After a disappointing loss in a French culinary competition, young chef Ching-Hsiung returns to Taiwan in search of the true essence of cooking. Determined to recreate his mother’s signature dish—minced meat with pickled cucumber—he struggles to capture its familiar taste. Then he meets Master Awang, a legendary chef who roams the island in a food truck, serving dishes tailored to each customer. From him, Ching-Hsiung learns that what’s missing is not a recipe, but the love and care his mother once poured into every meal.
In this warm and hopeful story, a disheartened young chef and a master of roadside banquets journey together across Taiwan, uncovering the human stories behind every recipe. This book celebrates the power of food to nourish not only the body, but also the heart. Minced pork with pickles, fried rice noodles, crispy spring rolls, braised pork knuckles over rice—each handcrafted dish carries not only flavor, but the weight of memory and emotion.