--- title: The Italian Job, Taiwan Style description: In their mid-30s, some executives suddenly get religion. J. Ping got Italy. Thanks to this former marketer for Nike, and his longtime girlfriend Julia Lin,... canonical: https://time.com/archive/6938379/the-italian-job-taiwan-style/ author: John Krich article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2010-07-29T04:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-22T07:28:03.326Z og:title: The Italian Job, Taiwan Style og:description: In their mid-30s, some executives suddenly get religion. J. Ping got Italy. Thanks to this former marketer for Nike, and his longtime girlfriend Julia Lin,... og:url: https://time.com/archive/6938379/the-italian-job-taiwan-style/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96b6ff20e9043cdf/698a4f6347ca38bc8c3bcd63/360_tga_italian_cuisine_0809.jpg?branch=production&width=360&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 360 og:image:height: 203 og:image:alt: 360_tga_italian_cuisine_0809.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Italian Job, Taiwan Style twitter:description: In their mid-30s, some executives suddenly get religion. J. Ping got Italy. Thanks to this former marketer for Nike, and his longtime girlfriend Julia Lin,... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96b6ff20e9043cdf/698a4f6347ca38bc8c3bcd63/360_tga_italian_cuisine_0809.jpg?branch=production&width=360&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Italian Job, Taiwan Style > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=32325491-c495-4dad-9c00-bd27363be923&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=32325491-c495-4dad-9c00-bd27363be923&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) by [John Krich](https://time.com/author/john-krich/) Jul 29, 2010 4:00 AM UTC  Dishing it up Craving real Italian in Taichung? To K2 and J-Ping with you Dishing it up Craving real Italian in Taichung? To K2 and J-Ping with you courtesy of K2 Cucina by [John Krich](https://time.com/author/john-krich/) Jul 29, 2010 4:00 AM UTC In their mid-30s, some executives suddenly get religion. J. Ping got Italy. Thanks to this former marketer for Nike, and his longtime girlfriend Julia Lin, a onetime China Airlines stewardess, the booming Taiwan city of Taichung is now home to two of the island’s most authentic showcases of Italian cuisine. The bespectacled chef said he found his true calling the moment his hands started to make dough for ciabatta — still one of the best products available daily at his cheery K2 Cucina, tel: (886-4) 2326 9091\. He and Lin also make their own sausage and pancetta, and they serve only three-year-aged Parmesan as well as the best lemon cake this side of Palermo. [(See the top 10 food trends of 2008.)](https://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/article/0,30583,1855948%5F1864255,00.html) At their more refined J-Ping Café, tel: (886-4) 2302 3580, a reservations-only operation set in a softly lit converted house, they sometimes miss the mark with a duck-breast entrée more Gallic than Italic and a walnut-encrusted foie gras Popsicle that’s tasty but too nouvelle. But the toothsome authenticity of their pasta dishes is enough to cause a stir among Taichung’s uninitiated. “In the beginning, our diners wanted everything cooked softer or covered in tomato sauce. We had to slowly teach them how Italian is different from American Italian, Japanese Italian or Taiwanese Italian,” says Lin. The couple, who make pilgrimages to their spiritual homeland three times a year to replenish their recipes and faith, sponsor wine workshops and are sometimes called up to lecture local Rotary clubs and others. They’ve also opened a new venture in the capital Taipei, Solo Pasta Cucina Italiana, tel: (886-2) 2775 3645\. While Taiwan remains without a proper Italian embassy, this proselytizing couple seems more than ready to take on the job. [See pictures of Rome’s famous and fabulous coffee bars.](https://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626549,00.html) [See reviews of 50 American wines.](https://www.time.com/time/2008/50%5Famerican%5Fwines) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938379/the-italian-job-taiwan-style/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938379/the-italian-job-taiwan-style/"},"headline":"The Italian Job, Taiwan Style","datePublished":"2010-07-29T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-22T07:28:03.326Z","description":"In their mid-30s, some executives suddenly get religion. J. Ping got Italy. 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