France awards Taichung chef prestigious Order of Agricultural Merit

2026-11-11

Taichung’s six-time Michelin star-winning French restaurant now has another accolade to its name. The head chef, Justine Li, recently became the first in Taiwan to be awarded the Order of Agricultural Merit, an honor that’s been handed out by the French government for over a century. Let’s take a look at her latest autumn-winter menu, featuring local Taiwanese elements fused with French fine dining.

This squab breast was slow-cooked over a locally sourced longan wood fire, infusing the crispy skin and tender meat with a subtle woody aroma. It’s a seasonal dish, only offered as part of the autumn-winter menu.

Justine Li
Chef
I rotate the menu with the seasons. We only offer squab and roast duck during the autumn and winter.

This seafood dish is equally as stunning, with ocean fish and water snowflake intricately woven together by hand to allow the crispness of the vegetable to play off of the tender fish.

The dessert course has strong Taiwanese influences. This mont blanc is made from an autumnal mix of lotus seeds, lotus root, and osmanthus. Every one of these exquisite French creations is the brainchild of Taiwanese chef Justine Li.

Justine Li
Chef
We use lotus seeds and lotus root to make a dessert similar to a mont blanc, a dish served in the transition from autumn to winter.

Li has been running her own French restaurant in Taichung for over 20 years. She was recently awarded the Knight rank of the Order of Agricultural Merit, becoming the first Taiwanese chef to earn the prestigious French accolade.

Justine Li
Chef
It was a surprise. I’ve been quietly making French cuisine for years. France is of course very proud of its culinary heritage. Earning their recognition is no easy feat. So I feel particularly honored and overjoyed.

Established over 140 years ago, the Order of Agricultural Merit is bestowed by the French government upon those who make substantial contributions in the fields of agriculture, food science, and gastronomy. For Li to receive the Knight rank is a point of pride for Taiwan’s entire culinary industry.

Justine Li
Chef
The food and beverage sector has been a bit sluggish in Taiwan of late. I hope that winning this distinction will encourage the public to support the industry and give people working in the field a boost of confidence.

Li retains a passion for cooking as strong as it was on her first day in the kitchen. Through her mastery, she’s showing the world all that Taiwan has to offer to French fine dining.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#JustineLi #Frenchcuisine #cooking #chef #Michelin #OrderofAgriculturalMerit

黎俞君獲法國百年騎士勳章秋冬新菜融入台灣元素

2026-11-11

台中市知名法式餐廳，曾六度得到米其林一星肯定，主廚黎俞君還受頒擁有百年歷史的，法國國家級"農業功勳勳章騎士勳位"，成為台灣首位獲此殊榮的主廚，秋冬新菜，台灣元素入菜，成為亮點。

乳鴿肉以在地龍眼木，慢火炭烤，皮脆肉嫩，散發淡淡柴香，秋冬限定法式招牌菜，重現經典美味。

[[法國餐廳主廚黎俞君]]
“我的料理最主要是隨著季節，秋冬的時候，我們才會推出，乳鴿、烤鴨這部分”

令人驚豔的，還有這道海鮮料理，海魚與水蓮，手工編織，讓水蓮的爽脆，與魚肉的鮮美，在盤中優雅共舞。

飯後甜點，充滿台灣意象，蓮子蓮藕搭配桂花製成，蓮子蒙布朗，秋日風味，這一道道精緻法式料理，全出自於台灣主廚黎俞君之手。

[[法國餐廳主廚黎俞君]]
“蓮子跟蓮藕，去做成一個像蒙布朗，這種秋天要進入冬天的料理”

主廚黎俞君，在台中經營法式餐廳超過20年，更獲頒法國國家級農業功勳勳章騎士勳位，成為台灣第一位獲此殊榮的主廚。

[[法國餐廳主廚黎俞君]]
“蠻驚喜的，默默做法國料理這麼多年，法國當然對他們自己法國菜，一直都是很驕傲，要得到他們認同，確實不容易，所以覺得特別榮幸跟高興”

法國農業功勳勳章設立已有超過140年歷史，是法國政府授予在農業、食品科學、精緻餐飲等領域，具有實質貢獻者，這次黎俞君以主廚身分摘下騎士勳章，餐飲界台灣之光。

[[法國餐廳主廚黎俞君]]
“我覺得(台灣)餐飲的部分，最近我覺得有點低迷，也希望我得到這個獎，能夠讓大眾，能夠更支持我們餐飲業，給我們餐飲一個鼓勵”

