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The 2014 Neimen Song Jiang Array Festival kicks off March 8 and will continue until March 19. This year, the main venue is Neimen's Zizhu (Purple Bamboo) Temple. The event is going to feature several different arrays – martial arts troupes - guaranteed to satisfy fans and tourists alike. And the festivities do not stop there. Neimen District covers less than 96 square kilometers, yet boasts an exceptional number of "Zong Pu Shi," or head chefs. These culinary wizards specialize in traditional Taiwanese banquets like those that mark weddings and other important events. They are capable of serving hundreds of tables at a time, drawing on a rich arsenal of private recipes pleasant on both the eyes and the taste buds. This year, the Song Jiang Array Festival will leave an impression not just on the eyes, but on all the senses.
Hoping to present the best "Bando" (literally "making table," meaning banquet services) food Neimen has to offer, Zizhu Temple recently held an audition for the position of head chef. The shortlist comprised five master cooks, all of whom hold national chef's licenses and have been working in the field for over 10 years. Such was the competition for the position that divine intervention was needed. The temple performed a jiaobei ceremony, throwing divination blocks and seeking affirmation from Guanyin (the Buddhist goddess of compassion) and Buddha. In the end, the honor went to Mr. Lin Rui-jhang and his son, Mr. Lin Ci-ming. The senior Mr. Lin had been in the cooking business for over 33 years, yet in his eyes, the profession is a never-ending learning process. He says that, as a chef, it is important to continue researching new things and developing new ways to interpret food. The most challenging aspect of his job, he says, is that a head chef must take care of everything: purchasing the ingredients, assigning people to different tasks, supervising the cooking process, and sometimes handling unexpected requests from customers. As a head chef, he is expected to make things happen even in the case of last-minute orders. The pressure is always high – lunch banquets are most stressful, and even a veteran head chef like him may feel anxious about it. Mr. Lin points out that the most agonizing moment for him is seeing guests waiting at tables because the food is not yet ready. But he is very happy to have his son working by his side. It is his pride and joy to have someone to hand down his spatula to, along with everything he knows about the profession. The Banquet at the Song Jiang Array Festival will feature a menu of 10 dishes and a fruit dish, all made using the finest local ingredients. Mr. Lin is most confident about his signature dish, braised pork butt. This dish has been a favorite for home-delivery orders during the Lunar New Year season. He sincerely hopes those who come will leave completely satisfied, so he has decided to serve it on this occasion. Mr. Lin's pork butt is fried before braising; the skin becomes slightly crispy and is no longer greasy. It is then soaked in his secret braising sauce and cooked until the meat is tender yet not mushy. It is a dish that aims to fill your stomach and leave you with happy memories.
2014年宋江陣掌鼎主廚 林瑞章、林祺銘
【文／侯雅婷；攝影／黃敬文】
2014年內門宋江陣嘉年華於3月8日至19日在內門紫竹寺舉辦，陣頭文化豔驚全場，內門文化的軟實力還不止於此，面積約96平方公里的內門擁有全台最多總鋪師，兼具視覺與味覺的手路菜征服四海，用味道記憶宋江陣的豐盛美好。
為了讓遊客品嚐新鮮現做的辦桌，廟方特地甄選活動期間的掌鼎主廚，由5位具國家級中餐烹飪丙級執照並有10年辦桌資歷的總鋪師，以擲聖筊方式請示觀音佛祖，最後由入行33年的總鋪師林瑞章和兒子林祺銘雀屏中選。
林瑞章談起總鋪師的工作學無止境，得靠自己不斷研究，找出詮釋料理的方法，他說這個行業難在大小事都得一手包辦，從食材採買、人力配置到烹飪，還得隨時接招客人的臨時需求，也得於一時半刻間辦妥，即便是像他這般身經百戰的總鋪師，接單中午辦桌也是備感壓力，當菜還沒煮好可是客人已經坐著等上菜，他說心裏那份乾著急著實難受。而提起同為總鋪師的兒子，有子傳衣缽，讓他感到驕傲。
宋江陣期間推出一桌10道手路菜和一道水果，嚴選在地食材，封肉為林瑞章的自信之作，也是過年時暢銷熱賣的宅配單品，他誠意十足地將這道外皮酥脆卻不油膩、也不太過軟爛的豬蹄膀放進菜單中，讓客人吃得大碗又滿意。
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