Hi! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your day-to-day activities?
Hello Foodies, My name is Brian D. Sumito, I am a Commercial Food and Beverage Photographer based in Jakarta Indonesia. I also own a side hustle business called Pho-Thicc, a Southern Vietnamese Style Inspired Pho
What is the most unforgettable food experience you have ever had? (Can be from recent visits or past travels around the world)
One of the memorable experiences as far as I can remember is eating noodle on the street of Manggabesar with my parents in the late ’90s, and it’s a Karet Noodle, a thick and curly type of noodle that originally belongs to the West/Central Chinese Jakartans.
Do you have any memorable experiences of being a Food photographer?
Yeah, a lot of good and bad experiences happened in the past 6years ++ of my career, but I think the most memorable one is my first gig as a food photographer back on 30 March 2016, where I took a food picture professionally for the first time and looking back on how bad it looks now, I am grateful for everything that ever happened in my life and career as a food photographer.
Is there any food you can eat every day without getting bored?
Nasi warteg and Bakmi Karet!
What is the most recent dining destination you visited that left a good impression? (high-end, upmarket, and street food)
I love Italian cuisine so much, I spent a month in Italy before the pandemic started in 2020, I think De Boni Cucina is a little piece of Italy that is located in Gading serpong. Their handmade stuffed pasta is incredible, freshly made daily, and cooked to perfection. The sauces and the flavor are not just like any other Italian restos that used a lot of msg or chicken powders, but they came from the flavor of the ingredients themselves. Put “DE BONI CUCINA” on your list, and thank me later.
Do you have any go-to venues for hanging out with friends, or maybe for special occasions with family?
For hanging out with friends, there are some Japanese Resto in the South, such as Daitokyo Sakaba, Echigoya, or Kashiwa became our popular meeting points.
For Family, some of our favorite restaurants are Chang Tian, an authentic Haka-Indo Chinese food that is located in Gunung Sahari, I went there as far as I can remember. Also Aroma seafood / Sentosa seafood for one of the best seafood destinations in the north of Jakarta.
Do you have any favorite takeouts for busy days?
Jiwa toast is definitely on the top of my list, a flavourful, delicious, and fulfilling sandwich packed with flavor, protein, and at a very affordable price.
When you go out for coffee, what do you look for, and where do you go? Any regular places?
For Coffee, just like a typical Indonesian, I look forward to coffee with a bold and robust flavor of chocolate or caramel, a thick body, and a kick of caffeine.
My favorite coffee in Jakarta is still Sixounces Coffee, Giyanti coffee, and Mikkro Espresso. But on daily bases, I ordered the Kenangan Light series by Mikael Jasin A LOT. Haha.
Do you have any regular drink places, and what kinds of drinks do you usually order?
I’m not the type of person who likes to spend a lot of money on alcohol, but I’m a wine guy, and since the pandemic, I enjoy drinking in a safer space such as my home and Kitchen Studio.
I enjoy my Italian wine, such as Chianti Classico, Primitivo, and Toscana blend. I enjoy Rioja Blend from the Spanish wine and Bordeaux blend from the French; old-world wine is my favorite.
What are your favorite local dishes, and where do you go to eat them?
The local dish is definitely WARTEG, since eating out in restaurants become my daily work, I treasure my chances eating at Warteg. Just a simple Rice, Fried Noodle, Kentang Cabe, Tempe Orek,Telor Dadar and Labu Tumis can made my day. Tripe carbs but who cares.
