The 2022 International Tour of Taiwan Gourmet Cuisines was held in the Washington DC area August 39-September 6, 2022. The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) specially recruited two head chefs from Taiwan, Share Food Co., Executive Head Chef Pan Meng-ren and Director of Food and Beverages of the Food & Beverage Management Course at Chi-Ying Senior High School Tsai Wan-li, to provide cooking instruction. Five culinary demonstration classes were held at Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office's Twin Oaks, Chinatown Garden, Mai Dragon, Wang Dynasty and the Chinese American Community Center in Delaware. In total, 230 mainstream politicians and figures from the overseas community enjoyed delicious banquets, accompanied by The Culture Center of T.E.C.R.O. in Washington Director Edward Kuo.
Director Kuo said before the opening ceremony of each session that this year is the OCAC's 90th anniversary and the times are every changing, however, one constant is the OCAC's care and service towards overseas compatriots, which increase in breadth and depth all the time. Food is the paramount necessity of the people. Fine food is important cultural heritage that stands the test of time. The so-called taste of Taiwan can bring together people who miss their faraway homeland. Through the demonstration classes by the two head chefs, the guests from mainstream society will be able to get to know Taiwanese cuisine and compatriots also able to enjoy the taste of home on the eve of Mid-Autumn Festival.
At Twin Oaks, Pan Meng-ren and Tsai Wan-li prepared Taiwanese Pickled Abalone, Taiwan Shrimp Roll, Tainan Dan-zai Noodles, Sesame Beef With Wasabi Sauce, National Treasure Mullet Roe, Steamed Fish With Beancurd, Lobster Salad Roll, Cocktail Honey Fruit, and gave fruit sculpture tuition. At Chinatown Garden, Mai Dragon, Wang Dynasty and Chinese American Community Center in Delaware, trainees were intensively taught varied authentic Taiwanese dishes including Taro Pork Balls, Lemon Roast Chicken, 5-Spice Chicken Rolls, Wanluan Pig's Feet, Old-time Rice Cake, Preserved Beancurd Crispy Chicken, Pork Thick Soup, Golden Pickle and Scallion Pancake with Egg, instruction ranging from ingredients selection to details of processing and plate arrangement. The trainees were captivated and recorded the demonstrations on their mobile phones, worried that they might miss a step and would thus be unable to make truly authentic dishes. After lively instruction by the head chefs, the trainees were full of praise when they tasted the Taiwanese dishes, each with its own history, and their fond memories of the occasion will long linger.
