When Eating Habits Tell A Story

Helena Smit is a Dutch-Indonesian culinary heritage professional, entrepreneur, and storyteller who sees food as culture, memory, and connection. She is the founder and director of Stichting Eating Habits, exploring the shared food cultures of the Netherlands and Indonesia.

She leads Indofoodtours in The Hague, bringing Indo and Indonesian history to life through taste and storytelling, and is the founding editor-in-chief of RAKUS Magazine, a glossy celebration of Indonesian and related cuisines. Helena is also co-author of Makanologie, tracing the stories of Indonesian migrants who have come to the Netherlands since the 1970s and have grown to become leading chefs.

Born in Rotterdam to an Indonesian mother from Palembang, Sumatra, Helena’s work goes far beyond recipes — using food as a lens on identity, migration, and cultural heritage. Featured in national and international media, she continues to connect generations through the stories behind what’s on the plate.

A conversation about food, history, and why what we eat matters.

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