Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA ｜ A Dream Restaurant and the Warm Power of Post-Disaster Reconstruction

【Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA】
【More Than a Shovel Hero — A Real-Life Hero】
【Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA — A Dream Restaurant and the Warm Power of Post-Disaster Rebuilding】

When traveling south from Hualien City toward Taitung, many stop for a meal at Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA in Guangfu or Fenglin. The food is excellent, and the setting within the old Guangfu Sugar Factory grounds is simply stunning.

In the past few weeks, their acts of love and kindness have touched many hearts.
This is the story of their journey — and the warm power of their post-disaster recovery since the September 23 flood.

🌿 Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA — A Dream Restaurant and the Warm Power of Post-Disaster Rebuilding

Located beside the Guangfu Sugar Factory, Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA is a warm corner of Hualien’s Guangfu Township. Its story began with public welfare — a mission rooted in the land, local ingredients, youth empowerment, and community connection.

The restaurant was founded by the Woodpecker Holistic Development Association to provide job opportunities for rural youth. Here, young people learn cooking, service, and responsibility, gaining confidence and growth. Executive Director Peng Bo-Hua once said: “We want to give young people a platform to do the right thing and chase their dreams.”
In the early days, the association relied on volunteer moms, second-hand furniture and computers, and small donations to slowly build up an office, thrift shop, warehouse, and restaurant. It’s a story of creating something from nothing — and a platform where dreams take root.

In 2019, Peng asked his son Cheng Mu-Huai if he would take on the role of head chef. At only 22, he bravely accepted the challenge. Though difficult at first, he wanted the restaurant to stay connected to the land — blending local ingredients like Hegang pomelos and Fenglin peanuts into his dishes. A plate of risotto might feature the sweetness of Changbin shrimp, lifted by the fragrance of maqaw (mountain pepper). Each dish feels like a small Hualien–Taitung journey, turning local produce into flavorful art served with care and creativity.

Cheng partnered with two other chefs with fine-dining experience. The three — different in personality but similar in age — guided the restaurant through its early struggles and even the pandemic, slowly shaping it into a space filled with warmth and craftsmanship. It is more than a restaurant; it carries stories of land and people, tradition and innovation.

But in September 2025, the Mataian landslide lake overflowed, causing severe flooding in Guangfu. Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA had to temporarily suspend operations. With power outages, the team couldn’t reply to messages and asked guests who had reservations from 9/24–9/30 to cancel their bookings.

While the kitchen was still functional, the team immediately formed the Woodpecker Volunteer Cooking Group, using available ingredients to prepare hot meals for rescue workers and displaced residents. The bento boxes included slow-roasted pork ribs, prime-grade short ribs, stir-fried glass noodles, and boiled eggs — all soft and easy to eat. When handing out meals, an elderly man clasped a volunteer’s hand and said, “Thank you.” That moment turned exhaustion into warmth — a reminder of the meaning of serving one’s own community.

During the recovery, restaurant staff and volunteers worked from dawn till dusk — clearing mud, moving soaked furniture, digging through debris. Their hands blistered, their bodies drenched, but no one stopped. Volunteers from all over Taiwan joined, doubling the progress. The moment they said, “We can see the floor again!” became Guangfu’s most joyful news. Everyone deeply felt the power of “saving our own home with our own hands.”

The volunteer cooking effort lasted 12 days and involved over 100 volunteers. From chefs sweating in the kitchen to helpers packing meals and delivery riders buzzing around town — every one of them was a hero of Guangfu. The restaurant declined all donations, encouraging people instead to come dine in the future — saying that would be the greatest support of all.

Beyond the bentos, the restaurant also helped Mataian Church set up a hot-meal supply station, easing the burden of meal distribution and ensuring more timely aid for affected families. Urgently needed supplies still include wheelbarrows, shovels, rain boots, towels, trash bags, light/heavy machinery, and manpower. Those with resources are encouraged to deliver directly to affected residents or join volunteer efforts.

Through this disaster, Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA showed not only its culinary skill and management strength but also its deep bond with the land and community — a place where young people’s dreams grow and a spirit of love for home endures.

Latest update: Woodpecker’s Home WPCASA will officially reopen on October 19!
Some staff are still restoring their homes, so reservations will reopen gradually. The team thanks everyone for their patience. Moving forward, they will continue to serve delicious food — and continue protecting this land, walking alongside the people of Guangfu.