Taiwan's Michelin: The Cost Under the Stars and a Redefinition

30-second overview: Michelin landed in Taiwan in 2018 and expanded from 1 city to 8 areas over 8 years, growing from 127 restaurants to 419.
But what really changed wasn't the business of starred restaurants — it was those "almost up to standard" restaurants, which had to bear the cost of chasing stars without the corresponding customer flow to support them,
and ended up worse off than restaurants that didn't participate in this game at all. This is a story about the re-ranking of Taiwan's catering industry.

On the evening of March 14, 2018, at 8:17 p.m., the first applause echoed through the banquet hall of the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Michelin Guide International Director Gwendal Poullennec announced: the Michelin Guide Taipei was officially released. In that moment, the Taiwan catering industry was divided by an invisible line — those on the line got their stars, and those below had to decide: spend money chasing stars, or completely quit this game.

Eight years later, the numbers look impressive: 419 restaurants selected (2025), 53 starred restaurants, covering 8 areas. But behind these numbers, a group of "almost up to standard" restaurants are under the greatest pressure — they invested huge costs to improve the environment, train staff, and upgrade ingredient quality in pursuit of stars, but got no stars and no increase in customer flow.

This is the real story of Taiwan's catering industry: not a confrontation between tradition and internationalization, but a redefinition of "up to standard" and "not up to standard."

The Watershed: The Night That Changed Everything

The Choice of 127 Restaurants

The first edition of the Michelin Guide Taipei in 2018 included 127 restaurants, of which 24 were starred restaurants and 36 were Bib Gourmand recommendations. This number itself reveals Michelin's strategy: not only to certify high-end restaurants, but also to prove that it understands Taiwan's food culture.

What was most surprising at the time was not that Din Tai Fung (Le Palais) got two stars — that was expected. What was shocking was that street stalls like A-Zong Noodles, Du Xiao Yue, and Fu Hong Beef Noodles also received Bib Gourmand recommendations. A bowl of 60-yuan noodles and an 8,000-yuan French meal were listed in the same guide.

"At the time, we saw amazing food diversity in Taipei," the Asia Regional Director of the Michelin Guide explained, "from traditional market vendors to five-star hotel restaurants, every level has reasons worth recommending."

📝 Curator's Note

Michelin's strategy for entering Taiwan was clear: use Bib Gourmand recommendations to prove that it is not an "outsider colonizer,"
but an "evaluation that understands local culture." This strategy was very successful, but it also planted the seeds of later controversies.

Expansion of Territory: Not a Random Geographic Choice

Michelin's development trajectory in Taiwan clearly reflects the geographical context of Taiwan's food culture:

1. 2018 — Taipei launch, highest degree of internationalization
2. 2020 — Taichung enters, innovative snack town
3. 2022 — Tainan listed, deepest cultural heritage
4. 2024 — Kaohsiung listed, rich seafood culture
5. 2025 — New Taipei City, Hsinchu City, completing the northern Taiwan ecological circle

This order is not based on administrative divisions, but follows the natural distribution of Taiwan's catering strength. From Taipei, which is easiest for international evaluation to understand, to Tainan, which requires local knowledge to appreciate, Michelin completed its exploration of Taiwan's food territory in 8 years.

Stars in the Sky: Taiwan's Interpretation of Three-Star Restaurants

Din Tai Fung: The Ultimate Presentation of Cantonese Craftsmanship

Located in the Grand Hyatt, Din Tai Fung (Le Palais) won two stars in 2018, was promoted to three stars in 2019, and has been consecutively ranked as three stars for 8 years. It represents not only the refinement of Cantonese cuisine, but also proves that Chinese cuisine can reach the highest standards of Michelin.

Chef Chen Wei-qiang's roast duck has a crispy skin that makes a crisp sound when touched with a knife, and the meat is juicy but not greasy. Behind this dish is 48 hours of preparation time: using 90-day-old Qingyuan Peking duck, air-dried for 24 hours, slow-cooked for 3 hours, with each step's temperature controlled to the degree Celsius.

"The essence of Cantonese cuisine lies in the details," Chen Wei-qiang said, "a difference of 30 seconds in the cooking time of a steamed egg white makes a completely different taste."

Taïrroir: The Pioneer of Sino-French Fusion

Chef He Shun-kai founded Taïrroir after returning from Restaurant André in Singapore. He won one star in 2018, was promoted to two stars in 2019, and achieved three stars in 2024. His "Sino-French fusion" redefined what "international expression of Taiwan flavor" means.

The most famous "Taiwanese beef with sturgeon" perfectly combines Tainan wagyu beef, Penghu sturgeon, and French sous vide technique. The beef is cooked in a 58°C constant temperature water bath for 2 hours to maintain a red color; the sturgeon is shaved into thin slices, with salty fragrance and beef sweetness forming layers.

"I'm not trying to make French food, nor am I trying to make Taiwanese food," He Shun-kai explained, "I want to make French food for Taiwanese people, or say, Taiwanese food for French people."

JL Studio: Taichung's Interpretation of Southeast Asian Spices

Located in Taichung, JL Studio's chef Lin Tian-yao brought the experience of Restaurant André in Singapore back to Taiwan, creating a refined cuisine full of Southeast Asian charm. It won three stars in 2021, becoming the third and only three-star restaurant in Taichung.

The signature "Pokok" (the meaning of "tree" in Malay) is based on Taiwan's local vegetables, matched with coconut milk, lemongrass, and lemon leaves, presenting a three-dimensional shape like a tree. This dish requires 16 different vegetables, each with a different processing method: some are eaten raw, some are smoked, and some are fermented.

"I want to prove that Taiwan is not only about Taiwanese food and French food, but also has more possibilities," Lin Tian-yao said.

✦ "The real three-star restaurant is not to bring foreign techniques to Taiwan, but to express Taiwan's spirit in the language of the world."

Bib Gourmand Recommendations: The International Certification and Controversy of Folk Food

The Dignity of Affordable Food

The original intention of the Bib Gourmand recommendation (Bib Gourmand) was to certify restaurants that can enjoy high-quality meals for less than 1,000 yuan. In 2025, a total of 144 restaurants in Taiwan received Bib Gourmand recommendations, of which nearly 60% are Taiwan's local snacks.

When A-Zong Noodles (founded in 1975) received the Bib Gourmand recommendation, this small 4-tsubo shop faced unprecedented challenges. The queue jumped from the original 10-15 people to 50-100 people, but the boss A-Zong insisted on not expanding the storefront: "I'd rather let customers wait a little longer than compromise the quality of each bowl of noodles."

This choice soon sparked discussions: can commercial success and cultural heritage be reconciled?

⚠️ Controversial Viewpoint

Michelin's Bib Gourmand recommendation gave traditional snacks international certification, but also changed their business ecology.
Supporters believe this has enhanced the international status of Taiwan's folk food; critics believe this has destroyed the "folksy nature" of snacks.

Redefinition of Price and Quality

Restaurants that received Bib Gourmand recommendations almost all raised their prices. Niu Lao Da's hot pot went from 800 yuan per set to 1,200 yuan; Din Tai Fung's xiaolongbao went from 160 yuan to 220 yuan. This concept of "high quality at a high price" has gradually been accepted by Taiwan's consumers.

But the real problem is not the price increase, but the change in cost structure. In order to maintain Michelin certification, these restaurants must:

• Improve ingredient quality (cost increase of 20-30%)
• Strengthen staff training (labor cost increase of 15-25%)
• Improve dining environment (one-time investment of 500,000 to 2 million)
• Establish standardized procedures (operating cost increase of 10-15%)

These costs are not one-time, but need to be continuously invested every year. For restaurants that have received Bib Gourmand recommendations, the increase in customer flow can support these costs; but for "almost up to standard" restaurants that are not selected, this creates enormous pressure.

Green Revolution: Sustainable Catering Practices in Taiwan

Awakening of Environmental Awareness

In 2021, Michelin began to award the Green Star (Green Star), which honors restaurants that excel in sustainable operations. Taiwan currently has 7 restaurants with Green Stars, from EMBERS in Taipei to Thomas Chien in Kaohsiung, showing different sustainable concepts.

EMBERS is the first restaurant in Taiwan to receive the Green Star. Chef Guo Ting-wei directly cooperates with more than 20 small farmers in Yilan and Hualien, with menus changing with the seasons and only using seasonal organic vegetables. The restaurant even set up a "farmer fund" to pre-pay to help farmers get through the off-season.

"We're not just buying vegetables, we're supporting a way of life," Guo Ting-wei explained, "when urban restaurants start to care about the sustainable development of rural areas, food is no longer just food."

Refinement of Taiwan Agriculture

The rise of Green Star restaurants has driven the transformation and upgrading of Taiwan's agriculture. When starred restaurants start to demand "environmentally friendly," "pesticide-free," and "traceable" ingredients, farmers also begin to think about how to improve product quality.

