My name is Pao. I grew up in Taipei city, based in London since age 21. Eating preserved foods is a part of our culture in Taiwan, but I never got to learn about making them.  After have being diagnosed as a diabetic at the age of 37,  I became  more and more concerned about the ingredients list on the back of food jars I was buying. I found myself looking for better quality jarred food, more naturally made and also unpasteurised. It wasn’t an easy task, even just few years ago. Most of the fermented products that I found on the high street were either pasteurised or had added preservatives to help them last for years and years. I started looking at ways of making them myself. The first thing I made was pickled mustard greens. I was amazed to discover how easy it is to make! It is based the same idea as the pao cai which I had made once with my grandad when I was about 9 years old. Vegetables, salt and water in a jar. Bingo!!! After this first success, I was hooked. Kimchi, sauerkraut …and all these other wonderful flavours and bubbles started to fill up my life and my house, literally. At this point I knew that this is what I wanted to do for living. I set up the business Pao Pop N Pickles @paopopnpickles in 2017, selling small batches of fermented products at a local farmers market. At the moment, I run a stall at Stroud Green Farmers Market.   After many trials and experiments, I have developed a vegan version of kimchi. It has been Korean-approved! I am still very much experimenting and learning about fermentation everyday outside my production. It is not just a job for me, it is a way of life.

In spring 2019, I attended a residency fermentation program run by Sandor Katz at his place in rural Tennessee I spent quality time learning and sharing  experiences with some fantastic fermenters from around the globe. 

I am very much involved with and connected to the fermentation community. We share ideas, run online workshops and organise events.  I am part of a newly formed organisation, the Guild of Fine Fermenters. We aim to dedicate, promote and uphold the quality of fermented drinks and foods in the UK. Please check out www.fermentersguid.org for more information.  Fermentation is one of the oldest way of preservations. It enhances the flavours and enhance the nutritions.

we believe that by bringing back the old traditional fermentation technics, we not only preserving food also we keep the traditional going or even creating new flavours in our new modern food culture. We can use some of those traditional simply technics at home or at restaurant settings to tackle food waste problems, by using more and waste less.