Taiwan's Unique Roadside Banquets/辦桌文化 正趣味
Taiwan's Unique Roadside Banquets
◎English text by Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Pao Chung-hui, Yang Chan-hua, Tsai Yi-jen, Hou Ya-ting
Wedding banquets at the side of the road are an original and unique part of Taiwan's culinary culture. If you are fortunate enough to be invited to a roadside wedding, it will be an experience you will not forget. These types of wedding banquets are set up under large tents, right on the side busy streets. People are seated at round tables and enjoy endless local delicacies. The food is cooked on location. The person in charge is respectfully referred to as Chef and is in charge of every aspect of the meal, from selecting ingredients to garnishing plates.
The current President of Kaohsiung's Yiya Culinary Association, Mr. Jhang Ci-dong, is a third generation Chef, following in both his father Jhang Dong-ying and grandfather Jhang Ming-sheng's footsteps. Mr. Jhang said roadside wedding banquets peaked in popularity during Taiwan's economic boom. His record was 18 wedding banquets in one day. This took a lot of planning and logistics to make sure he had enough chefs to cover all events. Some customers even reserved tables and paid in full prior to the date, fearing the renowned Chef may become unavailable.
In the past, banquets were not just limited to weddings. People would throw banquets for any gathering of friends and family. These gatherings would include elder's birthdays, newborn's one-month "coming out" parties, housewarming parties, religious celebrations, funerals and company year-end parties.
Roadside banquets originated in rural Taiwan. Back in those days, the Chef was only responsible for the cooking; ingredients were provided by the host. The neighbors would pitch in and help by putting up tents, setting up tables and providing utensils. They would then relax and enjoy the banquet together. Gradually, the banquet business became more sophisticated. It later became the Chef's responsibility to take care of all preparations involved in the multi-course meal. As the banquet business grew, it became a joint effort of various professions. These included produce suppliers, caterers, transportation and furniture rentals etc.
Neimen Township in Kaohsiung County is known as the capital of the catering business and nicknamed "Home of the Chefs". Although the township is home to a little over 10 thousand people, there are more than 150 catering companies there. This is approximately the equivalent of one in every five households involved in the catering business. Neimen is the town with the highest concentration of caterers in Taiwan.
Like many traditional professions in Taiwan, the catering business has its own patron deity. This diety, Yiya is named after a famous chef who lived during the Spring Autumn Period. Every year on June 28th of the lunar calendar, The Culinary Association holds an "Yiya Festival" . The festival is held at the Yiya temple located on Yahua Street in Kaohsiung City's Cianjhen District. Caterers from all over Taiwan come and show off their craft. This festival is considered to be an important part of Taiwan's cultural heritage. It should be cherished and taught to the next generation so the tradition will not die out.
辦桌文化 正趣味
◎文／林秀麗
◎攝影／鮑忠暉、楊蟬華、蔡乙甄、侯雅婷
在馬路邊搭棚辦桌，結合熙來攘往的人群和富有濃厚人情味的圓桌，是台灣最道地的特殊飲食風情，饒富趣味的「辦桌文化」熱鬧的氣氛讓應邀參加過辦桌結婚喜宴的外國人也津津樂道。掌理外燴辦桌的大廚師就是「總舖師」，也是從食材採買到美食上桌的靈魂人物。
高雄市易牙廚藝學會理事長章啟東，從祖父章棟楹到父親章銘勝傳到他，三代皆從事總舖師行業。章銘勝說，早年台灣經濟起飛，是辦桌外燴行業最興盛美好的年代，當時生意好到應接不暇，他曾經一天接了十八場辦桌，指揮旗下廚師分工烹調忙得不可開交。也因為這樣，有的顧客甚至因為擔心總舖師「喬」不出時間，還會提前先送訂金(錢)上門，直接預訂辦桌桌數。
章銘勝說，以前不只結婚嫁聚才辦桌宴客，舉凡家中有長輩慶生、新生兒滿月、新房入厝、祭奉神明、親友往生、工廠尾牙等等，都會請總舖師辦桌宴請親友。
早年台灣鄉下地區喜慶辦桌宴客，總舖師只負責烹調食物，食材由「主家」提供，左鄰右舍負責搭竹棚並提供鍋、盆、椅子，上菜就可大快朵頤。
隨著辦桌產業興起，總舖師負責搞定一切，外燴廚師團備齊爐具、餐具，到客戶家或指定場所外燴服務，形成台灣獨特的「辦桌文化」。辦桌產業逐漸形成相關行業合作的模式，外燴、採購、運輸、租賃桌椅及餐具等合一的專業外燴團，讓「辦桌」逐漸變成一項專業。
流傳至今，被稱為「總舖師原鄉」的高雄縣內門鄉，全鄉一萬多人口中，有超過一百五十組人以當「總舖師」為業，幾乎每五戶就有一戶人家是靠外燴辦桌維生，為全台灣從事「總舖師」行業最密集的鄉鎮。
值得一提的是，傳統廚藝業總舖師奉祀「易牙祖師爺」為行業神，每年農曆6月28日各地廚師在高雄市前鎮區衙華街的易牙廟，齊聚舉辦「易牙祭」，而這項的特殊民俗文化，為珍貴的文化資產，值得推廣、重視。