Located in Taichung, Tu Pang (Tu Pang), newly certified with the Green Star in 2025. This restaurant not only uses organic vegetables, but also develops new varieties with farmers. They cooperated with an organic farmer in Changhua to cultivate a purple carrot with higher sweetness; with a farmer in Nantou to experiment with the impact of different altitudes on tea flavor.

"When restaurants and farms start to communicate, Taiwan's land has new possibilities," the chef of Tu Pang said.

The Cost: The Dark Side of the Michelin Effect

The Dilemma of "Almost Up to Standard"

Michelin's greatest impact is not to make good restaurants better, but to create a "effort trap." Those "almost up to standard" restaurants — the food quality is not bad, the service can also be, but just not selected — face the greatest pressure.

A French restaurant chef in Taipei (requesting anonymity) revealed: "In order to compete for Michelin certification, we spent 3 million on renovation, sent chefs to study in France, and introduced top-grade ingredients. The result is that we didn't even get selected. Now we have an additional 500,000 in monthly costs, but the number of customers hasn't increased, and we've even lost some old customers due to price increases."

This dilemma exists throughout Taiwan. According to estimates by catering industry practitioners, there are about 200-300 restaurants across the country in this "neither here nor there" state: they invested in chasing stars, but did not get the corresponding return.

📝 Curator's Note

This is the cruelest side of the Michelin effect: it not only certifies excellence, but also redefines the standard of "qualified."
Before, it was enough to have good food and decent service; now you must reach the "Michelin standard," otherwise you are "not good enough."

The Matthew Effect of Talent Flow

Michelin certification has intensified the talent flow in the catering industry. Starred restaurants can offer higher salaries, provide better training opportunities, and give employees more international exposure, forming a "stronger gets stronger" Matthew effect.

A young chef working in a starred restaurant said: "I used to work in a pretty good Italian restaurant, but it didn't have Michelin certification. Later I jumped to a one-star restaurant, with a salary increase of 10,000 yuan, and the opportunity to study in Italy. Looking back now, the Italian restaurant's food is actually not bad, but it just lacks that star."

This talent flow makes it more difficult for "almost up to standard" restaurants to maintain quality, forming a vicious cycle.

Restructuring of the Ingredient Supply Chain

Michelin certification has also changed the ingredient supply chain. Starred restaurants' requirements for ingredients have driven the upgrading of the entire supply chain: stricter quality control, more complete traceability systems, and higher prices.

This is good for Taiwan's agriculture, but it also creates a hierarchy. Top-grade ingredients are prioritized for starred restaurants, while ordinary restaurants can only choose second-tier ingredients, or bear higher costs.

Cultural Conflict: French Standards and Taiwan Food Culture

Challenges of Evaluation Criteria Adaptation

The core of Michelin's evaluation is the "Fine Dining" standard: layered taste, precise plating, and formal service procedures. But Taiwan's food culture emphasizes "shared dishes," "lively atmosphere," and "human feelings."

The most obvious example is the evaluation of Taiwanese cuisine. Shangri-La's Mountain and Sea House won a star because its space design, utensil selection, and sommelier configuration all met the Fine Dining standard. But many food lovers believe that the most authentic Taiwanese food should be eaten at a round table, with chopsticks, and with Taiwan beer, rather than in a partitioned meal with red wine.

"When we use French standards to judge Taiwanese food, are we still judging Taiwanese food?" food writer Cai Zhu-er raised this question.

Dilemmas of Traditional Snacks

For traditional snacks, Michelin certification brings more complex challenges. A-Zong Noodles' success proves that folk food can receive international certification, but it also raises the question of "will commercialization destroy tradition?"

Wufang Beef Noodles' queue time was extended from 15 minutes to 1-2 hours after receiving the Bib Gourmand recommendation. The boss faced a choice: whether to expand the storefront, increase seats, and hire more staff? In the end, he chose to maintain the original state, preferring to let customers wait longer rather than change the business model.

But not all businesses have the "temerity" to do so.

⚠️ Controversial Viewpoint

Michelin's influence on Taiwan's food culture has received polarized opinions: supporters believe it has enhanced the international status and quality awareness;
critics believe that judging Eastern culture with Western standards is essentially a form of cultural colonialism.

Competitors and Challenges: The Loosening of Michelin's Authority

The Challenge of the World's 50 Best Restaurants

In addition to Michelin, the influence of "The World's 50 Best Restaurants" is on the rise. This selection, hosted by the British Restaurant magazine, uses a jury voting system and focuses more on innovation and topics.

Taiwanese restaurants have not performed outstandingly in this selection, but this selection system has given Michelin an important reminder: evaluation is not a monopoly, and standards are not immutable.

