TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A chef for Taiwan's representative to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) has received a job offer from Haiti's ambassador to the U.S.

Kao Yu-ting (高于婷), a Taiwanese chef trained in Japan and France, has been working for five months at Twin Oaks, an English-Georgian, Renaissance-style mansion in Washington, D.C. that serves as the office for Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the U.S.

Kao said she finds joy in preparing fusion-style delicacies for diplomats from around the world that incorporate the best characteristics of many food cultures, wrote CNA. At Hsiao's request, she ensures every dish leaves a lasting impression on guests by mixing the culinary traits of Taiwan and their home countries.

For example, she presented the iconic Taiwanese beef noodle in a French way to enhance its aesthetic appeal. She also went so far as to visit a crime hotspot to find a specific spice for a Haitian red bean dish that would be served to dignitaries from the Caribbean country at a banquet that night.

Kao has been featured in the “Tasty Taiwan Food Series” (台灣好食在), a YouTube program launched in December 2020 to introduce to the world Taiwanese cuisine. In the first episode, timed with Christmas, Hsiao extended seasonal greetings to the American people while sampling a bowl of Chiayi turkey rice, an extremely popular dish from central Taiwan.

Beef noodle prepared by chef Kao Yu-ting. (CNA photo)