Culinary expo set for early August with seafood theme

Taipei, July 29 (CNA) The 2025 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition, set for early August, will showcase Taiwan's diverse culinary culture and cuisine to foreign visitors, with seafood this year's theme, the organizer, Taiwan Visitors Association (TVA), said Tuesday.

Held at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 from Aug. 1-4, the annual event will provide visitors with a chance to explore over 100 food booths -- including those operated by 11 Michelin-rated restaurants -- and live cooking shows focused on locally sourced ingredients, according to the TVA.

At a press event held in Taipei, TVA Honorary Chairperson Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) said that this year's exhibition focuses on seafood cuisine and fishery products in Taiwan, an island nation that considers seafood to be "our most important resource."

She noted that over 10 percent of the world's fish species -- more than 3,000 -- are found in Taiwan's surrounding waters. It is natural for the country to harness such rich abundance and weave it into its culinary traditions, she said.

Yeh further said that a few booths operated by businesses based in southern Taiwan could be missing from the exhibition due to torrential rain and a typhoon that recently hit the region.

However, some operators from the impacted areas will still do everything possible to participate in the four-day event, she said.

Among those businesses from the south is a confectionery manufacturer based in Tainan, whose owner told CNA at the press event that his company suffered over NT$10 million (US$336,413) in damages -- with one factory almost completely destroyed by the adverse weather.

Company CEO Wu I-lung (吳易隆) said that he came all the way from Tainan on Tuesday morning despite the rain. "I want the world to see my resolution, and the confidence I have in my sugar cakes."

While the expo will feature international cuisine from Malaysia and Indonesia, there will not be a designated area for Halal food -- marking the second consecutive year such an area has not been provided.

Asked by CNA about the missing area, TVA Deputy Secretary-General Kevin Chen (陳家祥) explained the Tourism Administration requested an Halal food sector at the exhibition in 2023 to attract visitors from Muslim countries.

However, such a request was not made in 2024 and 2025, leading to no halal food manufacturers participating in the two editions, he said.

With admission tickets costing NT$200 at the door, the organizer expects to attract more visitors than previous editions.