This interview is part of WNYC and Gothamist’s “Food Memoir” series in which we invite New Yorkers to share stories behind their cooking experiences and favorite recipes.
Shandra Woworuntu’s journey from Indonesia to New York unfolds as a tale of survival, resilience and the healing power of food.
Woworuntu came to the United States in 2001. She was chasing an employment opportunity in the hotel industry, but not long after she arrived at JFK Airport, she said she realized the offer was a ruse – she had been trafficked. Woworuntu said she was kidnapped, traded and sold within the sex trade industry in New York and neighboring states. She said she wasn’t able to escape the ordeal until months later.
Following her escape, Woworuntu faced homelessness and a yearning for the flavors of her home country.
“I missed my Indonesian food,” she said, detailing the challenges of sourcing ingredients with limited funds in New York City and struggling to find staples like turmeric, ginger, and shallots. Undeterred, Woworuntu began substituting ingredients based on affordability and gradually discovered stores offering authentic items.
“When I got the ingredients, I felt just…you know, amazing,” she said. “I cannot express how happy I was.” Woworuntu now even grows her own spices and vegetables in her backyard in Astoria, Queens. She tends to things like turmeric, ginger and galangal.
Woworuntu said cooking is a profound expression of love, and she infuses every dish with positive energy — a stark contrast to the violence and adversity she endured in the sex trade.
Today, Woworuntu shares her passion for Indonesian cuisine as an instructor with League of Kitchens, an organization that offers cooking classes offered by immigrant women from around the world. She’s been teaching classes since 2021 and said that in her role, she doesn’t shy away from her personal story, but instead uses it to raise awareness about the indicators of human trafficking.
Woworuntu is…
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