黎俞君二十年如一日的料理初心，持續透過她的廚藝，讓世界看見台灣法餐的極致魅力！

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Taiwan influencer scammed and threatened at Seoul cosmetics store

A Taiwanese beauty influencer who goes by the social media name of Wang Hsun recently had a terrifying experience at a cosmetics store in Meyeong-dong District, which is Seoul’s premier business district. First he got hit with a massive NT$20,000 bill, then when he tried to get a refund, five or six people that included burly men surrounded him and pressured him to go into a small room at the back of the shop to talk it over in a way he found scary. While in the end he was able to get a refund, he was still coerced into spending over NT$3,000 on stuff he didn’t want. And after he complained to the Korean tourism authorities and made a video about his experiences, the store’s legal team threatened him and hackers tried to get inside his social media accounts. Let’s find out more.

Taiwanese beauty influencer Wang Hsun was happily shopping in Meyeong-dong district in Seoul, South Korea, intending to buy some beauty and skincare products. However, he never imagined that stepping into a store would be the start of a nightmare.

Wang Hsun
Taiwan tourist in Korea
As soon as I stepped out of the store, I checked my credit card record. It showed NT$20,000. I wanted to return the products, but they were incredibly scary. Suddenly, five or six people, including some burly men, surrounded me and said: “Why do you want a refund? Let’s go inside and talk.”They kept trying to lead me into a small room.

Although he eventually got a refund, Wang was forced to spend over NT$3,000 on unnecessary skincare products before he could leave. Afterwards, he complained to VisitKorea and even made a video of his experience back in Taiwan to warn other Taiwanese tourists. Unexpectedly, he received a threatening message.

Wang Hsun
Taiwan tourist in Korea
The message basically said that they wanted me to take down the video, and that their company had a legal team that could prevent me from posting it. Many, many people said they encountered the same situation in the comments section of my video. Later, I actually received more than a dozen notifications that hackers were trying to enter my accounts, which has kept me up at night for the past few days.

If you’re just traveling abroad and don’t know anyone, what should you do to protect yourself if you encounter aggressive sales tactics?

943
Travel writer
You should search for reviews online, or look out for Taiwanese people using coded terms to warn that a particular employee at a store might ring up extra items. After you pay, don’t just leave—double check your receipt against the items you actually received.

Wang originally went to Korea to buy beauty products, but instead of coming home with cosmetics, he left with a bellyful of infuriation.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#scaryshopping #Seoulcosmetics #meyeong-dongdistrict #Seoulshopping #badtourismexperiences #touristhazards

2026-11-11

Foreign students and workers show Hualien in new light in just 90 seconds

What do you see when you look at Hualien through a foreigner’s eyes? From breathtaking mountain and ocean views to hidden local gems, international residents are putting this eastern county in the spotlight. Hualien County launched a series of initiatives to boost its international profile, including a short-video competition inviting foreign students and workers to capture what makes Hualien special, in just 90 seconds. And the winning entries are proving that sometimes, it takes a fresh pair of eyes to show a place in a whole new light.

Photos and vertical videos capture Hualien from every angle. The county government recently held a series of events to promote international exchanges and the Hualien brand to the world. One of the events was a video contest, in which foreign residents studying or working in the county created 90-second vertical videos to highlight the diverse beauty around them. The talent was overflowing.

Aniisa Syahlaa Athaasyah
Gold Prize Winner
I feel like Hualien really has the potential for people to see more. It’s just maybe a lack of information or some people don’t know much about it. So I really want to share what we can do here in Hualien.

The Gold Prize winner is a student in Hualien. She says that for international students living in Hualien, or foreigners in general, you don’t have to move far to find beauty. Through the videos created by foreigners, this first edition of the international short video contest highlighted stunning places and memorable moments overlooked by locals.

Lee Yu-jen
Hualien International Affairs official
We’ve been promoting Hualien as a foreigner-friendly destination for three years. Although I was not part of the jury, I did watch every video that you created. They were all amazing, showcasing Hualien from so many different perspectives.

Hualien’s efforts to be recognized as a destination that is friendly to foreigners have garnered praise. But it doesn’t end there. The county has been promoting the use of English in menus, signboards and service pamphlets as well as scenario-based training materials, instructional videos, and other resources for the hospitality and tourism industries. The participants’ videos showed that the county government’s attention to detail and everyone’s hard work have not gone unnoticed.

