To promote gastronomic diplomacy, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) held the “International Tour of Taiwan Gourmet Cuisines: Famous Taiwan Cuisine Scent to the World lecture tour” on March 19. OCAC Minister Wu Hsin-hsing said that, through organizing this tour featuring leading head chefs from 5-star hotels in Taiwan as instructors, not only can Taiwanese cuisine be promoted internationally, Taiwan’s friendship with other nations can also be enhanced.

With professional head chefs enlisted as instructors, the lecture tour will include an estimated 149 cooking classes and, from April 11, will see teaching sessions take place in 63 cities in 19 countries on six continents including the US, Canada, Thailand, Paraguay and South Africa. The tour is expected to attract 66,000 participants.

Wu presented appointment certificates to the head chefs who will travel overseas to teach and display their cooking prowess in the tour. At the press conference, the head chefs demonstrated how to cook selected main dishes, showing the excellent culinary skills and sumptuous banquets that the tour will feature. Wu presented a flag to the team of chefs and said he hopes this activity can successfully promote Taiwanese cuisine around the world.