Historical Influences
Understanding Taiwan’s food requires understanding its complex history as a crossroads of cultures. The island’s indigenous peoples established the earliest food traditions, contributing ingredients like millet, taro, and wild game, along with preservation techniques suited to Taiwan’s subtropical climate. These foundational elements remain visible in certain regional specialties and continue to influence contemporary Taiwanese cooking.
The arrival of Fujianese and Hakka settlers from mainland China beginning in the 17th century established what would become the dominant culinary framework. Fujianese cuisine, with its emphasis on seafood, light soups, and subtle seasoning, became particularly influential in coastal areas. Hakka cooking, developed by a historically migratory people, brought robust preservation techniques, more assertive flavours, and a philosophy of resourcefulness that remains evident in dishes like lei cha (thunder tea rice) and various pickled preparations.
The Japanese colonial period from 1895 to 1945 left an indelible mark on Taiwanese food culture that extends well beyond the popularity of sushi or ramen. Japanese influence fundamentally shaped how Taiwanese people think about food quality, particularly regarding freshness and ingredient integrity. The Japanese introduced new agricultural products including certain rice varieties, established food safety standards, and contributed to Taiwan’s distinctive breakfast culture and the concept of the bento box, which evolved into the ubiquitous biandang（便當）. The meticulous approach to craft that characterises many Taiwanese food vendors owes much to this period.
The post-1949 wave of migration, when the Republic of China government retreated to Taiwan along with millions of civilians and soldiers from across mainland China, created perhaps the most significant culinary transformation. This diaspora brought regional Chinese cuisines like Sichuan, Hunan, Shandong, Jiangsu, and others to an island where they couldn’t help but adapt to local ingredients and tastes. The famous beef noodle, now considered quintessentially Taiwanese, emerged from this period as mainlander refugees adapted northern Chinese noodle traditions to available ingredients.
More recently, Taiwan’s increasing wealth and global connections have introduced Western, Southeast Asian, and fusion influences. The large Southeast Asian migrant community has made Thai and Vietnamese ingredients widely available, whilst younger Taiwanese chefs increasingly train abroad and return with new techniques and perspectives.