A Thread about taste: Spoons' Rahel Stephanie
The Indonesian chef explains how 'pedas' translates in both her food and her fashion sense.
You might recognize Rahel Stephanie from the sticky, colourful dishes she makes on her eatwithspoons IG, or her supper club, ‘Spoons’. She says the name comes from her surprise in learning that British people eat with a knife and fork, rather than a fork and spoon. “How are you going to scoop all that sauce?” She laughs.
Sauce is one thing Rahel has by the bucketload. Like her dishes, her fashion sense is fun, creative, and influenced by her cultural roots. I’d write something about drip, but after that terrible sauce pun I’m sure you just want to get stuck in.
Here’s Rahel to talk us through her style.
Tell me about the dish you’ve chosen.
Sambal Balado is a spicy caramelised red chilli and tomato relish from West Sumatra. It’s the perfect accompaniment or sauce for any veg or protein, and one of my favourite sambals in the world.
And tell me about the outfit you’ve matched it with.
I made the top in collaboration with Geaven, a Bali-based airbrushing studio (also a friend). We made these shirts to raise funds for trans communities in Indonesia. It says ‘Pedas’ which means spicy in English, so the images are really tongue in cheek, as we just happened to pass by this eatery called “Crazy Hot Indonesian”. We’re hoping to do another drop again soon!
Why did you pair these two together?
The very essence of ‘Pedas’ is so ingrained in Indonesian cuisine. So much so that when it comes to ordering food, “how spicy?” is the number one question. As an Indonesian chef, I can’t imagine cooking without chilli peppers. They add depth and complexity to dishes and can be used to elevate even the simplest of meals. But for me, ‘Pedas’ is more than just a flavor - it’s an energy and a lifestyle. It’s tantalising and there’s beauty in its fieriness.
How would you describe the food you make? What are you known for?
Upon moving to London a decade ago, I quickly noticed the widespread inaccurate representations of Indonesian cuisine in the Western world. I was compelled to reclaim my culture and set right these misconceptions - the most famous example being ‘satay’. This simply means skewer - no relation to peanut sauce at all. My mission is consistently to put authentic Indonesian food firmly and accurately on the Western map.
How would you describe your style?
PEDAS. Period.
Do you see any connection between the creative process of cooking, and the creative process of styling yourself?
I would say I’m a lot more meticulous in planning my cooking, whereas styling myself is based on feeling. I guess there’s a little bit of the latter element when cooking as well, and that can always result in something fun.
What do you usually wear in the kitchen?
Comfortable work trousers and a cute t-shirt underneath my apron. Plus kitchen Crocs.
Where do you get your ideas? For food and outfits.
For food - eating out, tons of cookbooks and the Indonesian aunties of YouTube. For outfits, my friends inspire me the most.
What would your last meal on Earth be?
A big Indonesian spread: unlimited rice, ayam goreng kremes, sayur singkong, sambal teri kacang, saksang, arsik, dali ni horbo, sayur asin kuah bening, udang balado petai, kerupuk, kering tempe... the list goes on. It’s my favourite cuisine on Earth and there’s no way I can pick just one main dish, so it’ll have to be a spread. But also throw in some Indomie Goreng.
Then for dessert, martabak manis komplit, extra roomboter - a thick Indonesian pancake with a chewy, honeycomb textured interior, stuffed with chocolate, crushed peanuts, condensed milk and cheese. This is genuinely my favourite sweet dish in the world, and something I will never get tired of. It’s the first food item I run to get each time I return home to Jakarta. I could eat a whole box by myself, and since it's my last meal I probably would!
And what would you wear to eat it?
Draped in the most beautiful Ulos, traditional Batak textiles from my North Sumatran ethnic tribe.
Threads of the week
My obsession with secondhand performance gear continues (I mentioned it here). This is a martial arts top I found in a charity shop, worn with my beloved boxing trousers. Shoes are the Cecilie Bahnsen Asics collab.
Loose Threads
Not style-related, but I enjoyed this episode of ‘Digging with Flo’ - Flo Dill’s podcast where she takes her friend and fellow DJ OK Williams to her allotment. Potatoes and lols ensue.
The TikTok critics whose fashion week takes I find interesting: lyas, relaxitsonlyfashion, Alexandra Hildreth. Which ones do you like? Let me know in the comments.
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