A delegation of students from the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) recently participated in the “8th Taiwan Culinary Arts Challenge (TCAC)”, which was held from October 2nd to 5th (2026). Amid fierce competition among nearly 700 entries from over 10 countries and 120 catering institutions worldwide, the team demonstrated outstanding professional strength, bringing home a total of 12 awards: 3 golds, 3 silvers, 4 bronzes, and 2 honorable mentions. Notably, first-year hospitality student Feng-Jui Huang in the “Asian Style Banquet Cuisine- Seafood” category and second-year hospitality student Kuan-Chieh Chen in the “Potatoes Challenge” both won gold medals—achieving the highest overall scores of the competition and becoming brightest stars of the event.
The grand competition, which took place at Taipei World Trade Center, was rigorously evaluated by over 50 international professional judges who tested the contestants’ understanding and application of diverse ingredients, such as western potatoes, chicken, salmon, and Asian-flavor culinary products. Led by Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management faculty members Wei-Ting Chao and Andy Li-Yuan Ke, the NPUST team underwent comprehensive preparation through regular coursework and intensive pre-competition training. Committed to turning classroom knowledge into practical, competitive skills through active, hands-on learning, faculty members empower students to stay composed, adaptable, and collaborative in high-pressure environments.
The NPUST delegation demonstrated exceptional professional breadth across various categories. In individual events, aside from his gold in mentioned above, Feng-Jui Huang also won a silver medal for “Asian Noodles” and a bronze medal in the “Asian Style Banquet Cuisine-Meat” Category. Following his gold in the “Potatoes Challenge”, Kuan-Chieh Chen earned a bronze medal in “Western Main Course Challenge- Chicken” and an honorable mention in the “Perfect Brunch” event. Additionally, Chen-Kai Hsu from Hospitality 2B won a gold medal in “Western Main Course- Seafood”; Hsun-Han Yang from Hospitality 2A secured a silver medal in ” Western Main Course-Meat”; Hsin-Yun Li from Hospitality 2B won a silver medal in ” Western Main Course-Chicken “; and Yen Wei-Hsun from Hospitality 2A received an honorable mention in “Western Main Course- Seafood”. In the “Chef Duet Challenge”, which tested teamwork and synergy, the pairing of Hsun-Han Yang and Chen-Kai Hsu won the bronze medal.
NPUST stated that the participating students spanned different grade levels, and their award-winning projects covered diverse fields including Chinese cuisine, Western cuisine, seafood, meat, noodles, and brunch, fully demonstrating the department’s ability to cultivate multifaceted professional culinary talent. This exceptional achievement is not only an affirmation of the students’ persistent hard work, but also a testament to NPUST’s ongoing success in promoting a teaching model that balances theory with practice. Moving forward, the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management will continue to encourage students to enter domestic and global competitions and take part in international exchanges, applying a theory-practice balance that will nurture hospitality professionals ready to excel on the global stage.
