Taiwanese Banquet Culture Reaches Tokyo with Indigenous Flavors

Taiwan’s traditional “banquet table” culture has arrived in Tokyo, carrying flavors that rarely appear in the familiar shorthand of soup dumplings and braised pork rice.

The Tokyo event, held at the Hattori Nutrition College, marked the Asian finale of the 2026 Taiwan International Food Tour. Chef Chiang Hsin-yi completed nearly a month of demonstrations and lectures across Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, with 14 events in total.

The tour focused on practical cooking and cultural explanation rather than simply serving Taiwanese food. In Malaysia, culinary students prepared Hakka stir-fry and Jiufen taro balls. In Seoul, the chefs demonstrated beef noodle soup and oyster omelets. In Fukuoka, they exchanged ideas with Japanese food professionals while making “tiger bites pig,” a gua bao dish.

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This must not be lost.

Tokyo turned the focus to traditional Taiwanese banquet culture. Chiang prepared maqaw oat-crusted shrimp, flame-grilled shredded chicken with刺蔥, and warrior-style pigeon pea braised pork ribs. Maqaw has a distinctive aroma resembling lemon and pepper.刺蔥 is a common seasoning in Indigenous Taiwanese cuisine, while pigeon pea is a traditional tribal ingredient.

Chiang, who has Indigenous heritage, said he wanted to introduce these ingredients abroad as part of Taiwan’s food identity. Because they are difficult to obtain overseas, he worked to bring them from Taiwan to the tour locations. The original schedule called for 15 events, but the Kumamoto stop was canceled after a major earthquake. Chiang called the remaining 14 events “a very fulfilling conclusion” and said he was pleased that each one presented the authentic Taiwanese flavor he wanted to share.

He also described banquet culture as an important part of Taiwan’s culinary heritage that “must not be lost.” More than 80 Japanese culinary figures and overseas Taiwanese attended the Tokyo event. For Taiwanese expatriates who had not returned home in years, familiar dishes prompted memories and encouraged them to introduce the food to local friends.

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A very fulfilling conclusion.