本文回溯日治至戰後初期「臺灣菜」概念的起源及其文化展演，說明此概念出現於日治時期，且「臺灣料理」一詞早於「臺灣菜」出現。雖然著名酒樓供應之臺灣料理事實上包含中國各地風味，但日人、酒樓經營者刻意將之凸顯為一文化分類，以與日本料理、西洋料理乃至支那（中國）料理有所區隔。在日治時期的酒樓與宴客場所中，臺灣料理宴席從菜色、上菜順序、擺盤都已形成一套講究的範式，酒樓經營者作為中介者，藉由呈獻日本天皇與為文撰述，與消費的仕紳階級共同建立起「臺灣料理」的論述與慣例，也使特定飲饌成為上層階級地位與文化的標誌。 　　戰後國民黨政府實施節約政策，將酒樓轉型為「公共食堂」，原有的酒樓宴飲逐漸隱藏在少數酒家、溫泉旅館中，此酒家菜文化並被認知為今日「臺菜」的重要源頭。另一方面，中下層大多數民眾的家常小吃、辦桌文化，在日治時期僅被稱為「臺灣人的食物」而非料理，不是文化展演的內容，需等到近二十年才被標舉為「臺灣菜」的重要面向。

Focusing on the changing notions of "Taiwanese cuisine" under different political regimes, the article traces the origins of "Taiwanese cuisine" to the Japanese colonial era, and analyzes how its meaning changes from "a delicate culinary culture" into "a marginalized Chinese local cuisine" after the imposition of authoritarian rule. While "Taiwanese cuisine" was shaped during the Japanese colonial era, it was referred to a repertoire consisting of Chinese haute cuisines, formal dining manners and specific table setting, and being enjoyed exclusively by elites with power of cultural presentation. Through culinary narratives, exhibitions and repeated dining practice, such as the banquets for Japanese royal family, the "Taiwanese cuisine" was distinguished from Chinese cuisine and embedded with symbolic meanings of social status, cultural capital and Taiwanese-ness. However, such "Taiwanese-ness" is given new interpretations with the changing of political regime and new class in power. With the end of Japanese colonization and new regulations imposed by the KMT government on restaurants since 1945, the culinary map was redrawn and the haute "Taiwanese cuisine" sank into oblivion.

飲食史;臺灣料理;臺灣菜;食物消費;文化展演

Taiwanese cuisine; national cuisine; cultural presentation; colonial culture