Michelin Guide’s “Glittering Star light Lights Up Double Anniversary” Press Conference Launched 2020 “Michelin Guides” in Taipei and Taichung

2019.12.02

Promoting Taiwanese gastronomy and bringing Taiwanese gourmet food in line with its international counterparts have always been some the major tasks of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC)and the Tourism Bureau. The Tourism Bureau, MOTC has been in contact with Michelin Company since 2009. After many years’efforts, with Director-General Chou Yung-Hui’s backing, the first edition of “Taipei Michelin Guide” was finally published in March 2018. With the joint efforts from all citizens, a second city in Taiwan has earned Michelin Guides’ favor today, enhancing Taiwan’s international visibility once more.

In Minister Lin’s speech, he specifically stated that gourmet food can create wonderful travel experiences and bring happy memories. Therefore, he asked the Tourism Bureau, MOTC to include “culinary tourism” as one of the important tourism elements when promoting Taiwan. As the publication of Michelin Guides involves long-term assessment, during his tenure as the Mayor of Taichung, he positioned Taichung as the “Creative City, Capital of Life”. In addition to shaping Taichung to be a comfortable living environment with art, culture, and sightseeing routes, Taichung also has a lot of gourmet food to offer and lead the gourmet trends in Taiwanese night markets. The new saying is: “Satisfied Eats in Taipei, Delicate Cuisine in Taichung”, so he hopes to make”gourmet food” a platform to attract more international tourists to visit Taichung. He was also glad that many years’ hard work with Taichung’s Food & Beverage industry (F & B) was finally recognized by the Michelin’s professional inspectors. The 2020 “Michelin Guides” have included “Taichung”, Taiwan’s second city. This also attributes to the well-planned phased promotion by the government, so Taiwan’s gastronomy can be brought in line with the world, securing Taiwan’s convincing position on the world gastronomy map.

After Michelin Guides included Taiwan’s second city, the charm of local tourism will be stimulated, so that gourmands and international tourists can “eat” following the gourmet map, experiencing the local beauty and culture in different parts of Taiwan as well as tasting more diversity and uniqueness of wonderful “food” and genuine ingredients,giving certification for Taiwan’s gourmet food brands.

Minister Lin also expressed his gratitude to all hard-working partners in the public and private sectors as well as the tourism and F & B industries. He also pledged to lead the MOTC team and other government-related agencies to continue working hard towards making friends with the whole world through “gourmet food”. He would also endeavor to improve Taiwan’s gastronomic landscape and bring Taiwan’s gastronomy to the world stage by encouraging more young friends to bring their creativity into play. With everyone’s joint efforts, Minister Lin hoped that Michelin Guides would include a third Taiwanese city soon, truly making Taiwan a world-class gourmet attraction with its own charms.

Citation: Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications