Young Chiayi creative entrepreneur and head chef realizes his dream, Old Times Fresh Matters restaurant opens

The Chiayi City Cultural Affairs Bureau held the first "Youth Creative Power 105th Year Chiayi City Youth Cultural Action Competition Incentive Program" in October last year, with fourteen projects selected, from the three major proposal categories of "Community Building," "Cultural Action," and "Youth Dream Realization." The content was carried out in the form of practical implementation plans, and the implementation area had to be mainly in Chiayi City, encouraging young people aged twenty to thirty-five with innovative energy to devote themselves to the development of communities, old streets, and disadvantaged environments. "Old Times Fresh Restaurant" won the Silver Award, and on the 3rd, Mayor Twu Shiing-jer and many distinguished guests attended to congratulate the opening.

Mayor Twu Shiing-jer said that he was happy to see young people daring to start businesses. Chiayi is a city of history, with many memories of old times, especially the abundance of hinoki cypress buildings, which have been preserved to this day. Combined with the promotion of the old house revitalization policy and youth creativity, old houses are being renovated to create new vitality.

Mayor Twu Shiing-jer also said that in order to avoid having no wood available during the old house renovation process, a "Wood Bank" was established to provide wood for use, hoping that through this method the scent of hinoki cypress could be brought back.

Mr. Chen Sheng-hong, a young chef, originally lived in Taoyuan and later, for love, traveled far to register his household in Chiayi and put down roots, deciding to work hard together for his dream. He renovated a two-story old hinoki cypress house into a distinctive restaurant. The first floor design theme is based mainly on Minxiong Township, which is rich in pineapples, and in the future the second floor will maintain the original appearance of the old hinoki cypress house.

In order to let everyone enjoy fresh and distinctive cuisine, Mr. Chen Sheng-hong spent several months developing take-away creative set meals. The ingredients come from local small farmers, putting into practice the concept of from farm to table, reducing the carbon dioxide produced during transportation, implementing the concepts of fair trade and environmental protection, achieving transparency in the meal preparation process, and making freshly harvested, healthy deliciousness visible!