More than what’s on the plate.
A meal can be an invitation to understand another culture. Gastrodiplomacy explores how cuisine helps nations and communities communicate who they are.
This project looks at the connections between food, tourism, national identity, and cultural exchange.
Where food and travel meet.
How does experiencing a cuisine shape the way we see a country? Dr. Suntikul’s research examines the relationship between gastrodiplomacy, tourism, and national identity.
Read the research paper (PDF) →
One table. Many cultures.
Explore the five countries in the original collection. Their dedicated guides are forthcoming.
France · South Korea · Thailand · Taiwan · Peru
People, places & the food between them.
Explore photographs from the original project.
A curiosity about the world.
Meet Dr. Wantanee Suntikul and learn about the person behind this project.
Let’s connect.
Have a question about gastrodiplomacy, food, or tourism?
COUNTRY COLLECTION / ASIA
Taiwan
Night-market snacks, tea and shared cooking offer approachable starting points for learning about Taiwan. Food also travels through cultural education and community exchange overseas.
Food and cultural identity
Taiwan’s Tourism Administration presents night markets as places to encounter local specialties and the traditions of different areas. Its examples include oyster omelets, Danzai noodles and braised pork rice. Tea provides another lens: the Maokong tea-growing area has developed visitor experiences around teahouses, tea tasting and meals. Together, these settings invite attention to the people and places behind familiar foods.
Public diplomacy example
The Overseas Community Affairs Council sponsors culinary exchange abroad. On 13 September 2026, the Washington DC Taiwanese School hosted its Taiwan Eats × Mandarin Learning program. Visiting chefs demonstrated foods including popcorn chicken and pork belly bao, while instructors connected the workshop to food vocabulary. The event combined cooking, tasting and language learning as a way for participants to encounter Taiwan’s everyday culture.
Explore further
Explore the Tourism Administration’s night-market and Maokong guides, then read the official workshop report. Consider how a visitor’s meal and a cooking class abroad create different opportunities to learn about a place.
Official sources
A curated introduction based on the official sources above.
Ask about this country Back to all countries