Seriously though!! A two-Michelin-star Chinese restaurant is making its debut in Tainan, using Taiwanese pears to make soup

The second branch of "Celebrity Cuisine," a high-end Cantonese restaurant brand under the Hong Kong Michelin-starred restaurant group exclusively represented by the Han Lai Food Group, is officially opening today (29th) at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi’s New World in Tainan — its first expansion outside of Kaohsiung. This marks the first time a Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant has set up shop in a premium department store in Tainan, and it's expected to spark a wave of diners lining up for a taste.

Just a few months ago, the southern Taiwan food scene was rocked by a so-called "fake Michelin" incident, sparking widespread discussion. But the newly opened second branch of "Celebrity Cuisine" in Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Tainan, is the real deal.

　Chef Cheng Chin-fu of "Celebrity Cuisine" is known for being humble and low-key, and is revered as the "hidden culinary god" in Hong Kong. (Photo / Han Lai Food)

"Celebrity Cuisine" has been awarded two Michelin stars for six consecutive years in Hong Kong. Chef Cheng Chin-fu, nicknamed "Brother Fu," is widely known in Hong Kong’s food circle as the "hidden culinary god." With frequent visits from political and business elites as well as celebrities, the restaurant has also earned the nickname "the celebrities’ canteen." The Han Lai Food Group acquired the brand rights to "Celebrity Cuisine" in 2015, opening its first Taiwan outlet at the five-star Han Lai Hotel in Kaohsiung. Lin Shu-ting, general manager of Han Lai Food, said that after Kaohsiung and Tainan, the third branch of "Celebrity Cuisine" at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi’s New World in Taichung is expected to open in January next year.

The Tainan branch of "Celebrity Cuisine" features four private dining rooms to accommodate group meals, which can also be combined to host larger gatherings. (Photo / Han Lai Food)

The Tainan branch of "Celebrity Cuisine" covers approximately 130 ping (about 430 square meters), with an open dining area that seats 68 guests, plus four separate private rooms, bringing the total seating capacity to 110. The interior design of the Tainan branch was handled by the team of renowned Japanese designer Yoshifumi Hashimoto. About 80% of the dishes on the menu are the same as those at the flagship store in Hong Kong, while 20% feature carefully selected local Taiwanese ingredients, as well as Chef Cheng Chin-fu (Brother Fu)’s exclusive dim sum creations inspired by Hong Kong but tailored for Taiwanese tastes. In addition to à la carte options, customers can also choose set meals.

Signature dishes at "Celebrity Cuisine" include: Brother Fu’s signature fried rice, red-braised wagyu beef, crispy young pigeon, amber crispy black pork, stir-fried pork belly tip with black bean and chili, bird’s nest-stuffed chicken wings, lobster soup congee, taro and plum-flavored duck pot, and crispy fried chicken. To celebrate the Tainan branch opening, Chef Cheng Chin-fu specially created a seasonal exclusive soup for the Tainan location using honey apples from Daxue Mountain in Lishan: "Lishan Honey Apple Pork Rib Soup."

Lishan Daxue Mountain honey apples grow at altitudes above 2,600 meters. The fruit is small and firm, exceptionally sweet and flavorful with no concerns over pesticide residue. The chef simmers a whole, seedless honey apple along with pork ribs, yam, and carrots in a broth that has been slow-cooked for four hours, then continues to cook the mixture for another hour. The sweet yet slightly tangy flavor of the honey apple fully infuses the soup, and even the pork ribs and yam are rich with the unique honey aroma of the apple.

The flavor of Lishan Daxue Mountain honey apples left Chef Cheng Chin-fu thoroughly impressed. However, since the harvest season only lasts two months, he asked Han Lai Food’s purchasing team to “buy as many as possible” and to “reserve them all for the Tainan branch.” To welcome the Year of the Dog, the dessert chef at the Tainan branch of "Celebrity Cuisine" has also specially designed adorable and eye-catching "Prosperity Flowing Sand Buns" — not only cute in appearance but also delightfully tasty.

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