Chen Wei-Lin

Chen Wei-Lin is a nomadic chef and culinary anthropologist who has dedicated his life to exploring the world's most remote and fascinating cuisines. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Chen developed a passion for food as a window into cultures from a young age. His unique approach combines travel adventure with deep anthropological research and world-class culinary skills, allowing him to discover and preserve endangered culinary traditions.

After graduating in Anthropology and training as a chef at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Chen embarked on a five-year journey around the world, working in local restaurant kitchens and learning traditional cooking techniques. This experience led him to create "Taste Trails", a television program and blog documenting little-known cuisines and the stories behind them. Chen has traveled to over 100 countries, from remote Pacific islands to the Caucasus mountains, documenting ancestral recipes and cooking techniques at risk of disappearing. His work has been instrumental in preserving global culinary diversity and has inspired a movement of "conscious culinary tourism". Chen has also established a foundation that provides scholarships to young chefs from indigenous communities to help them preserve and promote their culinary traditions.

Besides his passion for cooking, Chen is an avid diver and often combines his culinary expeditions with underwater exploration, researching traditional fishing techniques and marine food gathering. He is a talented ceramicist and collects traditional cooking utensils from around the world, often recreating ancient pieces with modern techniques. Chen is also an urban foraging enthusiast and offers tours in different cities worldwide, teaching people how to identify edible plants in urban environments. In his spare time, he practices Chinese calligraphy and often incorporates this art into his food presentations, blending gastronomy with visual aesthetics.

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