370 Hot Pot and BBQ Vendors Compete: 34 Advance to Professional Judging at 2026 Taichung Hot Pot & BBQ Festival

The 2026 Taichung Hot Pot & BBQ Festival's public popularity vote is underway with great enthusiasm. This year marks the first time the event has adopted a dual-track system combining public voting and professional judging, drawing over 370 hot pot and barbecue vendors competing for the Golden Pot Award, Golden Grill Award, and Golden Veggie Award. After a rigorous document review, 34 establishments have advanced to the on-site evaluation phase, where an international panel of expert judges will select the most representative Taichung hot pot and BBQ brands of the year.

Zhang Feng-Yuan, Director of the Economic Development Bureau, stated that the introduction of professional judging this year, combined with public voting, aims to jointly recognize outstanding brands through both expert appraisal and public reputation, thereby establishing the most representative Taichung hot pot and BBQ brands. The selected stores will undergo on-site evaluations, with comprehensive scoring based on culinary performance, ingredient quality, cooking techniques, brand uniqueness, and overall customer experience, showcasing the strength and distinctiveness of Taichung's hot pot and BBQ industry.

The Economic Development Bureau noted that this year’s judging panel brings together internationally renowned culinary experts who will apply professional and impartial evaluation mechanisms to uncover the exceptional hot pot and BBQ flavors hidden within Taichung. The list of 34 selected vendors will be publicly announced via a Facebook Live broadcast by the Taichung City Government Economic Development Bureau at the end of July, guiding the public to explore Taichung’s delicious hot pot and BBQ map, while allowing public voting and professional judging to complement each other and enhance the festival’s credibility.

In addition to professional judging, the festival continues to emphasize public participation as its core. Citizens are invited to vote daily via the 'Taichung Pass' (TCPASS) app to support their favorite hot pot, barbecue, and vegetarian vendors, helping more high-quality brands gain visibility. The voting period runs until August 14, during which participants can vote daily across five categories, earning one lottery entry for every five votes. The ongoing daily draw of 200 coffee cups has already distributed over 1,000 cups, with voting enthusiasm steadily rising.

Additional grand prizes include five round-trip air tickets from Taipei to Tokyo, NT$3 million in hot pot and BBQ vouchers, and a grand prize automobile. The first Taipei-Tokyo round-trip ticket will be drawn on July 22 at 2:00 PM, along with the first wave of vendor discounts. The public is encouraged to tune in to the Facebook Live broadcast by the Taichung City Government Economic Development Bureau.

The Economic Development Bureau invites people nationwide to continue voting daily through the 'Taichung Pass' (TCPASS) app. Not only can participants support their favorite hot pot and BBQ establishments, but they also have daily chances to win coffee, Taipei-Tokyo round-trip tickets, dining vouchers, and the grand automobile prize. Vote every day, win every day, and join in supporting Taichung’s most representative hot pot and BBQ culinary celebration.