Is there anything you look out for in the ingredients and seasonings you use?
Where my ingredients are sourced. I make sure they come mainly from organic sellers. I have a friend who has been growing organic vegetables on Mt. Wufeng in Hsinchu for 30 years. He sends them to me every week. For everything else, I go to the market, but I select my produce carefully.
Seasoning is simple. I just make sure to have good salt, oil, and soy sauce.
You used to run your own private restaurant and now you make videos and teach cooking courses. How do you vary your approach and menu design to suit these differing occasions, needs, and target audiences?
A private restaurant mainly serves creative dishes, which are more complicated and use many ingredients in different ways. The chef then marries them all together in the end. Plating is especially important, whereas in home-style cooking it is not necessary.
I wish the best for my students. I want them to improve their skills and open a restaurant. I want them to make something special, not just the run-of-the-mill stewed or noodle dishes typical of vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan. Things need to change, but change won’t happen if you aren’t capable, so you must learn the fundamentals. Without a strong foundation, the creative dishes you make won’t even be edible. Start simple, then move on to more complex dishes, but come back to simplicity in the end. It was the same for me. I used to try to be really innovative in my cooking, but I’m back to the basics, which is simply delicious.