KOMPPARGASTOM

KOMUNITAS PERINTIS PARIWISATA GASTRONOMI TOMOHON

Rooted in Mapalus. Growing Gastronomy Together.

KOMPPARGASTOM is a community-driven initiative in Tomohon dedicated to advancing gastronomy tourism through education, collaboration, and cultural stewardship.

Founded on the spirit of mapalus (mutual cooperation), the community connects local cooks, farmers, educators, guides, youth, and cultural practitioners to strengthen place-based food knowledge and responsible tourism development.

Learn How We Work with Community Partners
Make The Food World Turn
Share Love, Share Food

About KOMPPARGASTOM

KOMPPARGASTOM was formed to ensure that gastronomy tourism in Tomohon grows from within the community — not imposed from outside trends.

It functions as:

  • a learning platform

  • a collaborative network

  • a dialogue space between practitioners and institutions

  • a catalyst for ethical destination development

The focus is not commercial scale, but continuity and cultural dignity.

Founder

Alexander J. Maerah

Initiator of KOMPPARGASTOM
Founder of Sulawesious Encounters

Alexander J. Maerah initiated KOMPPARGASTOM as a response to the need for community-led gastronomy tourism development in Tomohon. His work bridges gastronomy, education, and ethical destination stewardship, emphasizing that tourism must grow from local rhythm rather than external demand.

Through Sulawesious Encounters and community initiatives, he supports collaborative frameworks that prioritize dignity, intergenerational knowledge, and cultural continuity over commercial scale.

Vision

To position Tomohon as a living gastronomy landscape where food heritage, community knowledge, and tourism evolve in balance and mutual respect.

Mission

  • Strengthen local food knowledge and intergenerational transfer

  • Support ethical gastronomy tourism practices

  • Build collaboration between community actors and institutions

  • Encourage youth participation in cultural food heritage

  • Promote responsible destination identity rooted in place

    Core Programs

    1. Gastronomy Living

    Knowledge Shared is Knowledge Sustained

    Small-group discussions and hands-on sessions explo

    • traditional cooking techniques

    • local ingredients and biodiversity

    • storytelling and culinary memory

    • heritage documentation

    Audience:

      • youth

      • guides

      • culinary practitioners

      • educators

      2. Community-Based Tourism Dialog

      Designing Tourism with the Community

      A forum bringing together:

      • local government

      • tourism actors

      • cultural practitioners

      • educators

      Focus:

      • ethical visitor engagement

      • carrying capacity

      • representation and narrative control

      3. Youth & Heritage Initiative

      Passing the Ladle Forward

      Workshops and mentorship for young people:

      • food storytelling

      • hospitality values

      • documentation of recipes

      • local ingredient mapping

      4. Seasonal Food Encounters

      Eating with the Season

      Public events celebrating:

      • harvest cycles

      • local festivals

      • traditional food preparation

      These gatherings emphasize participation rather than performance.

      Calendar of Events

      🌿 March

      Tomohon Gastronomy Dialogue 2026
      Reframing Food as Cultural Infrastructure

      A multi-stakeholder discussion exploring gastronomy as identity, economy, and education.

      View Event Details

      🌾 June

      Youth Culinary Heritage Workshop
      Learning from Grandmothers’ Kitchens

      A 3-day immersion connecting youth with elder knowledge holders.

      Register Interest

      🍲 September

      Seasonal Food Gathering: Highland Harvest
      Celebrating Local Ingredients

      Community cooking sessions and ingredient storytelling.

      Participate

      🌱 November

      Mapalus in Practice Forum
      Collective Work in Modern Tourism

      Dialogue session on collaboration models in gastronomy tourism.

      Join the Forum

      Collaboration & Partnership

      Propose a Collaboration

      KOMPPARGASTOM welcomes collaboration with:

      • schools and vocational institutions

      • gastronomy networks

      • cultural organizations

      • local government bodies

      • ethical tourism operators

      Partnerships are evaluated based on alignment with:

      • community benefit

      • knowledge integrity

      • responsible representation

      Travel with a Community, Not Arround It.

      Explore Sulawesious Encounters Journeys
      Contact KOMPPARGASTOM