TAICHUNG, Taiwan — Visitors strolling through Taichung can experience a wide range of international cuisines, from Indian spiced flatbread and Korean barbecue to Japanese artisan hot pot and Thai Tom Yum dishes. This rich and diverse culinary landscape has earned the city a Gold Award at the 2026 TITAN Innovation Awards.

Taichung is no longer just a city on the map. It is increasingly recognized by global food enthusiasts as an “international capital of hot pot and grill,” underscoring its growing strength in both culinary culture and city branding.

The city’s international appeal peaked during the 2025 Taichung Hot Pot & Grill Festival. The mayor invited representatives in Taiwan from Korea, India, Italy and Thailand to take part in a promotional video. Through their perspectives, the campaign showcased how Taichung has elevated hot pot and grill into a distinctive cultural experience.

Participants praised the event’s diversity and quality, reinforcing Taichung’s reputation as the “home of hot pot and grill” while boosting the festival’s global visibility.

Chang Feng-yuan, Director General of the Economic Development Bureau, said the recognition has been further validated by a prestigious international award. The Taichung City Government, under the project titled “Forging a City's Signature: The Fire & Steam Initiative for Taichung's Hot Pot & BBQ Identity,” stood out in a highly competitive field to win Gold at the 2026 TITAN Innovation Awards.

Mr.Chang said the awards apply rigorous evaluation standards, and the jury gave high marks to Taichung’s performance. The city’s success, he noted, lies in its ability to transform everyday local consumption into a globally recognizable city brand through creative marketing.

In particular, Taichung adopted a counter-season marketing strategy during the summer off-peak dining period, effectively driving growth in the food and beverage sector and demonstrating strong market impact. The citywide initiative, “Hot Pot & Grill in Every District,” further highlighted the public sector’s execution capability and the completeness of its industrial development strategy. These efforts show that Taichung is increasingly aligned with international marketing practices and is able to stand alongside leading global teams.

Mr. Chang added that this year’s TITAN Innovation Awards brought together leading teams from around the world across fields such as technology, product innovation and organizational optimization. Award-winning projects included the Apollo chip by Switzerland’s Q.Enterprises AG (Dynex), Kaleidescape’s Strato E movie player and Mini Terra Prime server from the United States, organizational solutions by UpskillX Advisory & Coaching in the United Arab Emirates, and the InnoClub employee well-being program by Ukraine-based Innovecs.

Among these globally recognized private-sector leaders, Taichung’s inclusion highlights the public sector’s resilience, innovation and administrative effectiveness, demonstrating its ability to compete on the international stage.

The Taichung City Government said it will continue to pursue innovative, people-centered policies, using this award as a key milestone in advancing the city toward a livable, sustainable and globally competitive smart city.