Taiwanese cuisine shines internationally once again as CNN's Facebook poll crowns it the global food "champion"

▲Taiwanese cuisine wins CNN's food voting event (Photo / Screenshot fromhttp://edition.cnn.com/)

By Rita

To find out which country currently has the most popular cuisine, CNN's food section held a public voting event on Facebook,according to the results announced on the 15th,Taiwanese food won the championship with a whopping 8,242 votes—more than five times the number of votes received by the runner-up, the Philippines. The report mentioned that Taiwanese street food is influenced by Fujian, Teochew, and Hakka cuisines, as well as Japanese culture from the colonial period. Just in Taipei, “there are over 20 streets dedicated to street food,” and the ancient city of Tainan is no less impressive.

Voting results
1. Taiwan – 8,242 votes
2. Philippines – 1,528 votes
3. Italy – 810 votes
4. Thailand – 470 votes
5. Japan – 443 votes
6. Malaysia – 265 votes
7. Hong Kong – 236 votes
8. India – 205 votes
9. Greece – 167 votes
10. Vietnam – 162 votes

In this voting event, aside from Italy and Greece making it into the top 10, it was surprising to see that all the other countries were from Asia. Some netizens also commented, “Taiwan is number one? I can think of 15 better countries,” and “Why aren’t food powerhouses like France, Spain, and Mexico on the list?”

Regardless, although past food safety scandals have shaken the confidence of Taiwanese people, the repeated international recognition of its cuisine may encourage those vendors who prioritize ingredient quality to stay true to their craft. As consumers, we should also show our support through our actions. After all, Taiwan’s reputation as a food paradise is a value jointly upheld by all its people.