Angela Prajogo, 24, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, has become a finalist for Indonesia Young Chef of the Year 2025, by The Good Food. The chef, who has Indonesian heritage, works at a fine dining restaurant in Birregurra, Victoria.
Prajogo doesn't serve Indonesian cuisine at the restaurant. However, her journey to becoming a chef was inspired by cooking with her mother, who prepared Indonesian food every day. Both her parents are from Indonesia—her father from Bandung, West Java, and her mother from Parakan, Central Java.
I grew up eating my mom's Indonesian food for my whole life until I moved out. It was a very big part of my upbringing and my influence.Angela Prajogo, chef
Born in Singapore and raised in Sydney from age 10, Prajogo grew up surrounded by diverse food cultures. At home, her mother's Indonesian cooking shaped her upbringing, while outside she explored other cuisines.
Speaking to SBS Indonesian, Prajogo said her mother's Indonesian dishes like Rendang, Soto and Pempek were central to her childhood. She still learns Indonesian food recipes from her mother. And whenever she returns to Indonesia, Prajogo opts for family cooking and street food––sate, mie ayam and bakso––over fancy restaurants.
When asked about the difference between cooking Indonesian and Western dishes, Prajogo said Indonesian food feels more enjoyable because it's tied to family memories. Western cuisine, on the other hand, is linked to her work, where she takes a more serious and professional approach.
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