Taiwanese Street Food in London:

In November 2022, Shaldoum and Chen, who was working for the A4 Advertising Agency, set up a pop-up stall at one of London’s historic markets, North End Road Market in Fulham, selling sandwiches and Taiwanese braised pork belly with rice.

Though they started the stall just for fun, the couple were talent-spotted by Kerb, a company devoted to bringing street-food businesses together “on the kerbs of London.” They were invited to sell at markets in various places.

Jou Jou Chen’s recipe for pork belly rice, which has earned the admiration of her customers in London, comes from her grandmother Chen-Xie Ru.

Grandma’s recipe

Jou Jou Chen quit her job in September 2023 to devote herself to running the stall, which the couple named Jou Jou’s Bites, focusing on Taiwanese culinary classics including pearl milk tea.

Customer feedback has been the greatest encouragement for the young business. For a year and a half, the couple traded at the market in Canada Water, Southwark every Sunday. A British customer turned up at their stall every week, rain or shine, except when he was away on holiday or on business. An American tourist said it was the most wonderful meal he had eaten during his time in London. The couple have also met Taiwanese customers who were almost moved to tears by the authentic flavors.

Chen got her recipe for pork belly rice from her near-centenarian grandmother, Chen-Xie Ru, who hails from Tainan’s Jiangjun District. The old lady fries pork belly until the surface looks lightly burned before braising it in a liquid flavored with licorice, star anise, fermented bean curd, and Shaoxing wine until the meat becomes tender. The fermented bean curd serves to enrich and enhance the aroma of the braising liquid.

“For me, pork belly rice is something very personal. Firstly, the flavors are my grandmother’s legacy. Secondly, the dish is representative of Taiwanese food culture. After eating pork belly rice, many people say they want to visit Taiwan,” says Chen excitedly.

Pork belly rice with Jou Jou’s Bites’ homemade pickled cucumbers. Delicious food is a universal language.

Jou Jou’s Bites is driven by a sense of purpose: “We do our little bit as a representative of Taiwanese cuisine.”

Making a good impression

Shaldoum says a lot of people have never tasted Taiwanese food. What his new customers know about Taiwan tends to be of a political nature. They know nothing about Taiwanese food, nor do they know much about Taiwan’s beautiful landscape and its rich culture and history.

Shaldoum thinks it is vital to help those customers who have never had pork belly rice or pearl milk tea before to come away with a good impression of Taiwan. “When we’re eating foods that bear the name of Taiwan, political opinion no longer matters. Delicious food is a universal language.”

Jou Jou’s Bites sources its pearl milk tea ingredients from Taiwanese suppliers.

“If I can contribute to my country, then using food to raise awareness of Taiwan is the most down-to-earth way to do it,” Jou Jou Chen says.

Jou Jou Chen observes that at the markets, their customers share tables even if they don’t know each other. They eat pork belly rice and drink pearl milk tea together and chat just like family. Taiwanese food brings strangers together and helps them learn more about Taiwan. Jou Jou Chen and Mustapha Shaldoum are always touched by the sight.

Going global

Chen says guabao—braised pork belly and other ingredients served in a steamed bun—is taking London and other Western cities by storm. At an inter­national event organized by Goldman Sachs, the couple prepared 700 portions of guabao, which sold out within two hours. The only complaint they received was that leaner cuts of pork could have been used.

Chen reveals that during a catered wrap party at Sky Studios, Jake Gyllenhaal—of Brokeback Mountain fame—asked his personal assistant to come twice and buy a total of six guabao buns. The assistant told Chen and Shaldoum that Gyllenhaal, who was very particular about food, really liked what they offered.

Grateful for the positive feedback and praise from his customers—be they film stars, financiers, or people from other walks of life—Shaldoum says Jou Jou’s Bites gives him a sense of satisfaction very different from what he gained from his previous job.

A street food stall like Jou Jou’s Bites can earn as much as NT$800,000 (roughly US$25,000) a month. The couple tell us, “It’s the combination of passion and tangible rewards that enables you to go far.”

Jou Jou’s Bites also provides catering services for events such as weddings.

With Jou Jou’s Bites’ homemade peanut powder, their guabao buns are very popular.