Kue Ketan Talam Durian Officially Named Pekanbaru's Culinary Icon

Pekanbaru marked its 242nd anniversary with a proud achievement, officially presenting a 1-kilometre-long Kue Ketan Talam Durian that was recognised by the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) as the world’s longest. This record-breaking feat was not merely a spectacle but a concerted effort by the Pekanbaru City Government to introduce Kue Ketan Talam Durian as a distinctive regional culinary icon, representing the rich Malay cultural heritage and the abundant durian harvests of Riau Province. Through this festival, Pekanbaru aims to build a strong culinary identity, much like Palembang is known for pempek, Yogyakarta for bakpia, and Medan for bika ambon. The hope is that Kue Ketan Talam Durian will become the food that immediately comes to mind when people hear the name Pekanbaru. In addition to presenting the 1-kilometre-long cake, the festival also distributed 3,000 durians free of charge to the public, allowing them to enjoy firsthand the flavour of the fruit that is the main ingredient of the signature dish. Public enthusiasm far exceeded the organisers’ expectations. While attendance was initially estimated at 5,000 to 10,000 people, over 80,000 residents flocked to Jalan Jenderal Sudirman to witness and partake in the festivities. Visitors came not only from Pekanbaru but also from various districts and cities across Riau Province and other parts of Indonesia. National figures, including Member of the House of Representatives and Deputy Chairman of Commission VI, Andre Rosiade, were also in attendance. Pekanbaru Mayor Agung Nugroho expressed his emotion and pride at the high level of public participation. He admitted the turnout was beyond expectations and apologised for the resulting traffic congestion and the limited supply of cake and durians. The mayor emphasised that the primary goal of the festival was not merely to break a world record, but to foster public pride in the region’s culinary heritage and to strengthen Pekanbaru’s identity nationally. He stated that the success was the result of collaboration between various parties, including MSMEs, sponsors, and volunteers. He expressed hope that the world record achievement would serve as a momentum to further promote Kue Ketan Talam Durian and boost the growth of the MSME, tourism, and creative economy sectors in Pekanbaru.