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About Mandarin Zest

We’re Antoine and Dorota, from Belgium and Poland, respectively — long-time friends turned business partners.

We met in Taiwan while studying, where we became fluent in Mandarin. Dorota also lived in Xiamen and travelled across China, gaining understanding of its regional cultures and everyday language.

We started Mandarin Zest to share our Chinese learning journey with others. What began as a simple newsletter grew into a community of learners — and continues today through the creation of structured digital resources.

Alongside this, we run Polylocal, a consultancy connecting Taiwanese and European companies. We work in Chinese every single day. Mandarin isn’t just something we studied — it’s our professional reality.

We understand the challenges of learning Chinese because we’ve experienced them ourselves: decoding characters, navigating cultural differences, and figuring out what truly matters at each stage.

That’s why Mandarin Zest focuses on:

  • Structured learning paths with clear progression
  • Guided materials to keep you on track
  • A community of learners so you don’t learn alone

At Mandarin Zest, we believe progress comes from clarity and consistency. If you stay consistent, you will improve — and we’re here to guide you along the way.

Our Team

Antoine Collard, Co-founder

Originally from Belgium, Antoine lived more than 5 years in Taipei, Taiwan. He graduated from a Chinese-taught master’s program in Political Science at National Taiwan University.

Dorota Maczuga, Co-founder

Originally from Poland, Dorota developed a passion for Chinese in high school and spent several years in mainland China and Taiwan. She earned a Chinese-taught Master’s in Political Science from National Taiwan University.

Gabrielle Merk, Business Developer

Gabrielle is from Ohio, United States. She earned a BA in Chinese with a minor in Korean. She also spent one summer in Taipei, Taiwan, through the Fulbright Foundation.

Rose Hurst-Liu, Social Media & Design

Rose grew up in China and later moved to the UK to attend university. She is a professional illustrator and graphic designer.

Xinyan Gong, Content writer

Xinyan, originally from Xiamen, China, specializes in SEO and content creation. She has experience optimizing online content and developing engaging digital materials.