By Virginia Keppler-Young

Referring to himself as an authentic product from Taiwan, Representative Oliver Liao, a career diplomat of the Republic of China (Taiwan), not only presented authentic Taiwanese dishes, but he is a pro at flipping an oyster omelette.

And he definitely knows how to make the tastiest Bubble tea, thoroughly shaken and not stirred.

My impression after speaking to Liao for about 20 minutes, was that he was calm, smart, well-travelled, and well-read. But what struck me first was his firm handshake, his warm smile, the presence of the American accent as he spoke and his humbleness. You don’t have to wonder if the man is himself or not, you know that he is “authentic”. He values people.

What was initially a request for an interview turned into a challenge to determine if the ambassador could distinguish a pot from a pan, and it ultimately turned into a marvellous “Michelin” cooking experience. Yes, Ambassador Liao delivered impressively with a lot of flavour.

Liào dàshǐ, chūsè de chúshī (Ambassador Liao, the brilliant cook)

Liao says his wife Nancy Tseng only demanded two things from him and it was not negotiable. “She said: ‘Number one; you must bathe the kids when you come from the office, and number two, you must prepare a meal for the family’. Those are the memories one cherishes when the kids are all grown and don’t want to tag along with you,” Liao said.

His children are now all grown and spent their time in Taiwan with his wife splitting her time between her home country and South Africa.

As he took his suit jacket off to replace it gracefully with an apron, he said “now we are going to do some cooking” and went to stand in front of a small one plate stove.

Carefully explaining each dish as he continues to cook, it became clear that Liao knew his way around the kitchen and how to put the flavours together. But it was when he flipped an Oyster omelette that surprised everyone in the kitchen cheering with delight.

“If I couldn’t cook well, I would never have attempted to do a flip,” he said laughing.

Ambassador Liao skilfully – and with much ease – made three dishes:

• Oyster Omelette: A beloved street food made with fresh oysters, sweet potato starch butter, egg, leafy greens, and a savoury-sweet sauce.

• Pan-Seared Mullet Roe: A gourmet delicacy of salted and dried mullet roe, pan-seared and paired with garlic and radish.

• Gua Bao (刈包): Often referred to as the “Taiwanese hamburger,” this steamed bun is filled with braised beef brisket, pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts, and coriander. Normally it is made with a traditional pork belly.

1. Bubble Milk Tea: Taiwan’s most iconic drink, made with chewy tapioca pearls, black tea, milk, and sugar syrup. Bubble milk tea was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s and quickly became a Taiwanese Signature drink, a national sensation, and a global cultural icon.

“When it comes to cooking or the culinary art, I think the Taiwanese are very lucky. I would say we have some obsession with food, and we are very proud of our food,” Liao said.

“You go to our capital city Taipei or other cities in Taiwan, and you will enjoy some authentic Taiwanese food with a lot of foreign cuisines. Taipei truly is a paradise for foodies. You can almost find all sorts of foods, be it American, French, Spanish, Mexican, and especially Japanese,” Liao proudly explained as he continued to stir some oysters in a pan with oil.

“I must confess that we are very picky when it comes to our food and the preparation of food. The Taiwanese are also very skilled at growing agricultural produce or large livestock. Especially after staying in a few foreign countries, I tend to find that the agricultural citrus produce that we enjoy in Taiwan is usually much sweeter than in the other countries,” Liao said.

He explained how Taiwanese farmers castrate pigs and chickens to eliminate certain flavours and odours. “That makes a real difference. So, it is very challenging in foreign countries to get used to their chicken and pork.

He said that one of the fruits that is very popular when it comes to exports is the Erwin Mango. “This fruit has become popular worldwide and is especially welcomed by our Japanese friends. It is sweet and aromatic and is highly well sought after by many foreigners. These mangoes are ripe from the trees and are immediately airlifted to their destination,” he explained.

