The 2024 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition is to open tomorrow, featuring local food, restaurants and chefs from across Taiwan, to promote the country’s cuisine to foreign visitors, organizer, the Taiwan Visitors Association, said on Tuesday.
During the four-day annual event at the Taipei World Trade Center’s Exhibition Hall 1, attendees would be able to explore more than 600 food booths, including some from Michelin-rated restaurants and chefs, and taste fresh ingredients from across Taiwan, the association said.
“If Taiwan wants to market itself to the world, it must first entice global travelers with Taiwanese cuisine” Taiwan Visitors Association honorary chairwoman Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) told a news conference.
Photo: CNA
She said she hopes the exhibition would also serve as a platform for chefs and professionals in the food industry to collaborate and innovate.
Association chairwoman Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) said that Taiwan’s greatest charm is its food.
Visitors and observers appreciate Taiwan for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, its technology industry and democracy, but also its cuisine, Chien said.
“When our association colleagues attend exhibitions in foreign countries, as soon as we set up our booth and serve gua bao (割包) [Taiwanese pork belly buns] and bubble tea, it attracts smiles, enthusiasm and money,” she said.
Taiwan Visitors Association deputy secretary-general Shiang Tsao (曹惟翔) said the association advertised the event at more than 20 overseas travel expos and collaborated with online travel agencies such as Agoda, which is to promote the exhibition in articles on its Web site.
While the expo would also feature international cuisine and ingredients from countries such as Japan and Vietnam, it would not include a designated area for the promotion of halal food at this year’s exhibition, Tsao said.
A halal area had been included in previous editions of the show before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, visitors can still find information about halal-certified hotels and restaurants at this year’s event, Tsao said.
With admission priced at NT$200, the organizer expects to attract more than 90,000 visitors, surpassing last year’s attendance.
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