Taiwan's world famous vegetable carver shares his skills at South Auckland college

August 21, 2018

Seven Sharp’s Lucas de Jong caught up with Geoff Wu.

A celebrity chef known for his unusual works of art in Taiwan has set up shop in South Auckland to share his specialist skills with Kiwis.

Geoff Wu is a master carver who's world famous for creating sculptures from vegetables, such as the taro.

A famous chef in Taiwan, Mr Wu told TVNZ1's Seven Sharp he moved to New Zealand because he and his family like the country and its people.

He's teaching Kiwis at Ignite College his art and says his hope is to get New Zealanders carving.

"Nobody taught me but I learnt it by myself. I look at the photo. I look at the book, maybe the picture. And that teach me," Mr Wu said.

Jasbir Kaur of Ignite College said when she saw Mr Wu's CV it was like gold.

"With someone having a unique skill and actually teaching something that is not taught anywhere else, it's great. So we were like 'come on in'," she said.  

One of Mr Wu's carving students, Paul Yen, said he was never an artistic person. 

But after six months learning alongside his master, Mr Yen is about to compete on the world stage, taking one of his vegetable carvings to  Luxembourg.

SHARE ME

More Stories