Ubud Food Festival - A Food Lover's Delight

The Ubud Food Festival is an annual three-day celebration of Indonesia’s culinary identity. The festival’s mission is to promote Indonesia's food culture and support community groups and local producers through meaningful collaboration. The Ubud Food Festival provides a platform for the country’s most spectacular chefs, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, activists, food photographers, etc, to celebrate the nation’s gastronomic scene and diverse cuisines. It is one of the most anticipated events on Indonesia’s cultural calendar and sees the participation of more than 12,000 food lovers each year. 

Ubud Food Festival 2024 Dates

31st May - 2nd June

Ubud Food Festival Venue

The Ubud Food Festival usually takes place in April each year. The Ubud Food Festival takes place over several venues and restaurants around Ubud. However, the main hub of this premier event is Taman Kuliner, on Raya Sanggingan Road. This festival hub is very close to the city’s center, and you can easily find a taxi to take you there. Alternatively, a free shuttle service runs every 15 minutes from major spots in the city.

Ticket Price & Details 

You’ll have to purchase the Food Lover's Pass to gain access to the cooking demos and culinary competitions. There are 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day passes available. Apart from this pass, additional tickets are available for special events, masterclasses, and the Kitchen Stage. They can be purchased separately. The ticket prices vary depending on the event.

The pass for the special opening night party is priced at IDR 500,000. The passes for the various other events and workshops start at IDR 250,000.

Apart from ticketed events, there are many free events, such as live music and night markets.

The events of the Ubud Food Festival start at around 9:30 AM and go on till 9 at night. Live music and night markets can stretch on for several hours afterward.

What to Expect at the Ubud Food Festival

Hundreds of chefs, farmers, food writers and entrepreneurs from Indonesia and several other countries come together to participate in the Ubud Food Festival. The events include cooking demonstrations, food tours, masterclasses and discussions. Kitchen Stage is the event where you can get up close and personal with any of the renowned chefs while they teach you a special recipe. The masterclasses are targeted at prospective professionals.

The culinary competitions such as the annual Sambal Smackdown, the Battle of the Babi and the Salted Egg Showdown form the highlight of this food-focused festival. Some special events are also hosted exclusively for kids. In addition to all the exciting events, there are organic markets set up. The island’s best producers showcase their freshest items. Several side events like film screenings, yoga, food photography workshops are also hosted. The events at the Ubud Food Festival are bound to cater to a wide range of audiences.

Opening Night Party - The Highlight of the Festival 

The special opening night party is another highlight of the Ubud Food Festival. The event includes whole live entertainment, food and cocktails. There are samples from the finest eateries in the city. It is also the perfect chance to meet the participating chefs and restaurateurs in person before the three-day festival kicks off.

History of the Ubud Food Festival

Bali’s foremost food festival was founded in 2015 by the not-for-profit organisation, Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati. Their aim was to promote the Indonesian culture while creating new pathways to support creative talent. The interesting culinary festival usually has an underlying theme that inspires all of its events. The theme of the 2019 edition of the Ubud Food Festival was ‘Spice Up the World’. The 2018 Edition successfully pulled off the theme: Generasi Inovasi - Celebrating the New Generation.

You can expect to find a wide range of activities to participate in. The Ubud Food Festival is the perfect opportunity to truly discover the wealth and diversity of Indonesian cuisine. This culinary event is sure to make you add a bunch of Indonesian dishes to your list of favourites. It is a must-visit for food lovers all over the world. Apart from all the interesting culinary events, you can expect to find organic markets, film screening, yoga sessions, live music and much more.