World Record: Ketan Talam Durian Cake Becomes Pekanbaru's Culinary Icon

Kota Pekanbaru has made history. In conjunction with the city’s 242nd anniversary, the Pekanbaru City Government presented a 1-kilometre-long Ketan Talam Durian cake, officially recognised by the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) as the longest in the world. However, more than just breaking a record, this activity represents a major step towards introducing Ketan Talam Durian as a distinctive culinary icon of Pekanbaru. Just as Palembang is known for pempek, Yogyakarta for bakpia, and Medan for bika ambon, Pekanbaru aims to be recognised through Ketan Talam Durian, a traditional Malay delicacy born from the region’s cultural richness and Riau Province’s finest durians. The festival not only featured the 1-kilometre-long Ketan Talam Durian but also distributed 3,000 free durians to the public, allowing attendees to enjoy both the cake and the primary ingredient that defines this speciality. Public enthusiasm far exceeded the committee’s expectations. Initially anticipating between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors, the event saw more than 80,000 people flock to Jalan Jenderal Sudirman to witness and enjoy the festival. Visitors came not only from Pekanbaru but also from various districts and cities across Riau Province and even from other provinces. National figures also attended, including Member of the House of Representatives and Deputy Chairman of Commission VI, Andre Rosiade, who came with his entourage to witness the festival firsthand. Pekanbaru Mayor Agung Nugroho expressed both emotion and pride at the high level of public enthusiasm. “Honestly, this was beyond our expectations. Initially, we estimated only a few thousand people would attend. It turned out that tens of thousands of people came. This shows that the public truly loves traditional cuisine and is proud of their regional identity,” said Agung. On behalf of the city government and the entire committee, Agung also apologised to the public for any inconvenience caused during the event. “We apologise to the people of Pekanbaru who were affected by traffic congestion since the morning. We also apologise to those who may not have had the chance to get the Ketan Talam Durian or the durians that were distributed. The public’s enthusiasm truly exceeded our estimates,” he said. According to Agung, the main goal of the festival was not merely to distribute food or break a world record, but to build collective pride in the region’s culinary identity. “The biggest goal of this activity is to introduce Ketan Talam Durian as Pekanbaru’s culinary icon. We want people, when they hear the name Pekanbaru, to immediately think of Ketan Talam Durian, just as people associate Palembang with pempek or Jogja with bakpia,” he stated. Agung emphasised that this success was the result of collaboration among the community, small and medium enterprises, sponsors, volunteers, and various parties who supported the event. “This world record does not belong to the government, but to all the people of Pekanbaru. This is a gift for the city’s 242nd anniversary for the community. Hopefully, Ketan Talam Durian will become increasingly known, loved, and a source of shared pride that can elevate small businesses, tourism, and the creative economy of Pekanbaru to the national and global stage,” he concluded.