Tainan Food Festival Kicks Off on October 9, Launches Five Major Themed Events

▲The Tainan Food Festival kicks off on October 9, with renowned chefs such as Guo Zhuyi, Wang Fuli, Wang Jiaping, and Xu Zhixing taking part in the cooking. (Photo / Provided by Tainan City Government)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Entering its sixth year, the Tainan Food Festival will be held from October 9 to December 1. This year (2016), it presents five major themed events: The Chef’s Banquet Showcase, Chefs’ Culinary Showdown, Soy Sauce & Rice Dojo, Dim Sum Skill Feast, and Minced Pork Sauce Warriors. Through these banquets, chefs demonstrate their culinary skills, and renowned food storytellers share the tales behind the dishes, allowing participants to savor delicious food while absorbing the cultural essence of Tainan cuisine, enjoying a "five-senses" gastronomic feast.

Five Major Themed Events
1. “The Chef’s Banquet Showcase”: A thousand-guest banquet cooked by renowned Tainan chef A-Yong, this event aims to foster human connection through the communal experience of shared meals.

2. “Chefs’ Culinary Showdown”: Featuring well-known chefs such as Guo Zhuyi, Wang Fuli, Wang Jiaping, and Xu Zhixing, this event also invites star chefs from top hotels in Tainan, including The Landis Tainan, Regent Tainan, Silks Place Tainan, and Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Tainan.

3. “Soy Sauce & Rice Dojo”: Designed as an immersive food experience tour, the Soy Sauce & Rice Dojo centers around the themes of “knowledge-guided tours, tasting experiences, and honorary certifications.” It includes “Rice School” and “Soy Sauce School,” using the concept of school field trips to take participants to Fangrong Rice Mill in Houpi District, Tainan City, the Luchao Agricultural Research and Extension Station in Chiayi, Calla Premium Food Story House, and Yongxing Soy Sauce Factory.

4. “Dim Sum Skill Feast”: Last year’s popular Tainan street food banquet makes its way to Taipei SOGO Zhongxiao Branch this year, gathering local Tainan shops and classic snacks.

5. “Minced Pork Sauce Warriors”: A real-world puzzle-solving game, the Minced Pork Sauce Warriors event centers on “minced pork sauce knowledge, local travel, and immersive mobile gaming.” It likens various minced pork sauces to eight martial arts sects, with participants becoming martial arts masters venturing into Tainan’s alleys to discover different styles of the sauce.