful event dedicated to cultural preservation and sustainable tourism.”) Importantly, the Mulu finale was documented on film – an entire camera crew shadowed the process – setting the stage for a forthcoming documentary that will allow global audiences to experience this journey virtually. Organizers confirmed that “The Serumpun Story” short film (a teaser of the project) was screened to guests as a sneak peek, and a full documentary is in production to chronicle the entire odyssey from Borneo’s heart to Osaka and back.

 

Global Impact and ROI: Raising Sarawak’s Culinary Profile

Early signs of return-on-investment for Sarawak’s cultural diplomacy are evident. The Serumpun Sarawak initiative has significantly boosted visibility and appreciation for Sarawak’s cuisine and heritage internationally. Media coverage alone is a testament – the story was carried by news wires and travel media across Asia, Europe and even in niche gastronomy circles. Each article amplified Sarawak’s name as a rising star in gastronomic tourism, often highlighting its unique ingredients and indigenous traditions. Notably, Sarawak’s key ingredients have become talking points. The project shone a spotlight on treasures like Bario rice (the highland heirloom rice), engkabang (illipe) nut oil, tuak (rice wine), and gula apong (palm sugar), integrating them into fine-dining contexts that intrigued food connoisseurs. For example, one Osaka course featured a rich bisque made from local prawns simmered with buah kulim (“jungle garlic”), a “splash of tuak rice wine”, and emulsified with enkabang oil, fusing indigenous flavor with French technique. Another course reimagined the traditional ayam pansuh (bamboo chicken) with modern plating and Bario highland red rice, while dessert celebrated Sarawak’s smoky-sweet gula apong. These examples captured the imagination of guests and journalists alike. By tasting such ingredients in an elevated setting, global guests gained newfound appreciation for Sarawak’s biodiverse pantry, often commenting that they had never heard of these items before and now wanted to learn more. Social media and influencer posts amplified this effect: food bloggers described the “creamy allure of engkabang nut butter” or the “aromatic punch of tuak in a broth,” introducing their followers to Sarawakian flavours. Each mention is a win for Sarawak’s branding – a measurable uptick in awareness that can drive future travel interest and product demand.

 

Importantly, Serumpun Sarawak has helped position Sarawak as a distinctive culinary destination, not just an eco-tourism spot. The initiative directly leveraged Kuching’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy – answering the “call to action” to show the world what Sarawak’s culinary heritage truly offers. The ROI can be seen in how Sarawak’s narrative shifted: rather than being a footnote to Malaysian cuisine, Sarawak is now being recognized for “deep culinary roots and ambitions that reach far”. The Sarawak Tourism Board noted that after the Osaka showcase, digital engagement with their Sarawak food content spiked significantly, and international inquiries about Sarawak food tours increased – indicating growing interest. While concrete tourism numbers will take time to materialize, the media value of Serumpun Sarawak’s coverage and the social buzz (from press articles to Instagram reels) have already provided substantial returns in exposure. As one report summarized, “Sarawak’s indigenous food heritage, once little-known globally, is now being translated into unforgettable multisensory experiences” and broadcast to the world. This bodes well for attracting culture-minded travellers and investors to Sarawak.

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Collaborations and Next Chapters: From ICIF to Chinese Media Partnerships

On the heels of Serumpun Sarawak’s successful run, several institutional and media collaborations have emerged, pointing to sustained momentum. Notably, the project’s innovative approach to cultural gastronomy has drawn interest from international forums and content partners. For instance, Sarawak Tourism Board and Chef James Won have been engaging with platforms in China, recognizing the appeal of this story for Chinese audiences. A partnership has been reportedly formed with Shenzhen-based media company YoyWow (雅汶, YaWen in Chinese) to co-produce and distribute the Serumpun Sarawak documentary and related content in China. YoyWow is an experienced cross-border content distributor with a network of over 150 million followers globally. Their interest in Sarawak’s culinary journey underscores the narrative’s global resonance – YoyWow’s mission is to bring rich cultural stories to the world, and they see Serumpun as a compelling candidate. In fact, at China’s International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF) in 2024, YoyWow highlighted Sarawak’s culinary diplomacy as a case study of cultural content ready for international audiences. Such collaboration is expected to greatly amplify Sarawak’s reach: with YoyWow’s localization expertise (they maintain dozens of multi-lingual teams), the Serumpun story can be subtitled and tailored for platforms from Beijing to New York, ensuring Sarawak’s message of unity through food transcends language barriers.

 

Beyond media production, invitations to global culinary events and forums have started to come in. Serumpun Sarawak’s team has been approached to share insights at international gastronomy conferences – for example, organizers of an upcoming International Culinary Institute forum have expressed interest in featuring Sarawak’s success as a model of “culinary diplomacy.” While details are being finalized, Chef James Won’s role as a cultural strategist is being recognized, and he is likely to speak on how indigenous food knowledge can drive tourism and sustainability at such global forums. The collaborative spirit of Serumpun is also extending to educational institutions: there are discussions with culinary academies (in Europe and East Asia) about exchange programs that would send young chefs to Sarawak to learn traditional techniques, echoing Serumpun’s apprentice program that mentored a young indigenous chef. Each partnership – whether in media, academia, or industry – solidifies the foundation laid by Serumpun Sarawak.

 

Looking ahead, Sarawak’s culinary journey seems poised to continue “from Borneo to the world” in new forms. The Serumpun Sarawak initiative, backed by the Sarawak government and partners, has set a template that other regions are now studying. It demonstrated how a relatively remote region can project soft power globally through culture and food. As the Expo 2025 Osaka accolades fade and the Mulu memories settle, the narrative is far from over. A full-length documentary film is expected in 2026, potentially aired on international broadcasters or streaming platforms, to immortalize this journey for millions of viewers. Meanwhile, Sarawak is already considering future chapters of Serumpun – perhaps bringing the concept to other world cities or international expos, in line with its mission of sharing “Sarawak’s soul… as a worldview”. The connections forged in Osaka and Mulu – from chefs and scholars to content creators – form a growing Serumpun network that will continue to collaborate. If the immediate ROI is cultural visibility, the long-term return will be measured in sustained tourism interest, pride among Sarawakians, and new platforms for indigenous voices. By all accounts, Serumpun Sarawak has proven that a chef-driven cultural initiative can blossom into a global movement, “celebrating diversity while deepening respect for our shared humanity”. And this, ultimately, is the richest return on investment: a greater shared understanding between Sarawak and the world, plated one story at a time.