TFN Talks with Nick Kimman
Not all superheroes wear capes. Some wear aprons. This week I sat down with Nick Kimman, Head Chef and Marketing Specialist in charge of SOS (Scholars of Sustenance) Indonesia’s food distribution programme. Working nearly consecutive 17 hour days behind the scenes in the SOS Kitchen, Chefs Nick and Delmi lead a team of volunteers from all over the island to ensure that thousands of ‘bungkus’ nutritious homemade meals reach Bali’s most vulnerable communities every week.
Nick where did you grow up and what has sparked your passion for cooking?
I was born in a small village surrounded by jungles and rivers in west Kalimantan and grew up all over Indonesia. I left home when I was 18 to study/work abroad for 1 year in Singapore, 1 year in Dubai and 3 years in Sydney. 10 cities, 22 homes, 8 educational institutions. My passion for cooking was sparked by my love for eating. I was never a “picky” eater and always wanted to try new things, Indonesia was perfect for this because I was constantly exposed to an array of delicious food everywhere, I went, each new city offering something different to try. I started to make food and cook quite young at first it was just cramming everything between two pieces of bread - peanut butter, tuna, mayonnaise and salami sandwich anyone? But then refinement came and I started making some actual dishes. It wasn’t until I was 15 that I actually started to cook with more finesse and thought, wanting to create dishes I would otherwise have to go out and look for. My favorite thing to make was a good Tuna Pasta packed with veggies and CHEESE. However, it was when I left Indonesia to go study and live alone that my love and respect for cooking really settled in. There’s something pure and magical about food; people argue, disagree and fight about all sorts of things but as soon as you put food in front of them, they simmer down and eat. It brings peace, allows clarity of thought and is one of the best things you can share with someone. It also prevents hangriness something I must admit I struggle with from time to time.
Hanger
You don’t speak to others
When your stomach is rumbling
You won’t mean a word
What was it like being Dutch and being born and growing up in Indonesia? Are people still surprised that you speak fluent Bahasa? What advantages does this give you in your job as a chef for SOS?
When I was a kid, I didn’t really notice the differences of growing up Dutch (white), a child’s innocence does not concern itself with the color of skin or the reactions of people. I played with the local kids and felt I was just like them because and so did they. It was only when I got older and started to go to private international schools that I felt that there was a difference and realized people treated me differently then they would my friends. I would be called Boss, Mister, Pak, Om, Mas since I was 11 years old. These are all terms used for older men, people who have earned others respect and I never felt like I was deserving of these titles, I didn’t deserve to be put on the pedestal they placed me on because I didn’t do anything besides being a little white kid. My whole life until this day I try to break down the pedestals people place me on. We’re all the same after all. The advantages it gives me are endless, there are no communication barriers, we can understand each other with clarity and I gain everyone’s respect and attention because they all know what I’m trying to say and achieve. I wouldn’t have been able to bring the kitchen as far as I have and wouldn’t even be where I am today if I couldn’t speak Indonesian. I often surprise with the fluency of my Bahasa, I get asked about my life and history and have a monologue of answers ready every time this happens. Some people have asked me why I don’t get annoyed or tired of these reactions, my answer is always “If I get annoyed by things like this, I would be annoyed every single day of my life” besides after they question me, I question them right back and it leads to deep and meaningful conversation. One of the things I love most about this country, people’s openness to just talk.
When did you first get involved with SOS Indonesia and what inspired you to join their cause? What is the organization’s mission?
I first contacted SOS (Scholars of Sustenance) back in September 2019, I had just moved back to Bali and was looking for a job. I was immediately interested as what they were doing resonated with me. When I went for the interview, it felt like I would be a perfect fit and I think they all felt the same. However, I was already in progress of getting my work visa done with another organization and couldn’t stop the progress so I let it slide, promising that I would be back once I had free time again. In May 2020 I lost my job due to COVID-19, meaning FREE TIME. So, I contacted them and said I was willing to volunteer and do anything that needed doing, eventually with the development and set up of the SOS Rescue Kitchen. Now it’s 5 months later, I’m the Chef of the Food Rescue Kitchen and I couldn’t be happier to be part of their mission. “To Provide Positive Food Equity”
What are the most challenging and the most gratifying moments of the daily work you do, being in charge of the kitchen at SOS Indonesia? You share the chef post with Delmi Surya Putra, what has it been like working together?
It’s been an absolute pleasure being able to work alongside Chef Delmi, he’s a charismatic and passionate man who cares deeply about the work that we do. I wouldn’t be working for SOS was it not for his seal of approval and for that I’ll always be grateful. There are countless gratifying moments that I’ve experienced at the kitchen. I’m grateful to be able to go on distributions alongside amazing people in order to give the food that we cook straight to those who need it most and get greeted with the warmest smiles. However there are 2 specific days I’m especially proud of, as they were milestone markers for the kitchen and everything we aim to achieve at the kitchen.
