Taiwanese? A Rambling Reflection on the Recipes, Cultures, and People Defining this Island

An exhilarating exploration of Taiwanese food in all its complexity and deliciousness, with over 70 recipes.

Eric Sze, a chef and restaurateur in New York City, explores what makes Taiwanese food so multi-faceted and idiosyncratic with co-author Elyse Inamine. He travels back to Taiwan to unpack the dishes he grew up eating in Taipei, like Lu Rou Fan and Oyster Omelet, as well as gives an inside look at the method and madness behind the recipes he’s made in restaurants, at pop-ups, and at home in New York City, like Beef Noodle Soup Ragù and Mochi Gnocchi with Chili Oil Pumpkin Puree.  

• A new take on Taiwanese cuisine: Eric combines his deep knowledge of Taiwanese cuisine with his experimental approach to cooking, creating dishes that he calls ‘authentically inauthentic.’ 
• Personal storytelling: Follow Eric’s journey from a food-obsessed kid in Taipei to his evolution into a chef and restaurateur in New York City.  
• Armchair travel: Discover the best bowls of Lu Rou Fan in Taipei and beyond, as well as essays and itineraries that transport you to the island’s incredible food scene.  
• Stunning visuals: Photography by Alex Lau captures the kinetic energy of Taiwan’s beer houses and bustling markets and Eric’s pop-ups and restaurants in New York.  

Taiwanese? is a rowdy celebration of the richness and depth of Taiwanese food, in all its contradictions and complexities.

Eric Sze is the chef and co-owner of 886 and Wenwen in New York. Eric was born and raised in Taipei and now lives in New York. He is a self-taught chef and was recognized as a 2021 Eater New Guard. He has received two stars from the New York Times critic Pete Wells and contributed to Bon Appétit's hot pot primer, which was nominated for a James Beard media award in 2023. 

Elyse Inamine is a freelance writer and editor in New York. She's covered restaurants for Bon Appétit as the restaurant editor and worked on staff at Food & Wine and Tasting Table. She contributes to the New York Times, TASTE, Food & Wine, and Bon Appétit. Elyse was nominated for a 2023 James Beard media award for reporting and writing the hot pot primer in Bon Appétit. Elyse has 22.1K followers on Instagram (@elyseinamine). 

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