A Taste of Taiwan
Taiwan has foodies in mind.
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau held a Toronto event Tuesday showcasing the island’s cuisine and brought out some culinary star power to reinforce its case.
Chef Stuart Cameron, who oversees seven Toronto restaurants, joined two American chefs on a trip to Taiwan and told the Toronto audience that he “ate lots of great food… There’s lots of cultural influences in Taiwan [cuisine].”
That culinary scene includes night markets where local delicacies are sold from food stalls, enabling people to dine cheaply and quickly if they choose.
The Toronto event marked the culmination of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Taste of Taiwan campaign, which resulted in a video following the three chefs as they spent eight days exploring Taiwan.
Cameron told the gathering – held at his NAO Restaurant – that Taiwan has a “big mix-match” of food options and the country’s food is distinctively different than Chinese food.
His Taiwanese trip led him to create his own Taiwan-inspired dish, Crispy House Tofu, which uses Taiwanese ingredients. The dish will be available at NAO from Jan. 5 to Feb. 5 and those who order it will receive a DVD of Cameron and his colleagues in Taiwan.
The chef, who admitted he wasn’t familiar with Taiwan before visiting it with his fellow chefs, praised Taiwan for its cleanliness and the ease with which it can be explored, adding high-speed rail travel means people can cover “300 kilometres in an hour.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Chang of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau reported that Taiwan has seen a 20% increase in Canadian visitations this year and added that food is a “highlight of our tourism.”
Taiwanese carrier EVA links Taiwan and this country, he added.
Pictured are Cameron and Chang at the Toronto event.
