CreAsia's New Series: A Strategic Recipe for the Asian Streaming Wars

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – December 04, 2025 – In the hyper-competitive global streaming market, the battle for dominance is increasingly being fought not with billion-dollar Hollywood franchises, but with culturally specific, locally produced stories. The latest evidence of this strategic shift comes from Jakarta, where CreAsia Studio, a formidable new player backed by entertainment giant Banijay, has officially begun production on an intriguing new series, My Chef in Crime Indonesia. Commissioned by local streaming service VISION+, this project is far more than just another entry in a crowded content library; it’s a calculated move signaling a new era of content strategy in Southeast Asia.

A New Recipe for Regional Streaming

At first glance, the concept behind My Chef in Crime seems unconventional, if not outright quirky. The 8-episode series follows a forensic investigator-turned-chef who finds himself the prime suspect in the murder of a culinary rival. It’s a narrative that promises to blend the meticulous, scientific world of forensics with the artistry and passion of high-end cuisine, all wrapped in a crime drama shell with a dash of comedy.

This genre-bending approach is a deliberate and strategic risk. While crime dramas and food-centric shows are staples across Asia, their fusion is a bold experiment designed to break through the noise. As director Sondang Pratama explained, the creative vision was sparked by an unexpected parallel. "My vision for My Chef in Crime stems from the intriguing intersection between two worlds that seem far apart—food and forensic science," he shared. "The more we explored them, the more we realized how naturally they connect. Cooking, much like forensic investigation, is rooted in scientific precision. That parallel inspired us to craft a crime series that is not only entertaining but also emotionally layered and visually distinctive."

This sentiment is echoed by the studio's leadership. Deepak Dhar, a key figure behind the venture as Founder & Group CEO of Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India, framed the series as the embodiment of CreAsia's mission. "This series represents the kind of creative experimentation we want CreAsia to champion," Dhar stated. "A crime drama infused with food and comedy is a bold departure from the familiar." By commissioning such a unique format and casting popular local stars Roy Sungkono and Sintya Marisca, VISION+ and CreAsia are betting that this innovative “recipe” will create a breakout hit that captures the nuanced tastes of the modern Indonesian audience.

The Strategic Blueprint Behind the Series

The launch of My Chef in Crime is the first major public move for CreAsia Studio, but the groundwork for this moment was laid nearly two years ago. Launched in early 2024, CreAsia Studio is a joint venture between Banijay Entertainment, one of the world's largest independent content producers and distributors, and Deepak Dhar's Banijay Asia. This is not a tentative dip into the market; it's a full-scale strategic invasion.

The studio's ambition is steered by Jessica Kam-Engle, a seasoned industry executive with a formidable track record. As the former Head of Content for Disney+ APAC and Head of Original Production for HBO Asia, Kam-Engle was responsible for commissioning dozens of original series across the region, giving her unparalleled insight into what resonates with diverse Asian audiences. Her leadership signals that CreAsia is built on a foundation of proven expertise and a deep understanding of the content ecosystem.

CreAsia's mandate is twofold: develop original, locally inspired scripted formats and adapt Banijay's extensive global catalog for Southeast Asian markets. My Chef in Crime serves as the perfect proof-of-concept for the first pillar of that strategy. It is an original format, born from local creative insights but designed with a polished, premium feel intended for both regional and potentially global appeal. As Kam-Engle noted, the series “reflects our ambition to develop original formats that are rooted in local culture yet resonate universally.”

Building a Pan-Asian Content Engine

While My Chef in Crime is proudly Indonesian, CreAsia Studio's ambitions are explicitly pan-Asian. The venture is structured to operate across key markets including Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, with India serving as a potential production hub. This regional footprint is critical to its long-term vision: to create a powerful engine for developing and distributing premium Asian content.

What makes this strategy particularly innovative is the focus on creating replicable formats. In a move that underscores this ambition, CreAsia has already announced that a Thai adaptation of My Chef in Crime is in development with Thai streaming service TrueVisions NOW. This reveals the core of the business model: My Chef in Crime is not just a one-off show but a potential franchise—an intellectual property that can be customized and redeployed across different cultures and markets within Southeast Asia. This approach allows Banijay to leverage its global expertise in format adaptation while empowering local creative teams to give each version its own unique flavor.

For regional streaming platforms like VISION+, this model is incredibly attractive. Instead of competing with the massive budgets of global giants like Netflix on their own terms, local services can differentiate themselves with a steady pipeline of high-quality, culturally attuned original content. By partnering with a well-capitalized and strategically-minded studio like CreAsia, they gain access to world-class production values and innovative storytelling without losing the local touch that retains subscribers. The success of this first series will therefore serve as a crucial test case, potentially setting a new benchmark for creative and commercial partnerships in the region's dynamic streaming landscape ahead of its 2026 premiere.