On August 6, 2024, a training was held that attracted the attention of entrepreneurs and prospective culinary entrepreneurs in Kapanewon Pengasih, Kulon Progo Regency. The event took place at the Yogyakarta State University (UNY) Wates Campus, with a focus on developing chicken yammie topping variants to increase the creativity and competitiveness of local culinary businesses.

The main speaker in this training was Dwi Antar Wibawa, who is familiarly called Pak Bowo, the owner of Pakde Wonogiri Noodle and Bakso business. In his sharing session, Mr. Bowo shared tips and tricks in developing a noodle business that started from his parents' business since the 90s to successfully go viral since his official store opened in 2018. One of the keys to success shared by Mr. Bowo is the application of the 4P concept in the culinary business, namely Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. With full honesty, Mr. Bowo emphasized that there were no special prayers or supernatural practices in his achievements, but rather goodness such as increasing alms and prayers from the people who received the alms.

In addition to getting inspiration from Pak Bowo, the training participants also had the opportunity to directly practice the chicken yammie topping innovation with the team from the Catering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering UNY. The team, led by Prof. Dr. Endang Mulyatiningsih, M.Pd., and consisting of Prihastuti Ekawatiningsih, M.Pd., Sunarni, M.Pd., Novi Trilisiana, M.Pd., and Tata Boga students, provided intensive guidance in making various creative topping variants such as meatballs, minced beef, teriyaki chicken, enoki mushroom chicken, and charsiu chicken.

Not only stopping at cooking practices, the training participants were also given knowledge on how to register in GoBiz, a merchant application from Gojek Indonesia designed to help Gojek Business Partners in developing their business. This is a concrete step to help culinary entrepreneurs in Pengasih utilize technology in expanding their market reach.

This training is expected to provide new insights and skills for the participants, so that they can develop culinary businesses more creatively and innovatively, and increase competitiveness amid increasingly fierce market competition. [NT]