Beyond palatable: White privilege and Western immigrant restaurateurs in postcolonial Taiwan

Unlike immigrants who must struggle with discrimination, some middle-class Westerners who move to Taiwan use their white privilege to open mid- to high-end restaurants, competing with existing Western-style restaurants whose Taiwanese owners generally use chefs trained locally or in Japan. The author reviews this situation based on evidence drawn from the current literature and in-depth interviews. After more than two centuries of Western imperialism in Asia, whites and Western cuisine continue to be perceived by Taiwanese as symbols of modernity that deserve respect. White privilege, a form of racial capital, grants Westerners the freedom to enter Taiwan and quickly achieve a relatively high status. Compared to restaurateurs in their home countries, white Westerners who open restaurants in Taiwan benefit from lower startup and operating costs, fewer regulations, free local media coverage and, in some cases, a more vibrant national economy. However, they encounter limitations to white privilege in terms of entrenched Taiwanese taste preferences and dining practices. For some white Western migrant restaurateurs, catering to those preferences conflicts with their desire to use authenticity as a personal goal and business strategy.