Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the “2016 Taipei Public and Private Elementary Schools Tasty Lunch Operation” on April 27.
During his address, the mayor noted that some students have no idea about the origins of the food on their plates. He hopes that the competition will educate the students on where the food they eat come from, as well as teaching them to help out with cleaning the dishes after their meals.
The event, organized by the Department of Education, consists of three major categories (Tasty lunch competition for parents, faculty, and students; school lunch competition; and on-site evaluation of school lunchbox takeaway), allowing parents, faculty members, students, and catering services to work together to create new lunch menus with healthy choices.
During the interview with media, reporters asked the mayor how long it has been since he last cooked. Ko joked that since his days in the US, he has always relied on microwave oven and haven’t cooked himself. Nowadays, he visits local buffet shops for his meals, having little time due to his busy schedule.
The mayor noted that the price range of school lunches participating in the contest spans from NT$45 to NT$70. When asked about what he believes the ideal price for local school lunches should be, Ko replied that the decision should be left to the respective schools. Whatever the schools decides, meal plans for students from low income households will be subsidized by the government.