Introducing Indonesian Culture in the US Through 'Tempeh Diplomacy'

Diplomacy does not always arise from the complex relations between nations neatly arranged on congressional tables, where high-ranking officials weigh the pros and cons of national connections. Instead, diplomacy can emerge from simple things, such as hobbies and pleasures, which spread and unwittingly have a significant impact on national interests. One such example is BOStempeh, a tempeh producer in Somersworth, New Hampshire, United States, which is fully owned by Indonesian citizens. Daniel Kurnianto and his wife, Meylia Handayani Tio, are the main figures behind the business. Together with Octavianus Asoka and Aristiya Dwiyanti, also a married couple, they founded the BOStempeh factory in 2020, which grew from a home industry started three years prior. Their motivation was simple: they enjoyed eating tempeh. However, the journey to establishing BOStempeh was not straightforward. It took several years of preparation, including extensive research to produce high-quality tempeh. They also learned directly from Soetono Liem, the producer of Hienak tempeh in Surabaya, through UD Pendekar Tempe Sakti. This experience was a crucial part of their effort to understand the production process and create a superior product. The four founders realised they lacked sufficient knowledge about tempeh making. Among them, only Octavianus had professional experience in food processing. Meylia, for instance, had a background in education, having completed her postgraduate studies at Boston University with a full scholarship from the US Department of State and the Kelly Elizabeth Stephens Memorial Scholarship in 2005, focusing on bilingual education. The Central Java native had previously earned her undergraduate degree at Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga. Her academic pursuits led her to move and eventually become familiar with the city of Boston. Her husband, Daniel Kurnianto, initially accompanied Meylia for her studies. However, early in Meylia’s coursework, Daniel was accepted at a US biotechnology company. This job became the reason the couple settled in Massachusetts after Meylia returned to Salatiga to serve at her alma mater for two years following her graduation from Boston.