Orders for whole roast pigs by indigenous communities in Nantou County for the Mid-Autumn Festival have risen to near pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, a vendor said yesterday.
Caterers specializing in roast pigs in the county were hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks over the past two years.
Roast A Pig catering services had no orders in 2020 and last year, said Tien Ya-hui (田雅惠), who began offering the services more than six years ago.
Photo courtesy of the Nantou County’s Indigenous Peoples Bureau via CNA
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Tien received up to 20 orders for roast pigs around the Mid-Autumn Festival — a time when Taiwanese typically gather for outdoor barbecues or gatherings.
Such gatherings were generally prohibited under COVID-19 restrictions, but with the situation improving this year, Tien said she has received 12 orders for whole roast pigs for the festival, which falls on Sept. 10 this year.
Nantou is well-known for the traditional indigenous delicacy, which usually takes eight to nine hours to cook, and the county’s Indigenous Peoples’ Bureau established a certification system in 2020 to maintain high standards for the product.
A total of 45 chefs have been certified to date, and they are required to undergo refresher training every year.
The bureau has also taken other steps to help caterers grow their businesses, including working with industry professionals to develop more offerings, such as vacuum packed roast pork and boxed meals.
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