Democratization of Evaluation in the Digital Age

Google ratings, social media, and food bloggers are challenging Michelin's authority. Younger consumers are more likely to believe Instagram food photos than Michelin Guide recommendations.

AKAME restaurant in Pingtung is a good example. This restaurant, which specializes in indigenous cuisine, has never applied for Michelin evaluation, but has extremely high popularity on social media, with reservations more difficult than any starred restaurant.

"Some restaurants don't care about external evaluations," cultural commentator Zhan Weixiong observed, "they just want to do what they like, and break even every month. This may be another future of Taiwan's catering industry."

Redefinition: The Next Chapter of Taiwan's Fine Dining

The International Expression of Taiwan Flavor

Eight years of experience shows that the most successful Taiwan restaurants are not deliberately branded as "Taiwanese food," but use modern techniques to interpret Taiwan's ingredients and taste memories.

Jiang Zhen-cheng of RAW has never said he makes Taiwanese food, but his dishes are full of Taiwan elements: bergamot, broken cloth, Taitung jackfruit. When foreigners taste his dishes, they feel the charm of Taiwan's local flavor, rather than a specific cuisine name.

"The important thing is not what the dish is called," Jiang Zhen-cheng said, "but whether it can convey Taiwan's unique cultural connotation."

The Balance Between Technology and Emotion

The future of Taiwan's fine dining must find a balance between technological advancement and emotional connection. Michelin has promoted the improvement of technical standards, but the soul of Taiwan's food is still that warm human feeling.

When dining at Taïrroir, you not only taste refined dishes, but also feel the warmth and hospitality of Taiwanese people. This combination of "technology + temperature" may be the unique advantage of Taiwan's restaurants.

The Taiwan Model of Sustainable Development

With the establishment of the Green Star award, sustainable operations will become a trend in the future. Taiwan has unique advantages in this regard: rich agricultural resources, short-distance supply chain from farm to table, and deep environmental awareness.

The future of Taiwan's fine dining will not only pursue sensory satisfaction, but also bear environmental and social responsibilities. When restaurants start to care about farmers' income, think about the carbon footprint of ingredients, and reduce food waste, they are no longer just restaurants, but also a force promoting social progress.

💡 Did You Know

Taiwan is the only region in Asia where restaurants have simultaneously received Michelin stars and Green Stars.
Mountain and Sea House has both one star and Green Star, proving that sustainability and excellence can be achieved at the same time.

Epilogue: Reflections Under the Stars

Michelin Guide's 8 years in Taiwan witnessed the process of the catering industry from quantitative change to qualitative change. 53 starred restaurants, 144 Bib Gourmand recommendations, and 419 selected restaurants — behind these numbers are countless chefs, waiters, farmers, and ingredient suppliers' efforts.

But what really matters is not the number of stars, but the Michelin effect has made us re-think: what is a good restaurant? What is Taiwan's flavor? Under the global evaluation standards, how do we maintain the uniqueness of culture?

Michelin may come from France, but the starlight blooming on the land of Taiwan is already infused with the strong flavor of Taiwan. These stars are not only a guarantee of quality, but also a manifestation of cultural confidence. They tell the world: Taiwan is not only delicious snacks, but also world-class fine dining; Taiwan is not only about preserving tradition, but also about creating the future.

But we must also face the cost of the Michelin effect honestly: those restaurants struggling at the edge of the stars, traditional snacks whose ecology has been changed, and "almost up to standard" restaurants under pressure. Is this the inevitable cost of pursuing excellence, or a systemic problem that can be improved?

In the starry night sky of Taiwan's catering industry, every star is telling the same story: this is a food paradise that is both traditional and modern, both local and international. But the real challenge is not to get more stars, but to not lose the soul of Taiwan's food culture in the process of pursuing international certification.

This is Taiwan, this is our self-reflection under the stars.

References

• The Complete List of Michelin Guide Taiwan 2025
• Global Evaluation, Local Eating: Rethinking the Cross-Cultural Significance of Michelin - VERSE
• Earth Day: How MICHELIN Green Star Restaurants In Asia Are Doing Their Part With Sustainable Practices
• 2025 Michelin | The Michelin Guide Taiwan 2025 Star List Revealed - Vogue Taiwan
• [Michelin Guide Taiwan 2025] 144 Restaurants Selected for Bib Gourmand Recommendations](https://guide.michelin.com/tw/zh_TW/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/michelin-guide-taiwan-2025-bib-gourmand-selection)