The first one being the day we broke the milestone and reached 1000 packages/meals; I remember that day very well. I had a pact with a regular volunteer coincidentally called Nico, who said he’d finally join me for a drink once I broke 1000. I remember waking up that day full of excitement because I had meticulously planned for this moment for a while and the time had finally come. When he came to the kitchen that afternoon to help out with the packaging, I walked up to him and said “are you ready to drink tonight” with a giddy smile on my face. The second highlight would be October 16th of this year - World Food Day. This was another one of those days that I’ve been planning for, for over a week. The goal of the day was to make 3000 meals! I hardly slept the night before and started that day at 3am because I wanted to make sure we were done on time. As the day progressed an ocean of people showed up to help and all before, we knew it, it was all over, we finished packaging and cooking 3,736 meals!! It was an absolutely perfect day. I’m incredibly grateful and honored to be able to orchestrate the magic at the SOS Food Rescue Kitchen every day, the best part is seeing people from all walks of life, from all different backgrounds, from all over the world. Paths that would have otherwise never crossed, connections and friendships that would have never formed was it not for the one thing that brought us all together, the need and desire to help others. I’m so grateful to be part of this and grateful that I’m able to meet so many wonderful people through this work. I wouldn’t be writing all of this for the amazing Deniz Reno, was it not for the kitchen. As for the challenges? So many people are in desperate need for food so no matter what challenges were facing we will do whatever it takes to overcome them for their sake.
What would people be surprised to know about the work that you do and the communities you serve in Bali? Can you share any special stories with us?
Out of the countless stories and experiences that I could I share I want to highlight just one thing that always surprises people when I tell them. For the last month my number has been floating around and I have been receiving a lot of messages every day from private individuals who ask for help. I couldn’t just ignore them so I set up a system so that 5-7 people can come everyday to pick up food for themselves and their families. I also used this as an opportunity to do a social experiment to highlight the honesty, care and sense of community the people here have. Whenever a new person would come to pick up food, I would ask them how many people there are at home, if they replied 4, I would offer 8 meals with the assurance that it was okay, that I had enough and so that their families could have a meal for lunch and dinner. I would do this for every single person, offer them double the amount. In the months since I’ve been doing this not a single person has someone taken double, why? Well it’s because they know that there are others just like them who are in need of food so they don’t take more than they need in so that others can get as well. When I go to an impoverished area to do door to door distributions, I am met with the same compassion and care, am often told “please go to this household first, they need it more than I do. If you have any left then I will take it. But please give it to them first”. For many this selflessness comes as a surprise and is something that inspires me everyday to try and make more and more food.
Can you tell us about what an average day for you is like as a chef at SOS Indonesia?
An average day for me starts at 4:30am and ends around 10pm. I usually arrive at the kitchen at 5:30 and the first thing I do is start the rice. This is the most important thing to do because you cannot rush rice and we need to cook A LOT of it so timing is everything. After the first batch of rice is on, it’s time to boil, drain and cool down 600+ eggs. Then setting up all the cutting stations so that when volunteers start coming at 8:00am they can immediately start to help. After all the frying is done its time for the veggies. We usually finish cooking everything before 10:00am and start packaging at 10:30. The packaging process is nothing but dancing, singing and chit chat with everyone getting into the rhythm to make sure that we finish packaging all the meals by 2pm. Once it’s all done, we clean the kitchen and I wait until 5pm for all the distribution channels to pick up the X amount of meals they will be delivering that day. Throughout the day I’m not only doing cheffy things but also working on written reports, social media posts, editing proposals, planning for the next months, corporate outreach letters and pretty much helping anyone, anyway I can. I bring this work home with me and tend to finish everything by 8-10pm depending on how much there is to do.
What’s on the menu on an average day at SOS Indonesia and how many meals do you distribute per day?
The menu at our kitchen has 2 factors that remain constant. They are nutritional value and equal edibility. Nutritional Value: Making sure that the food is highly nutritious so that if it’s the only things that someone eats that day, it’s enough to sustain them. One way we’ve managed to ensure the nutritional value is by adding Paprika which is a staple of all of our meals and is something we have been receiving as donation from two absolute saints since the start of our operations, they have donated over 3,000kg of perfect paprikas. Equal Edibility: This is making sure that everyone can eat it. Meaning not making too spicy because kids, elderly, people with gastric issues, people who are sick or those who haven’t eaten in a while can easily digest and process the food. Making sure that there isn’t high levels of sodium and other measures to ensure that everyone can enjoy the food. Our menu keeps evolving and changes depending on the types of Vegetable donations we get and which crop is currently in season. However, we always ensure that the two factors above remain constant. On our first day we only did 400 meals, now almost 5 months later and we’re averaging 2100 meals per day. Distributed through 15-20 different channels all over Bali.
How do you find the communities which are the most vulnerable and in need of sustenance in Bali?
