10 restaurants newly awarded with One MICHELIN Star
Out of the 10 restaurants newly awarded with One MICHELIN Star, 3 are promoted from last year whereas 7 joined the Guide for the first time, directly with One MICHELIN Star.
For the first time since the launch of the MICHELIN Guide in Taiwan, a Bib Gourmand establishment is promoted to One MICHELIN Star, and that is MINIMAL in Taichung, which also becomes the first-ever ice cream establishment to receive a MICHELIN Star globally. The sister dessert spot of Sur- in Taichung makes a gustatory and visual splash with its complex layering of flavours and textures. The seven-course menu changes every season; frozen treats like gelato and granita are artfully plated to articulate a theme.
Another restaurant in Taichung, L’Atelier par Yao, is also promoted to One MICHELIN Star. The establishment is helmed by a young chef, who honed his skills in France, and excels in modern French fare with an Asian twist. Inspectors highly recommend trying his chargrilled scallop with kombu, peas and parsley sauce for a delightful mix of textures.
The last restaurant promoted to One MICHELIN Star is Sens in Taipei. It only opens for dinner with a single tasting menu that changes according to the season (although the ever-popular pâté en croûte remains a firm fixture). The chef’s sauces are second to none and he uses fresh herbs to great effect.
Out of the 7 new restaurants that joined the MICHELIN Guide for the first time this year, and directly achieved the One MICHELIN Star distinction, 1 restaurant is located in Taichung – Yuen Ji; helmed by Chef Lin, who revisits Taiwan’s food heritage and culture, adding a sophisticated spin to family favourites; and 1 restaurant is located in Kaohsiung – GEN; with the kitchen brigade from Macau and Hong Kong that crafts three set menus, showcasing gourmet dried seafood like bird’s nest and abalone and updating 1980’s Cantonese favourites with novel twists.
The other 5 new One MICHELIN Star restaurants are in Taipei:
A, named after Chef Alain Huang’s initial, promising a grade-A dining experience in an upscale, private space. Presenting dishes that are French in origin but influenced by Asian cuisines and made to subvert preconceptions.
Circum-, named after Latin “circum-” which is related to “circle”, is a symbol of wholeness and unity in Chinese culture. The young kitchen team traces the footsteps of Chinese emigrants throughout history, exploring how their food culture changes over time and territories. Inspired by classic recipes, childhood memories and anecdotes collected overseas, they deliver an engaging dining experience based on literature, narratives and solid French technique.
Eika – Tucked away in a market, this place isn’t easy to find, but the Japandi decor, Zen-like ambience and clever use of Taiwanese pickles and fermented syrups in creative Japanese fare make it worth the effort. There is just one tasting menu; most ingredients are flown in from Japan daily for freshness.
With a Japanese façade and a Nordic-inspired dining room, NOBUO is all about breaking boundaries. Born in Taiwan and raised in Japan, the head chef opened his eponymous restaurant to champion Japanese-French cuisine using Taiwanese produce.
Wok by O’BOND excels in deconstructing the flavours of Taiwanese and Asian cooking and reimagining them in astounding forms with modern French techniques.
Alongside with the restaurants that retained One MICHELIN Star from last year, there are now 41 establishments that are worth the stop (30 in Taipei, 8 in Taichung, and 3 in Kaohsiung). At the Two and Three MICHELIN Star levels, all restaurants awarded in 2023 retained their status within the 2024 selection, namely 5 Two MICHELIN Stars restaurants in Taipei – L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, logy, Molino de Urdániz, Mudan, and RAW; and 3 Three MICHELIN Stars restaurants that retained their accolades – JL Studio in Taichung; Le Palais and Taïrroir, both in Taipei.
35 restaurants newly recommended for their quality cuisine
In addition to the Star restaurants and Bib Gourmand establishments, which have been unveiled last week, the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors also recommend many eateries whose quality cuisine seduced them. This year, no less than 168 restaurants, including 35 new entries – 13 in Taipei, 8 in Taichung, 7 in Tainan, and 7 in Kaohsiung, are therefore recommended and can be found under the ‘Selected’ category.
The new additions to the selection present a wide variety of cuisine styles, including Taiwanese cuisine such as 3927, and Taiwan Rice Dining Hall in Taipei; Chef Ah-Hsi’s Old Time Restaurant, and huist in Taichung; or A Fung’s Harmony Cuisine, Paul’s Canteen and Three Meals in Kaohsiung.
Local small eats are also very popular, such as Zai Lai in Taichung; A Hai Taiwanese Oden, Shun Te Beef Soup, and Wenpapa Goose in Tainan; or Three Wheels in Kaohsiung.
There is also one new restaurant in Tainan serving vegetarian cuisine – Mao Su.
The MICHELIN Green Star continues to highlight the sustainable commitment of 6 restaurants
Within the MICHELIN Guide restaurant selection, the MICHELIN Green Star highlights establishments at the forefront of the industry for their sustainable practices and dining experiences that combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments.
As the focus on being more sustainable and eco-friendlier is a daily approach in Taiwan, the momentum greatly encourages restauranteurs, chefs and staffs to implement ways of making their approach with a positive impact on the environment.
These 6 restaurants retaining the MICHELIN Green Star continue to act as role models to encourage establishments towards an environmentally friendly approach: EMBERS, Hosu, Little Tree Food (Da’an Road), Mountain and Sea House, Yangming Spring (Shilin) in Taipei; and Thomas Chien in Kaohsiung.
Three MICHELIN Guide Special Awards
In addition to recommending quality restaurants, the MICHELIN Guide also aims to highlight talented individuals who contribute to enhancing the gastronomic dining experience. By doing so, it also acknowledges the diversity of jobs and know-hows involved in the restaurant industry.
MICHELIN Guide Service Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Guide Service Award, presented by The Glenlivet, aims to highlight and encourage skilled and talented professionals who dramatically add to the customer experience. This award goes to Yun-Shan HSU from one MICHELIN Star restaurant Ban Bo, in Taipei.
With almost 10 years of experience in the F&B industry, Hsu interacts with diners with impeccable, warm and thoughtful style. She is a kind, passionate and confident lady, her engagement and service made a memorable and pleasant dining experience.
MICHELIN Guide Sommelier Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Guide Sommelier Award recognises the skills, knowledge, and passion of talented sommeliers of the industry. This year, the Sommelier Award goes to Yoyo TSENG from newly awarded one MICHELIN Star restaurant Yuen Ji, in Taichung, the first-ever female recipient of the Sommelier Award in Taiwan.
Having worked at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Taipei and Cantonese restaurant for several years as the sommelier, the experience helped her to establish the extensive wine knowledge and professional service. Leveraging her knowledge and expertise, she excels in creating intriguing pairings, enhancing the flavours of the traditional Taiwanese dishes with well-judged matches.
MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award, presented by Mia C’bon, recognises a young chef working in a restaurant of the selection, and whose exceptional talent and great potential have impressed the inspectors. This year’s award is given to Tim, Ting-Yu CHEN from newly selected restaurant, huist, in Taichung.
Tim graduated in local culinary school and honed his skills in Australia. There is no gimmick on his dish but could clearly feel his clever creativity and solid skills on showcasing Taiwanese culinary scene and elevating its refined image.
The full selection of the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan 2024 is attached to this press release.
The restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay in Taiwan and throughout the world. Every hotel in the selection is chosen by MICHELIN Guide experts for its extraordinary style, service, and personality — with options for all budgets — and each hotel can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app.
Visit the MICHELIN Guide’s official website, or download the MICHELIN Guide mobile app (iOS and Android), to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an unforgettable hotel.
About Michelin
Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. (www.michelin.com)