Taiwan Talk

With most of life returning to normal, few of us remember that it was just a year ago in November that the Taiwan government began easing its COVID-related restrictions. I-C-R-T's Hope Ngo looks back at the conversations she's had with personalities within the food and restaurant industry, as well as hospitality space to ask them what they remember about business in the time of the coronavirus, even if many of us might have forgotten.

Bed and Breakfast owner Wayne Wang has spent nearly all his life living in and exploring Sun Moon Lake. He tells I-C-R-T's Hope Ngo why he remains entranced by the area and how best to explore the lake, which international media once described as one of the most beautiful bike trails in the world.

In 2016, Peter Sutton left a successful career in international finance to create Woodpecker Learning – a language learning app with a unique methodology, informed by his own experience learning Chinese. Guest host Aspen Beilharz talks to Peter about a life of travel and innovative learning design.

Award-winning novelist Kevin Chen sits down with I-C-R-T's Tim Berge to talk about life's twists that led him to write "Ghost Town", which won the prestigious Taiwan Literature Award for Books by the National Museum of Taiwan Literature and the Golden Tripod Award. It was also was one of the New York Times' most anticipated books of Fall 2022; was selected by Library Journal for their Best of World Literature 2022; and was longlisted for the 2023 PEN Translation Prize.

Award-winning jazz vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu has experienced remarkable success in both the US and Taiwan, but her path to this point was anything but straightforward. She started her career in classical music, and made a radical change to turn herself toward a new, inspired direction. Guest host Aspen Beilharz talks with Lu about her journey in music and what drives her now as an artist.

It might be difficult to find a link between a traditional condiment like soy sauce with a western style beverage like kombucha. Gene Chung shows I-C-R-T's Hope Ngo how he bridged the gap between the traditional condiment and the trendy beverage; he also makes the case for taking the lessons learned from working at his family's soy sauce company (which involves fermentation) to make his personal brand of kombucha (which also involves fermentation).

For 30 years, Taiwan’s Women Make Waves International Film Festival has showcased women’s perspectives and films on a wide range of social issues. Guest host Aspen Beilharz sits down with festival programmer Huei-Yin Chen to talk about her career working with film, and the history and mission of the festival.

Taiwan is on the world's culinary map for its night markets and street food. It's not as known for fine dining, but Taipei's Tairroir could change that. The Michelin Guide describes the restaurant's name as a play on "Taiwan" and "terroir", and its cuisine, a "love letter" to Chef Kai Ho's home island. Chef Kai sits down with ICRT's Hope Ngo in a rare, exclusive interview… and yes, he fed her too. To hear what Michelin's inspectors have to say about Taiwan's dining scene, check our our chat with Gwendal POULLENNEC, International Director of Michelin Guides here.

Theatre director Craig Quintero is on the forefront of using virtual reality to create immersive, enigmatic performances. But his links to Taiwan theatre goes back a lot further to the work he is known for today. Quintero founded the Taipei-based company Riverbed Theatre in 1998 and spent decades creating works with dreamlike imagery. Guest host Aspen Beilharz talks to Craig about his career and his artistic philosophy.

Taiwan used to export tens of millions of butterflies a year to be used to adorn tablecloths and paintings, and as part of specimen books. But this has changed over the years, thanks to a combination of factors including rising environmental awareness, climate change, and a loss of habitat. They have resulted in a big drop in Taiwan's butterfly population. But even so, butterflies can still be spotted in suburban areas or in mountain areas island-wide. In this episode of Taiwan Talk, ICRT's Jane Lee chats with Professor Hsu Yufeng, who has dedicated over five decades years of his life studying these spectacular insects. He compares himself to Peter Pan when it comes to butterflies, the little creatures that he fell in love with at the age of 8.

There's never been a better time to experience gourmet dining in Taiwan. During this year's Michelin awards, the storied guide recognized 321 establishments, 148 in Taipei, 64 in Taichung, 56 in Tainan, and 53 in Kaohsiung. The group was made up of a range of mouthwatering dining options from the street eats that Taiwan is best known for (aka "Bib Gourmands") to high-end dining choices -- including two newly minted three-star options. Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of Michelin Guides joined ICRT's Hope Ngo to talk about how the selections were made, and why the storied international gourmet guide is captivated by Taiwan's dining scene as a whole. To hear Hope's conversation with Tairroir chef Kai Ho, whose restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars, click here.

