Chef Dave Kodama offers himself as exhibit A on the virtues of Hawaiian cooking.
Nodding at his girth he smiled and said: "I think our food is really tasty. Look at me." Kodama -- who calls his food "Japanese-based with French influences" -- joins other representatives from the Aloha State at this year's Gourmet Taipei Food and Wine Festival, which runs until Sunday in Taipei 101 Shopping Mall's Northern Plaza.
Now in its fourth year and offering free admission for the first time, the tradeshow spreads out a gourmand's delight -- 150 booths featuring food and drink from around the world as well as live cooking and wine classes. This year's theme is Hawaiian fusion and the state is one of the sponsors.
"(Visitors) can have a little taste of what we do," said Hiroshi Fukui, who combines French influences with his Japanese dishes. "In Hawaii we have a lot of aloha, and I think our food shows that."
Fukui and Kodama, were speaking last week at a press conference in Taipei's Grand Hyatt hotel.
The Hawaiian restaurateurs and chefs from local hotels will conduct cooking demonstrations every 90 minutes each day during the fair. Chuck Furuya -- one of three-dozen master sommeliers in the US -- will lead seminars on pairing wine with Asian and fusion foods. Classes will take place on the fourth floor City Square plaza of Taipei 101.
Kodama said he and the other chefs will use ingredients that are easily obtainable in Taiwan. "If you come to ? Gourmet Taipei, you'll get a lot of different ideas on using the food you find here."
The following is a sampling of what's on. For more information, visit www.gourmet-taipei.com.
For your information:
Noon, Friday through Sunday:
Kodama cooks seared ahi salad with hearts of palm slaw, "jang" curry and micro herbs.
1:30pm, Friday through Sunday:
Fukui prepares his sizzlin' kona kampachi carpaccio with julienne ginger, and Hawaiian hearts of palm, concasse of vine-ripened tomato and truffled ponzu.
3pm, Friday through Sunday:
Furuya leads a class titled A Better Understanding of Wine.
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