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

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.