We started "tasting" before a year whenever kiddo was actively reaching for food we were eating... but his 99% source was breastmilk until I lost it at 9mo, and formula until right around a year. Then it was about 50/50 formula & table food until 1.5.
When we started table food seriously around 1 year he ate whatever we were eating, just mushed or chewed up if it was too hard (sounds gross, but the enzymes in our saliva are beneficial and help to prevent digestive problems in our little ones). Obviously noodles, curries, and other soft/wet things didn't need help.
We only have until age 2 to introduce as many chemical signatures to the brain as possible (right around age 2 a neurological thing happens that tags all unfamiliar chem sigs as "poison, yuck, spit".... and you'll notice a LOT of mom's with picky eaters at 2ish-5ish. The brain reaction gradually wears off around age 5. Unfortunately baby & toddler food is bland and repetive and uninteresting... so unless you want to be serving the same things over and over and over for 3 years solid... introduce those chemicals before 2!!! It can happen as early as 18mo & as late as 2.5... you never know when the "switch" is going to happen). I say chem sigs instead of flavors, because cilantro is cilantro is cilantro whether it's in asian, italian, or mexican. Ditto the chemicals found in tomatoes, eggplant, bok choy, beef, fish, pork, chicken... any and all foods are made up of chemicals. So we REALLY want the brain to tag them as "safe".
Anyhow... we took age 1-2 as our culinary adventure time. So we made sure to introduce as many ethnicities as possible. Greek, Italian, Spanish, Mediterranean, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Mesoamerican... we just toured the world in regards to food. You'll also find you make a LOT of friends at restaurants. Every culture in the world believes that their baby food is best. When you ask for 0 stars for a 1 year old... or a dish good for a baby be prepared for BIG smiles that an american is actually feeding their baby "correctly" ;) It's grand fun.
Our son had some interesting favorites, including some I never would have thought. His hands down favs since he was literally in arms include:
Hummus & Pita
Gyros
Schwarma
Eggplant Parmesean
Phad Sie Iew
Phad Thai
Seafood Cocnut & Lemongrass soup
Chicken Tikka Masala / butter chicken / any mild tomato curry
Saag Paneer
Pho
Dim Sum of EVERY type... but particularly turnip cake & palace tofu & shrimp balls
Udon
Miso
Shrimp Tempura
Carne Asada
Gumbo / Jambalaya
Crawfish Etouffee
Tomato Basil Mozz baguettes
Calamari
Prosciutto
Portobello Mushrooms
Poi
Fried Banana's dipped in Guacamole
Chicken Marsala
Grilled Oysters with Sorrel Sauce & Bacon
Cabbage (in anything, from irish boiled dinner to sauerkraut to Korean)
Broccoli (in anything, as long as it's not raw)
Spinach (raw on sammies or cooked in anything)
Fruits of all kinds
He had all of these things and several hundred others before he was 2 (but after age 1)... but these both were and still are some of his favorites.