Tung Ko-ching
Member of jury
In just a short minute, your creations not only captured the breath-taking beauty of Hualien, from our mountains, oceans and the gorgeous and tranquil plains, but also presented the rich variety of our local cultures and vibrant activities.

All the award winners hopped on to the stage, as the most persuasive ambassadors for their second home, Hualien. Equipped with cameras and zeal, they told the stories of Hualien in their own language, for social media users all around the world to see this beautiful county.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#hualien #reel #contest #creator #tourism

2026-11-11

Candidate hopes satirical video will inspire political change in Miaoli

Lin Yueh-chin, the DPP’s candidate for mayor of Miaoli City, sponsored a content creator to produce a satirical short film poking fun at the local scandals that once grabbed national headlines by promoting the “country of Miaoli” as a tourist attraction. Lin said they may seem like jokes to outsiders, but to locals, it’s no laughing matter. Through the video, she hopes to inspire young people to return to Miaoli to vote.

The opening of this video shows a passport getting stamped. But what country is that? Why does their travel itinerary include a movement against wind turbines, excavator scandals, and political fighting?

Local scandals that once dominated national headlines, like the demolition of a mom-and-pop pharmacy in the infamous Dapu land-grab incident, are spun as tourist attractions for the “country of Miaoli” in this campaign video.

Lin Yueh-chin
Miaoli City mayoral candidate (DPP)
But to those of us from Miaoli, these are all real things that happened right here in our hometown. They aren’t funny at all.

Lin Yueh-chin, who’s running for Miaoli City mayor with the DPP, sponsored the content creator Lu Lu to create a video highlighting the “country of Miaoli” as an offbeat tourist attraction.

Lin Yueh-chin
Miaoli City mayoral candidate (DPP)
The goal was to use a kind of humor familiar with young people to translate these serious and complex political issues into content that everyone is willing to watch and can understand.

Lin said that the county’s many political scandals have turned Miaoli into a national laughingstock. But for locals, these issues are everyday realities that directly impact their lives and demand rigorous oversight.

Lin Yueh-chin
Miaoli City mayoral candidate (DPP)
This election offers an opportunity for change. That’s why I hope that particularly young folks studying or working away from home won’t just laugh it off after watching the video, but will show care for their hometown and return to vote.

Lin said that Miaoli hasn’t changed political hands for 76 years, making it feel like a chaotic “state within a state.” She hopes young people will enthusiastically return home to cast their ballots and serve as a driving force for change.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Miaoli #LinYuehchin #elections #politics #DapuIncident

2026-11-11

Chiayi woman runs in traffic and jumps in water fountain

2026-11-11

Hackers threaten parents of students at international school

A hacker group is allegedly attempt to extort an international school in New Taipei. Parents of students at Kang Chiao International School in Linkou say they have recently received threatening emails. The senders claim to have breached the school’s systems and stolen sensitive personal information about students and their families. They threatened to expose the data if they weren’t contacted within the day. The distressing situation left students and their families on edge. The school has since disconnected its network and reported the matter to the police. Let’s hear more.

Wang Yu-chun
FTV reporter
After discovering the hacker intrusion, the school immediately disconnected its network. The school’s official website is now inaccessible and the smart school app and student system are also completely out of service.

Yu Sheng-tao
Kang Chiao International School Linkou
We’ve provided parents and faculty with all the relevant information, and urged them to double check everything. For example, do not open any suspicious links. We must be extremely careful. There’s a three-point rule: Do not reply to messages, do not open links and do not trust unfamiliar phone calls. Also, do not spread unverified information.

Weng Chien-ming
New Taipei Education Department
Based on our understanding, this is a system independently purchased by the school, primarily used for school administration. We have classified this as a routine personal data protection incident.

The initial contact was last Friday, Nov. 6. Hackers sent an email to the school, demanding the school do download a browser and enter an encryption key. The school refused. But the situation only escalated, as the group started sending intimidating messages to the parents of students, threatening to harm students. The school has brought in cybersecurity forensic specialists to conduct an in-depth investigation. They will examine system vulnerabilities, search for any malicious tasks that may have been planted, and determine the extent of the data leakage.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#school #hacker #kangchiao #linkou #taiwan

2026-11-11

France awards Taichung chef prestigious Order of Agricultural Merit