Indonesians go crazy every time the country is mentioned by an international celebrity. Leonardo DiCaprio recently name checked maritime minister Susi Pudjiastuti in a speech and the internet went nuts. Even some EDM DJs tweeting a dumb meme like Om Telolet Om is enough to get everyone talking.So when my favorite photographer Michael Yamashita, of National Geographic, posted a photo of a sate seller in Jakarta to his Instagram, I was understandably excited. It was all the way back in 2014. I was living in Bandung, West Java, at the time, but whenever I was in the capital, I made sure to put aside some time to wander around in search of the same sate cart.I don't really know why I wanted to find him so bad. Part of me just wanted to eat the same sate that Yamashita once ate.Now I live in Jakarta, so I have even more time to search for this elusive, and famous, at least to me, sate seller. I knew he was somewhere along Jalan Sabang, a busy street of kaki lima and Middle Eastern restaurants in Central Jakarta. But where? The street was full of sate vendors, and all the carts look exactly the same. I would always end up lost, and then hungry, and eventually defeated and munching on someone else's sate.Would I ever find Pak Bahri's sate cart? I studied the image, noticing the blue lights of the BCA Building in the background and, armed with a slightly better idea of his location, I went out again.This time I finally found the cart, but not Pak Bahri. He's now too old to work in the street, choosing instead to remain home and prepare the chicken himself. So I spoke with Yuddi, who now runs Sate Pak Heru, instead.VICE Indonesia: How do you feel about the photo?
Yuddi: I was shocked, obviously. It's great that we went 'international'. But I don't know, do people react to this in a good way? A bad way?Who's the man in the photo?
That's Bahri, we're still family. He's 50 years old now.Does he still work here?
He's actually at home, taking care of the food preparations. He cuts the chicken. He still works with us, he just doesn't go out here with us. It's the younger staff who work out here. He's too old. He needs to rest.How long have you been in charge of this warung sate ?
I think since I was in high school. I was 19. The warung belongs to my late uncle. And I was his junior. He has passed away.How long has this warung been here?
It's been here since the 60's. We used to carry it on our shoulders before we could afford a cart. And it's always been on Jalan Sabang. That's why people know Jalan Sabang as sate Jalan Sabang. I think this is the specific place you go for sate. Back in the 90s, this was where young people hung out.When did you move to this exact spot?
Our warung used to be right on the side of the street. We moved here seven years ago, because, since the 2010, we got this parking spot. Back in the day, we didn't put up tents on the sidewalk. Now we can because we coordinated with the parking service. They let us use the parking area.Have you changed locations?
Nope, never. We've always been here.Is Jalan Sabang as hip as it used to be?
Back in the day, this was where the young people went. Now I think they would rather hang out at the malls. It was nicer in the old days. It was easier to make money.Is sate Taichan your main competitor?
A lot of families sell sate Taichan at Senayan. It's not exactly in as high demand here. Sate Madura is a conventional favorite. Taichan might just be another trend.I'd like to perfect my sate to see how long it can survive the trends. You know, in the culinary world, sometimes people are only lapar mata [translation: hungry, but not really]. My sate is authentic, from Madura, while Taichan… well, nobody ever says where it came from, right?
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Yuddi: I was shocked, obviously. It's great that we went 'international'. But I don't know, do people react to this in a good way? A bad way?Who's the man in the photo?
That's Bahri, we're still family. He's 50 years old now.Does he still work here?
He's actually at home, taking care of the food preparations. He cuts the chicken. He still works with us, he just doesn't go out here with us. It's the younger staff who work out here. He's too old. He needs to rest.
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I think since I was in high school. I was 19. The warung belongs to my late uncle. And I was his junior. He has passed away.How long has this warung been here?
It's been here since the 60's. We used to carry it on our shoulders before we could afford a cart. And it's always been on Jalan Sabang. That's why people know Jalan Sabang as sate Jalan Sabang. I think this is the specific place you go for sate. Back in the 90s, this was where young people hung out.When did you move to this exact spot?
Our warung used to be right on the side of the street. We moved here seven years ago, because, since the 2010, we got this parking spot. Back in the day, we didn't put up tents on the sidewalk. Now we can because we coordinated with the parking service. They let us use the parking area.Have you changed locations?
Nope, never. We've always been here.Is Jalan Sabang as hip as it used to be?
Back in the day, this was where the young people went. Now I think they would rather hang out at the malls. It was nicer in the old days. It was easier to make money.Is sate Taichan your main competitor?
A lot of families sell sate Taichan at Senayan. It's not exactly in as high demand here. Sate Madura is a conventional favorite. Taichan might just be another trend.I'd like to perfect my sate to see how long it can survive the trends. You know, in the culinary world, sometimes people are only lapar mata [translation: hungry, but not really]. My sate is authentic, from Madura, while Taichan… well, nobody ever says where it came from, right?