At the 2024 Taiwan International Food Tour Lecture (USA-Canada Line) third event, a food demonstration and promotion activity was held on the outdoor courtyard of the Saint John Gospel Christian Church in San Diego on the afternoon of May 7. Renowned chef Li Jiaqi from Sheraton Hotel in Taoyuan, Taiwan was invited as the lecturer to showcase a variety of Taiwanese delicacies, such as aged wine-infused drunken fresh shrimp, garlic-flavored red meat soup, sesame oil chicken rice, soy milk Taiwanese pop chicken, and braised beef noodles.
The organizer, Chairman Du Wuqing of the San Diego Double Ten Committee, expressed gratitude for the Overseas Community Affairs Council’s annual selection of outstanding chefs to demonstrate their culinary skills abroad, allowing overseas compatriots and local mainstream society friends to learn about Taiwanese cuisine. This year, in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Heritage Month activities, successfully shared a new image of Taiwanese cuisine with the mainstream society.
Xiao Beiru, Director of the Orange Overseas Chinese Center, expressed deep appreciation for the hard work of the San Diego Double Ten Committee in organizing the event. By combining local major associations, overseas Chinese schools, mainstream high schools, and Taiwanese Chinese language learning centers, the event successfully promoted Taiwan’s image and exquisite cuisine, enabling compatriots living in foreign lands to use local ingredients and recreate the taste of home.
During the event, Li Jiaqi demonstrated Taiwanese cuisine one by one, sharing recipes, tips on ingredient selection, types of seasonings, and tricks for determining oil temperature. The audience enthusiastically asked questions and engaged in lively exchanges. Chef assistant Liao Taijun and overseas Chinese volunteers assisted in food preparation and served the dishes to the attending guests after the demonstration. Everyone not only learned but also savored the authentic Taiwanese flavors, expressing unanimous gratitude for the arrangement and planning by the Overseas Community Affairs Council this year.
Dignitaries in attendance included Deputy District Attorney Heather Ferbert, Chief Public Relations Executive Andrew Sharp, the Double Ten Committee, the San Diego Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, the North County Taiwanese Chinese Language Learning Center (TCML), the San Diego Chinese Academy Taiwanese Chinese Language Learning Center (TCML), Grauer School mainstream high school, and service volunteers, totaling approximately 120 participants.