The Touch of Culinary Art – World-Class Chefs from Taiwan

“I love my hometown, so I’ve made Taiwan my home.” Angelo explains that both Taiwan and Sicily are surrounded by the sea, which gives them many similarities in natural environment and food supply. More importantly, the people are just as warm-hearted.

Growing up by the sea in Sicily, Angelo’s father was a fisherman. He never imagined becoming a chef as a child, but fell in love with cooking during a summer job at a restaurant. With the intelligence and passion characteristic of Sicilians, Angelo continued his culinary journey. He says, “Working in kitchens around the world has given me the chance to observe the eating habits of different cultures.” Three years ago, when he came to Taiwan as Executive Chef at L’ATELIER de Joël Robuchon, Angelo expressed his gratitude to Chef Joël Robuchon for giving him the opportunity to discover the warmth of Taiwanese people through food.

 

Although he worked at a French restaurant, the chefs came from various countries, and Chef Robuchon allowed them to incorporate elements of their hometown dishes into the menu. However, the creative freedom was limited. Chef Angelo playfully said, “Chef Robuchon would sometimes say: This is too Italian!” But more and more guests began requesting “Angelo’s special” dishes. Gradually, he realized that Taiwanese tastes aren’t so different from those back in Sicily. Many even encouraged him to cook authentic Italian cuisine. With the support of friends, Angelo finally opened his own restaurant in Taipei’s East District, named after himself. To symbolize the fulfillment of his dream, Chef Angelo personally designed the restaurant logo—a silver, wing-like emblem representing the three W’s: Wind, Wave, and Wing. He hopes every guest can experience the same sense of freedom and joy as “riding the wind,” “chasing the waves,” and “spreading their wings” through his cooking.

 

Stepping into Angelo Restaurant, designed in a minimalist style, the most eye-catching feature is the open kitchen, where you can clearly watch the chef at work. Sitting at the bar not only allows you to observe the cooking process up close but also interact with the chefs. Chef Angelo explained that the concept of a “Live Restaurant” is to let guests better understand how their meals are prepared—and “I guarantee I make every dish myself!” Beyond strengthening the bond between chef and diner, sitting at the bar with only 13 seats (13 being Angelo’s lucky number), guests can also enjoy Chef Angelo’s “Mandarin lessons.” Having lived in Taiwan for three years, Angelo has been learning Chinese in his spare time and even chats with bar patrons in Mandarin and Taiwanese.

 

Having worked as a chef across Europe and Asia, Angelo always creatively infuses local elements into his dishes, ensuring guests are always surprised. More importantly, he wants every customer—whether elderly or young—to feel relaxed and enjoy the meal without any stiffness. “Everyone who comes to my restaurant is my friend, and that’s the feeling I have when I cook for them!”

The main course, Gamalan pork ribs, refers to toxin-free pork from Yilan. Chef Angelo revealed that during his ingredient sourcing trip, he also fell in love with Yilan’s beautiful scenery and food, so “how could pork from Yilan not be delicious?” With just a touch of butter, the dish perfectly highlights the pork’s tender texture and chewiness. The dessert, “Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake with Ricotta Cheese Filling,” showcases the complexity and layered textures of Italian desserts. The rum is poured over the cheese filling only when served, blending the sweet liquor with the slightly salty cheese in a way that’s hard to describe but perfectly concludes the meal.

 

Emphasizing an “Easy Life” philosophy, Chef Angelo has not only created an approachable, minimalist restaurant but also quickly integrated into local life. He’s fallen in love with Yilan’s scenery and cuisine, and even goes surfing at Wushih Port during his days off. Next time you see this stylish chef on the beach, don’t forget to give him a warm Italian-style hug.

 

[Profile] Angelo Aglianò

Born in 1976 in Syracuse, Sicily, Italy, Angelo entered the culinary industry at 17. In 1997, he became Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan, studying under Sergio Mei, once regarded as Italy’s best chef, for two years. In 2008, he joined the Joël Robuchon Group, where he served as Executive Chef at the two-Michelin-starred Metropole Hotel in Morocco, as well as at L’ATELIER de Joël Robuchon in Hong Kong and Taipei. In 2013, he opened Angelo Restaurant in Taipei, where he serves as head chef.

 

[Info] Angelo Restaurant

Address: 1F, No. 22, Lane 6, Alley 170, Section 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei City

Phone: 02-2751-0790

Hours: Lunch 11:30–15:00, Dinner 18:00–22:30 (reservations required)

Prices: Stewed Shrimp and Squid with Fennel and Chickpeas 620 TWD, Saffron Risotto with Milanese Ossobuco 650 TWD, Gamalan Pork Ribs 980 TWD, Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake with Ricotta Cheese Filling 360 TWD

Website: www.angelo.tw

A single duck turned a restaurant with a dismal monthly turnover of just 800,000 TWD into one raking in 14 million TWD—a legendary story that has made “Peking Duck Patriarch” Lin Ruiyong the envy of many. Having worked for years in the Regent Group and specializing in Shanghai-Hangzhou cuisine, Chef Lin unexpectedly became famous for his roast duck, surprising many who knew him. “It’s not just the roast duck. Before reaching this point, I never imagined I’d end up in Yilan,” Chef Lin Ruiyong laughs.