Nouvelle Taiwan

Elevating humble, aboriginal ingredients in Taiwan is at the heart of Richie Lin’s culinary mission. Jessica Chan finds out how the head chef of MUME is shaking up the country’s fine dining scene.

After the restaurant shutters come down after every dinner service, it’s off to Tonghua Night Market. There, Richie Lin sits inconspicuously with his team, among locals and travellers, tucking into a bowl of gan yi mian (Tainan noodles with ground pork). It’s hard to guess that this man is, presently, one of Taiwan’s most sought-after chefs. Lin’s restaurant, MUME, recently snagged one Michelin star and the number 18 spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 list (MUME was also one of the two winners of the Highest Climber Award 2018, moving up 25 spots from last year’s 43), thanks to his idiosyncratic and impassioned showcase of Taiwanese produce. Think New Nordic cuisine served with aboriginal ingredients like maqaw (mountain pepper), fermented black beans or white asparagus from Changhua.

MUME sits in a quiet alley of Da’an, where Lin and his fellow culinary innovators, Long Xiong and Kai Ward, have been wowing diners with their elaborate and intricate dishes. His famed beef tartare surprises the palate with an intriguing burst of chye poh (preserved turnips) and shrimp sauce. “I left Hong Kong when I was 13 and lived in Toronto for 10 years,” recalls Lin. “The influence, on hindsight, was huge. It became natural for me to mix western elements with my Asian heritage; that is who I am.”