✨ Philosophy

Herban Omnivore's culinary vision is globally inspired yet rooted in my Taiwanese cultural heritage--with humble local and seasonal produce under the spotlight. Plant-centrism is not a declaration of veganism, but rather a quiet rebellion against the notion that brilliance in fine dining must be rooted in capitalistic extravagance and materialism. Instead of exclusive ingredients, indulgence can come from creative stimuli, sensory curiosity, community gathering, and spiritual nourishment. I have also done 100% plant-based and zero-waste centered events! You can check them out in my Event Gallery.

Every event is also paired with a zine I design myself—sharing the intentions and rationale behind each creation, stories and memories that shaped the dishes, and sometimes stylistic writing or drawings. For pure food events, these zines offer space for deeper reflection and often spark conversations around our food system and the role of artists in shaping cultural, ecological, and emotional sustainability. For food & art immersive events, these zines encourage a moment of pause—a gentle invitation to observe, reflect, and attune to our senses. They serve as quiet companions to the experience, advocating for slow thinking in a world of rapid distractions. Through them, we reclaim space for introspection, acknowledge how perception shapes identity and place, and resist the flattening effects of anti-intellectualism by celebrating emotional depth, curioisty, and embodied knowledge.

2024 Spring - Night Market x Dining Table

Night Market x Dining Table featured a fully plant-based menu capturing the whimsical marriage of bold street food flavors and humble gastronomical traditions in Taiwan. The menu reconciles traditions with new experiences, spotlighting nostalgic Taiwanese flavors--from street food to banquet delights--with an emphasis on local Californian seasonal produce. Vegan versions of traditional condiments (shacha, oyster sauce, XO sauce, dobanjiang, etc.) were made from scratch. Techniques like fermentation and ingredients like soy were spotlighted as an origin of discourses regarding how culture plays a role in what constitutes as sustainable cuisine.

View the full menu and zine!

Meet the Creator

Phoebe Wu is a rising senior at UC Berkeley, double majoring in Economics and Music with a minor in Food Systems. A passionate performer, she served as concertmaster of the California Orchestra Institute in 2024, and is currently a first violinist in the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra . In February 2025, she performed the Butterfly Lovers Concerto with the orchestra upon winning the concerto competition. Her recent honors include the Roselyn Schneider Eisner Prize for artistic excellence and the Bernece Lyon Prize for creative innovation.

Phoebe’s classical training began in Taipei, where she was principal second violinist of the Taipei Philharmonic Youth Ensemble. In 2016, she made her soloist debut with the group and later held three solo charity recitals at Taiwan’s National Recital Hall (2018, 2021, 2024), donating proceeds to Angel’s Heart Family Social Welfare Foundation. Her recent awards include 1st prize in the Charleston International Music Competition (2024), 1st prize at the International Schubert Competition Vienna (2025), and 2nd prize at the International Mozart Competition Vienna (2025).

Her musical path, however, has always been deeply entwined with a love for storytelling, community, and cultural exploration. In 2021, she performed alongside Ray Chen and Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra to bring classical music to indigenous communities. That same year, she co-founded Saplings of Music, a charity initiative that raised over 500,000 NTD and collected 45 instruments to provide free music education to underserved children in Taipei.

This belief in music as a bridge between people, cultures, and ideas would later evolve into Herban Omnivore—a creative platform Phoebe launched in 2023 that blends food, music, and storytelling into immersive, sensory experiences. Drawing on her Taiwanese roots, artistic training, and interest in sustainable food systems, she designs events that explore the emotional and cultural power of flavor and sound.

Her recent project, Savoring the Score, is a multi-course recital-tasting that pairs uniquely-crafted dishes with live violin and piano works. Each course mirrors or contrasts a musical piece, inviting audiences to reflect, feel, and engage across senses. The experience is accompanied by an original zine that weaves together prose, sketches, and musings on seasonality, transformation, and memory. Today, Phoebe continues to explore how creative expression can nourish reflection and connection.