Carrie Kellenberger is no ordinary expatriate. The courageous businesswoman is an advocate for the rights of disabled members of the foreign community in Taiwan. She speaks to I-C-R-T's Hope Ngo about a day in her life and what it is like to live in the fringes of a much-lauded successful healthcare system that has left her -- and others like her -- behind. You can find Carrie online at My Several Worlds.

Its logo pays homage to Jazz legend Charlie "Yardbird" Parker. Its flavors all feature a play on words related to jazz. David Pan's devotion to the genre can be seen all over Bebop, the premium ice cream label he began during Taiwan's COVID lockdown. Pan joined us to talk about Bebop's beginnings and as a bonus, he gives us lessons on how to begin a business venture -- and when to walk away from one -- as a self-described serial start-up entrepreneur. Music courtesy of Tainan's KoSwing Big Band.

Didn't know Taiwan had locally-made cheese? We didn't either until we caught up with Henry Gerard of Dida Creamery, whose products are a prominent part of the menu at a number of restaurants across the island. Henry spent an afternoon catching up with I-C-R-T's Hope Ngo, to talk about his business, Taiwan's dairy industry, and why Taiwan was --and is -- a 'gouda' place to set up a cheese business.

He's known to his fans as Taiwan's answer to Kenny G. At the height of his musical career, saxophone player Corbett Wall was a transformative force in Taiwan's music scene, which was once dominated by mando-pop and folk music. He speaks to I-C-R-T's Hope Ngo about the forces that shaped his sound, and whether he still plays the instrument that altered his life today. To hear Corbett talk about his most recent venture working with the Tsou (Cou) people of Alishan, click here

Ray Ko is a freediving instructor based on Taiwan's Xiaoliuqiu Island, and an enthusiastic advocate of the sport and its benefits. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi chats with Ray about the benefits of spending time under the sea, the kinds of animals you can see while diving, how he holds his breath for four minutes, the rising popularity of freediving in Taiwan and around the world, and an upcoming freediving event in November 2023 called "Deep Week". You can find more info on Deep Week here: https://freedivingfamily.com/deep-week-taiwan And you can find Ray on Instagram: @freedivenomad Thanks for listening!

What does it take to modernize a cultural icon? The National Theater and Concert Hall's Director of Programming and International Development Ting-Chun Lin talks to ICRT's Hope Ngo about the theatre's digital projects and how lessons learnt during the COVID-19 has given rise to a new theatre experience. This episode was produced and is presented by Aspen Beilharz.

Ill Mo (老莫) is a Taiwanese rapper and hip hop artist, and teaches English as an assistant professor at Chihlee University (致理科技大學). ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi chats with Ill Mo about how he became a part of Taiwan's hip hop history, writing lyrics on both sides of the language barrier, and the hardest things to teach today's students. You can find Ill Mo's new album "Becoming" on Spotify or wherever you find music: https://open.spotify.com/album/2Fx0ZE76LMrLhhiHRIA7yJ And you can find Ill Mo on Instagram: @ill_mo Thanks so much for listening!

Kevin Magee is the former Australian Representative in Taipei, having effectively served as an Australian ambassador, but under the complicated dynamics of the "One China Policy". ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi chats with Mr. Magee about his work as an Australian diplomat in Taiwan, China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, and the fascinating situations and people he has encountered in his decades in the foreign service. Thanks for listening!

Barry Martinson is known for his books, his music, and his work with stained glass. Even with his accomplishments, it is difficult to quantify how much Jesuit priest Barry Martinson and his brother Jerry (aka KPS' "Uncle Jerry") have done for the lives they touched. Martinson reminisces about his brother Jerry, and the brothers' legacy of service for the benefit of Taiwan. Note: the interview was recorded at Fr Barry's parish in Qingquan, Hsinchu County