Onion ice cream and smoked swordfish? Surprising cuisine from a "Michelin + Three Forks" chef

▲ Italian chef Roberto Petzad (right) has been awarded one Michelin star and the Italian culinary authority Gambero Rosso Forks for three consecutive years. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

Reporter Chen Ziying / Taipei reporting

You’ve heard of the Michelin Guide, but do you know about the "Italian Star Forks"? Chef Roberto Petzad from Sardinia, Italy, has remarkably been awarded one Michelin star and the highest honor of the Italian culinary authority Gambero Rosso Forks for three consecutive years. Recently, he made a guest appearance at Taipei Garden Hotel, bringing traditional Sardinian local flavors, letting Taiwanese gourmets experience what kind of surprising cuisine can be created by combining "Michelin" and the "Italian Three Forks."


▲ Appetizer: Chef’s signature onion sorbet with homemade smoked white fish and crispy ham. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

Appetizer with ice cream? You heard right. Roberto surprisingly boiled onions in a pot with sugar and milk, then blended the onion syrup in a juicer into a puree, and finally made it into onion sorbet using an ice cream machine; he then selected high-quality blackfin swordfish, smoked it, and placed it on top of the sorbet, paired with crispy ham. When the smoked swordfish meets the sorbet, the cool, dual-layered texture melts in your mouth, with the slightly salty taste combining with the ham to present a rich variety of flavors—fulfilling Roberto’s statement: “I hope to use common ingredients but create unique dishes.”


▲ Starter: Traditional Sardinian pasta with shrimp and clam sauce. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

There are over 400 types of pasta, and the starter "Traditional Sardinian pasta with shrimp and clam sauce" uses a unique type of pasta from Sardinia called Tallutzas, which has a thousand-year history and is now almost only found locally. Roberto mentioned that Sardinians make pasta using wheat flour without eggs. This dish cuts the shrimp into strips, marinates them with olive oil, pepper, basil, and lemon peel; the clam sauce is made by sautéing garlic, basil, olive oil, and clams together, and finally mixing in the Tallutzas. The simple stir-fried flavors carry hints of basil and a light lemon aroma, while the springy noodles absorb the rich sauce—delicious and appetizing.


▲ Main course: Spice-roasted Australian wagyu with caper vinaigrette and wild mushroom salad. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

With the buildup, the main course "Spice-roasted Australian wagyu with caper vinaigrette and wild mushroom salad" becomes even more anticipated. Roberto explained that locals in Sardinia enjoy stuffing meat with spices. For this dish, Australian wagyu is filled with Austrian paprika, black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, cilantro, dill, mustard seeds, and more, marinated in the fridge for an hour, then slow-cooked for an hour, and finally grilled over charcoal. It’s also drizzled with a beef broth sauce made from capers, soy sauce, olive oil, chives, and honey, served with king oyster mushrooms and cape gooseberries as a side salad. The tender and juicy wagyu releases aromatic spices in the meat, with the slightly crispy mushrooms and fruits providing the perfect touch—refreshingly delicious.


▲ Dessert: Handmade saffron ice cream with almond brittle and berry honey. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

What is the "Italian Star Forks Review"?
Gambero Rosso (Red Shrimp), founded in 1986, is a publisher of magazines, wine, cooking, and travel books, literally translated as Red Shrimp. To date, it enjoys widespread recognition throughout Italy and holds globally authoritative status in Italian food, wine, and travel evaluations. In 2002, Gambero Rosso opened its first 10,000-square-meter "City of Taste" in Rome. The City of Taste hosts various food and wine tastings, award ceremonies, and cooking events. Currently, Gambero Rosso’s City of Taste locations can be found in Naples, Catania, and Palermo in Italy, aiming to further focus on discovering Italian food and wine through this concept.

The Gambero Rosso restaurant guide primarily evaluates based on three key criteria, scored from 1 to 100 (with a maximum of 103 points, including 3 additional bonus points). Menu, cooking, and kitchen equipment account for 60 points, wine for 20, ambiance for 10, and service for 10. In 2014, 2,000 restaurants in Italy were evaluated, and after strict selection, 24 restaurants scored above 90 points and were awarded the Three Forks (Three Forks) designation.

"Star Forks Glory – Wine and Dine Gala"
Three sessions: Dinner on March 27, Lunch and Dinner on March 28. Currently, the first session is fully booked, and the March 28 dinner is nearly full. Lunch (without wine) is NT$3,280+10% per person, and Dinner (with wine) is NT$5,880+10% per person.