To find the communities in most need takes time, although given the rate of decay that the economy in Bali is facing the amount of people in need is exponentially increasing and now it’s more a matter of how to discern which ones need the food first. The best way to find them is to go looking. Those in most need are often too shy or ashamed to ask for help, don’t know who to ask for help, don’t know where to go in order to get help, don’t have the means to go out and look for places that might be able to help or have asked once before but have been rejected which discourages them from ever asking again. That’s why most of our distribution’s channels are direct deliveries meaning we go to the people and give them the food directly. Right now, we’re working with several distributions channels each led by someone who has taken charge in surveying a specific area or district to identify people who need help the most. We work with local governments (Banjar) that have data on which households or communities in their area should be prioritized. Besides this I have created a measurable recipient’s index that prioritizes certain demographics over others based on field research conducted over several months, the two groups we focus on most are the elderly and families with kids. I also hold meetings with all of our distribution partners in order to discuss and decide on how to reach the most vulnerable people and who these people are. It’s a never-ending discussion and something that I constantly think about at the end of every day.
How can people get involved in helping SOS Indonesia?
There are three ways you can help us here at SOS Indonesia. By making a financial donation which will be used to support the numerous projects and operation we have going on in order to help give back to Bali. By donating produce and ingredients to the SOS Food Rescue Kitchen directly saving us the cost of having to purchase as much on a given day and meaning that the food you donate will be directly used to help feed people. You could also spare some of your time and come volunteer at the kitchen. There are two Head Chefs. Nick (Me) and Delmi. I’m at the kitchen Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Delmi is in Saturday and Monday. Sundays were closed for general cleaning. There are two shifts for volunteers. Morning starting at 8am - cutting veggies - peeling eggs - other prep work and afternoon 10:30am - packaging the food into bungkus paper. You can come any day of the week at any time for as long as you like, because any help is always appreciated and there is always something to do. If you would like to join for distributions then you can come at 3:30-4pm and will be busy until 7pm latest. Just inform me at least a day in advance so I can expect you coming. Finally just talk about us and what we do to friends and family, so that we can all come together to make a big difference for a long time.
You are one of the most hardworking and dedicated young men I know. Where does this drive and conscientiousness come from?
I grew up with inequality all around me, in cities like Jakarta where the polar opposites of the economical spectrum live side by side. Whilst one completely ignored the others existence. This is something that bothered me then and bothers me now. The difference is that now I am in a position to do something about it. I can actually give back to the people I care about in the country that I call home. However, this drive wasn’t there all the time. before coming back to Bali, I felt very lost and uncertain about all the choices I had made, felt like I had made a mistake in following heart, in being “too nice” as so many people said I was and felt like I wouldn’t do anything meaningful no matter how much I wanted to. Writing about that point in my life feels like I’m describing an distant past from a previous life because right now all I feel is the opposite. Everything I’ve done in life, every decision I’ve made, every skill that I learned, every hardship I faced and overcame has led me to this moment and has allowed me to work effectively and with pure dedication. Because I am overjoyed that I found something that aligns so totally with my entire being that I simply cannot and will not stop or slow down. “I’m here to help in any way I can for as long as I can” Another reason I am the way I am is because I had two of the most hardworking and dedicated people as role models. My mother and father. They came to Indonesia to pursue their passions for art and the environment and haven’t stop pursuing this passion to this day. I am so lucky to have been brought up by such open minded, kind hearted and brave people and know that the fire that rages inside, that keeps me going comes from them. I know they’ll read this soooo let me know just say “Ik hou zo ontzettened veel van julie Papa en Mama”.
How do you spend your downtime when you are not in the kitchen heading the SOS team?
As many may know I don’t really have any down time haha, on the days where I’m supposed to be “off” I still do other work, whether its meetings, product inspections, writing or anything else. “Off” for me means off from the kitchen but not off from other work. That being said I do have free time every now and then when I allow myself to relax or when my mind and body can’t be pushed by my soul anymore. When I do, I like to play video games, something I’ve done since I was a kid and something that still brings me great joy. Or if I’m feeling energetic enough after a long work period, I explore Bali, go around to beaches, mountains, swim and try to find new great places to eat. I also really enjoy heading to the Shisha Café on Sunset Road to about once a month reminisce about Dubai and get some serious planning and writing done.
What is your goal with working for SOS? What would you like to achieve in the near future?
My goal with SOS is to keep this kitchen going for as long as possible and expand it by setting up more and more kitchens which will allow us to reach even more people and have a larger impact. Besides this I am working on something I’m calling “The Paprika Revolution” which is something that I feel will not only benefit people from a nutritional point of view but from an economical and cultural one as well. There’s plenty of other things I could mention about what I want to do and how but they’re only really worth writing about when they’ve been achieved.
For now, my life goal is simple. To help as many people as possible.
An Average day at the SOS Kitchen. You may also read my article Cooking and Delivering Meals with SOS Indonesia to get an inside look at my days at SOS helping Nick, Delmi and the team prepare meals for and feed underprivileged communities in Bali.
‘TFN Talks’ In Partnership with Tropical Nomad Coworking Space