The Chef

My cooking journey began in local restaurant kitchens here in Taipei, learning traditional techniques and discovering what kind of cook I wanted to be. The city's vibrant food culture continues to inspire and shape everything I create.

Working in different kitchens taught me a lot, but I found the most joy in cooking for smaller groups where I could connect with people personally. That's what drew me to private chef work—creating meals tailored to each occasion and bringing together flavors from Taiwan and beyond.

I'm obsessed with how different cooking methods—braising versus dry-aging, fermentation timing, the Maillard reaction—transform the same ingredient into completely different experiences. Sourcing matters too: the difference between a tomato picked yesterday and one shipped last week is night and day.

Outside the kitchen, I geek out over ingredient sourcing and technique. I'll spend an afternoon talking to a farmer about soil composition if it means understanding why their daikon tastes different, or testing how various salts affect the texture of a braise. Food science meets tradition—that's where things get interesting.