Tiko Sukarso specializes in healthy, plant-based, locally-sourced Indonesian cuisine, menu development, and vegan/plant-based cheese. He is also the co-founder of Klub Masak Sirja.

He was born in Jakarta and earned a bachelor's degree in French Studies from the University of Indonesia (2009). He also completed a Culinary Arts (Cuisine) diploma program at At-Sunrise GlobalChef Academy. Tiko served as the F&B and training manager at TWG Tea Company from 2011-2016 in Singapore and Jakarta. His experiences led him to found Kulatresna, a private eco-bungalow and edible garden, in Bantul, Yogyakarta (January 2018-December 2021). He also co-founded and served as executive chef at Restaurant Sirja, which focused on plant-based and locally-sourced cuisine, in Bantul, Yogyakarta (July 2020-December 2021). After closing his business due to the pandemic, Tiko founded Klub Masak Sirja (January 2022 - present) with his partner, Tarlen Handayani, to rediscover local vegetable-based food knowledge and transform taste palettes with easy and delicious vegetable dishes. He is expanding his expertise in the plant-based field and decided to produce artisanal vegan cheese made from local cashew and Kenari nuts, branded as ‘Klub Keju Kacang’ (January 2024 - present). He also co-founded a startup labeled ‘Eatfit’, which focuses on locally sourced healthy Indonesian street cuisine.

Instagram @tikosukarso

Tarlen Handayani is a book conservator, a community organizer, co-founder of Klub Masak Sirja and founder the Conservation Learning Collective.

She was born in Bandung and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Bandung Islamic University, Indonesia (2001). She was a grantee for a cultural exchange program from the Asia Cultural Council in New York City, USA, in 2008. She began her bookbinding craftsmanship by taking a basic bookbinding course at Etsy Lab, Brooklyn, USA (2008), and fundamental courses at The Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild, Canada (2018-2019).

She was a co-producer and researcher for the documentary film Dragon Beget Dragon, which explores the acculturation of the Chinese and Betawi communities through traditional music Gambang Kromong (2006). She is the founder and literacy community organizer of Tobucil & Klabs in Bandung, Indonesia, which she led for two decades (2001-2021). She founded Klub Masak Sirja (January 2022- recent) with her partner, Tiko Sukarso, to rediscover local vegetable-based food knowledge and transform taste palettes with easy and delicious vegetable dishes. She was the program manager of Women Archives and Herstory (RUAS Indonesia), Yogyakarta, Indonesia (December 2022 - January 2024).

She presented Culture Beyond Books: Traditional Bookbinding from Indonesia as part of the Year of Culture Qatar and Indonesia, hosted by the Qatar National Library on Nov 20, 2023. She visited the Conservation and Preservation Department of the Qatar National Library in February 2024, sponsored by the Director General of Culture, Ministry of Education and Research, Republic of Indonesia.

Instagram @vitarlenology