Radio Taiwan International
Date: 01 June, 2020
By: Shirley Lin

In Taiwan, roadside banquets are a traditional way to hold weddings or funerals. But, with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, people are reluctant to organize or attend such large-scale events. Now, chefs that cook for roadside banquets are hardly making a living. However, one chef in Kaohsiung has come up with a creative solution to his financial woes. 

Crispy duck and braised pork belly are just two of many popular dishes found at roadside banquets.  That’s right — “roadside.” In Taiwan, people set up tables and chairs on the side of the road, while a chef cooks in a makeshift kitchen off to the side.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the roadside banquet business has taken a substantial hit. People used to ask southern Taiwan’s Chef Hung Hui-hsiung to cook for hundreds of people at a time. But, over the past few months, he has hardly made any money from catering.