Discussing what contributed to his youthful look, Liao said it must be his religious beliefs. I try to stay as young as possible, but there is no secret to it. If there is any, I think it has something to do with my personal religious beliefs. I am a Buddhist, and Buddhist philosophy has helped me a lot to deal with difficult situations that everyone sometimes must face,” he said seriously.

Liao also enjoys singing, swimming, and reading. “I enjoy listening to music and enjoy all sorts of genres but especially old traditional music that the younger generation might find boring,” he said laughing.

“When I was attending a local high school in Taiwan I was properly trained to sing and I was also a member of my school choir,” the ambassador said smiling with pride.

“Reading has become a challenge mostly because of my work responsibility. Even when I get home, I find myself reading documents and there is never time to enjoy a good book like in the past.”

South Africa and its people

Liao has certainly travelled the world and spent 11 years in the United States between Los Angeles and Washington DC and that is notable as he speaks.

But it is the South African weather and its people that now warms his heart. This English major from the Soochow University in Taipei was posted to South Africa in October 2022 and says: “The weather is the best and you can’t find it anywhere else.”

“This is such a wonderful country and it is so much more blessed compared to many other foreign countries. You are lucky that you can grow almost every kind of agricultural product. I was told that this country is so rich in mineral deposits.

“If you compare Taiwan with South Africa, we have very scarce resources. We have coal and a very limited amount of it. We no longer continue the mining activity,” Liao says.

He said South Africa can be challenging when it comes to security issues. “But if you know your way around the city and avoid high-risk areas, it is delightful.

The ambassador and his family have travelled to Cape Town he is especially fond of the Stellenbosch Vineyards. He is looking forward to see more of what the country can offer. “The food in restaurants and services are also superb. I love your wild animals.

“I am looking forward to travelling more extensively and covering more areas in South Africa,” he added.

But it is the people that are closer to his heart. “Although we no longer have formal ties with the host government, we try to make some humble efforts to help alleviate the suffering of some people here. We are aware that many people struggle to put bread and butter on their dining table or even to keep warm.

“Our humanitarian relief work is of the utmost importance to us. We strive to make a humble contribution, and I have visited some townships where our contributions have made a meaningful contribution.

“One elderly lady came up to me and hugged me with tears running down her face as she thanked me for our food parcel contributions. That was very touching and humbling. Taiwan was also a recipient of foreign aid after World War II and we received significant aid, especially from the United States. However, through persistent hard work and the support of our government and people, we have evolved into a more tech-based country. South Africa has the potential to become one of the greatest countries,” Liao said.

“I am looking forward to doing more for this country and to building good relations. We are all human,” Liao said.

About Taiwan:

1. Taiwan is a small island nation covering just 36,000 square kilometres with a population of 23.5 million;
2. It is the 22nd largest economy in the world and in 2023, Taiwan achieved a remarkable GDP of 800 billion USD;
3. Bilateral trade between Taiwan and South Africa reached 1.8 billion USD in 2023, with South Africa exporting 1.25 billion USD worth of goods to Taiwan, resulting in a trade surplus for South Africa;
4. Taiwan’s manufacturing of chips, auto parts, and automotive machinery plays a crucial role in bolstering South Africa’s automotive industry;
5. Globally, Taiwan produce 70% of the world’s chips and 90% of high-end chips essential for

cars, home appliances, and electronic devices;

• In the last year, Taiwan shipped nearly 5,000 tons of rice and 300 wheelchairs to South Africa;
• In addition they have donated food parcels, and have distributed feminine products purchased locally to underprivileged communities helping to keep the girl child in school throughout the month; and
• Almost a 100 South African students travelled to Taiwan for degree studies and academic exchanges in the last year.

 As we sat around the dining room table enjoying the Ambassadors cooking, talking about many things, one thing we had in common was that the meal of the day was absolutely lovely and we have to give the honour to the chef.

All I could say before standing up from that table was: “Xièxiè dàshǐ Lio (thank you Ambassador Liao).”