The Washington DC Taiwanese School (WDCTS) hosted the 2026 International Tour of “Taiwan Eats × Mandarin Learning”—a culinary and language program sponsored by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC)—on September 13. Designed specifically for students of the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML), the event welcomed nearly 200 participants for an afternoon of hands-on cooking and immersive Mandarin learning.
Bringing together TCML students, new enrollees, local families, and young volunteers from FASCA-DC, the program highlighted the idea of learning about culture through food, inviting participants to experience Taiwan’s culinary heritage in a lively and interactive setting.
Led by OCAC-invited guest chefs Ko-Chin Chang (張克勤) and Kai-Yuan Lu (路凱源), the workshop featured four beloved Taiwanese classics: Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞), Pork Belly Bao (刈包), Purple Rice Ball (紫米飯糰), and Winter Melon Milk Tea (鮮奶冬瓜茶). Spanning night-market favorites, traditional snacks, breakfast staples, and signature beverages, the menu offered a glimpse into Taiwan’s diverse and everyday food culture.
Both chefs expressed their excitement for participating in a program that brings Taiwanese cuisine and Mandarin learning together. They also shared the challenge of cooking abroad, where certain ingredients differ from those available in Taiwan. To preserve each dish’s signature flavor, they brought several key spices and seasonings directly from Taiwan and made some tweaks to the recipes to maintain their original taste. These thoughtful refinements allowed them to deliver the authentic flavors of Taiwanese home‑style cooking to food lovers in the DC area.
To deepen the educational impact, WDCTS Mandarin instructors incorporated themed lessons before and after the workshop, teaching food-related vocabulary and expressions tailored to each class level. Students arrived at the event already familiar with key terms, making the hands-on cooking experience both linguistically and culturally meaningful.
Cheng‑Chieh Huang, Director of the OCAC Culture Center in Washington, DC, thanked WDCTS for hosting the program and the chefs for bringing the flavors of Taiwan to the local community. He noted that the “Taiwan Eats × Mandarin Learning” tour is being introduced to Europe and North America for the first time, offering communities a hands-on opportunity to experience Taiwanese cuisine while practicing Mandarin. Huang expressed hope that programs combining language learning with food and cultural experiences will inspire more people to explore Taiwan and its Mandarin education initiatives.
The afternoon program included classroom briefings, a step-by-step instructional video, live cooking demonstrations by the chefs, enthusiastic student participation, and a final tasting and photo session. The multi-sensory experience not only gave students an engaging opportunity to practice Mandarin but also cultivated a deeper appreciation for Taiwan’s culinary traditions and cultural heritage.
