The annual Taiwan International Culinary Exhibition began in Taipei yesterday, showcasing imaginative dishes, cooking shows and other culinary attractions.
The four-day show, now in its 25th year, has attracted 170 exhibitors this year and is being held in tandem with an international culinary competition that offers prizes totaling NT$600,000, according to the New Taipei City-based Chinese Gourmet Association.
Eight master teams from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore will vie for the grand prize of NT$300,000 this year, the association said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
In addition to the competition, the fair features free cooking shows and lessons by well-known chefs from home and abroad, organizers said, and visitors will also have a chance to sample the delicacies made.
Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) said at the opening ceremony that the show serves as a good platform to showcase Taiwan’s delicacies, and that he hopes the country’s food sector can receive even more exposure on the world stage.
“Taiwan is famous for its delicious food, ranging from street food stands at night markets to delicacies at fancy restaurants,” Mao said, adding that the local bando culture, referring to people eating around big tables outdoors, is also known to people outside Taiwan.
Citing Thailand and South Korea as examples, Mao said many countries “systematically” export their food culture, an approach Taiwan should try to emulate.
“We have to know our advantages, and develop our own features and specialties,” he said.
The show is being held at Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1.
Admission is NT$250, but children under 12 years old, senior citizens over the age of 65 years and the disabled can enter for NT$200, organizers said.
Taiwan’s food industry output is forecast to increase by an annual 3.33 percent to US$20.5 billion this year, the nation’s main trade promotion body said earlier this year.
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