enya FASHION QUEEN

TEXT｜Coco Yang , TRANSLATION | Eugenia Yang

淺嚐一口來自法國的白蘆筍，清甜韻味搭配綠色巴倫茲醬，簡單燻烤後的鮪魚下巴依舊保有豐厚油脂，上方點綴的墨魚汁與木薯粉脆片，為鹹鮮層次捎上酥脆驚喜，以恰到好處的清爽開啟絕妙晚宴，透過舌尖解讀米其林三星主廚 Thomas Bühner 的三維料理哲學，跨越歐亞大陸的浩瀚底蘊，如今於台北大直 La Vie by Thomas Bühner 便能有機會一品。

純粹講究 

提起與寶島的不解之緣，Thomas Bühner 笑說其中有太多原由，起初因工作多次到訪台灣，進而產生了深刻印象，尤其善良的風土民情、豐碩的自然產物皆讓他難以忘懷，猶如隱形繩線所牽引的緣分，偶然遇見 Ray 之後，一拍即合的兩人便展開合夥計畫，歷經兩年籌備期，La Vie by Thomas Bühner 的雛形已然成真。對於餐廳的經營哲學，Thomas Bühner 透露最關鍵的為客人構築美好時刻與珍貴回憶，盡情享受每一道佳餚，呈現盡善盡美的用餐體驗，「著重食材各自的純粹天然風味；講究並調整烹調料理手法的過程；全方位延伸連貫每道料理的風味，呈現最完美的一餐。」面對東西方不同飲食文化的差異，Thomas Bühner 坦言一開始也做了不少功課，嘗遍高檔餐廳至巷弄小吃，爾後發現台灣人偏愛日料生食，便以低溫手法處理海鮮，將日料的風味元素添入首季套餐中，「我們的菜色是沒有分界的，最重要揉合了台灣的山林原野、河川海洋所孕育的最佳產品，並融入我的歐陸烹飪風格，賦予食客最澄淨的味蕾體驗。」

臻於至善  

放眼望去，廚房裡另一個繁忙身影，為擔任 La Vie by Thomas Bühner 行政主廚的楊展浩，Thomas Bühner 表示楊展浩是一位相當細膩的主廚，過往曾於 Majesty  美享地餐廳合作，如今兩人再度攜手，宛若兄弟般的默契表露無遺，透過意見交換、彼此聆聽，於討論中不斷激盪新穎花火，皆是相當有趣的過程。Thomas Bühner 更分享自己在廚房工作時，總是恪守「誠實」為最佳上策，「如何定義當代歐陸料理，一切皆建構在廚房的基礎上。」如此也印證了他對於廚房設備的極高標準，不僅全程參與前期規劃與配置，其運作動線的效率、節能要求乃至工作檯高度等細節，無不體現 Thomas Bühner 一絲不苟的縝密性格，而餐具挑選上，則大量採用比利時藝術家 Pieter Stockmans 的瓷器作品，搭配鶯歌陶瓷團隊量身訂製專用器皿，精準詮釋「工欲善其事，必先利其器。」之真諦，餐桌上賞心悅目的視覺表現，為感官捎來了層層驚喜。當問及最喜愛的餐廳一隅，Thomas Bühner 笑說正是透明半開放式廚房，藉由清楚一覽食材的烹調過程，無非是種與客人拉近距離的最佳方式。

活躍思維  

一路走來，積累超過三十年的 Fine Dining 料理靈魂，Thomas Bühner 表示保持活躍思考十足關鍵，以擅於傾聽與友善性格面對種種，便是他持續昇華自我的不二法門。若跳脫廚師身份，他進而分享閒暇時騎腳踏車的愛好，也經常邀請朋友們來家中用餐聚會，笑說台灣的小籠包與炒飯若在德國販售，肯定會受到不少人的喜愛，亦如  La Vie by Thomas Bühner 所傳遞的理念，日常中的快樂是需要被收集，且被創造出來的美麗回憶，冀望每一位到訪的賓客，皆能擁有無比歡愉的舌尖韶光。之於現下給予年輕廚師的建議，Thomas Bühner 道出了幽默卻不失意藴的答案，「遠離女朋友、適當努力、專心致志。」放眼未來，他則期望能持續推陳出新，將乾淨簡潔且令人難忘的餐點層次，毫無保留地呈現，吸引同樣追求美妙生活的饕客，更立足全球頂級 Fine Dining 必訪之地，溫柔話語中滿是從容自信。

Savor a bite of French white asparagus and enjoy its delicate sweetness complemented by the green Paloise sauce, the richness of the lightly grilled tuna jowl and the crispy surprise brought by the adored squid ink and cassava crisps – a refreshingly balanced appetizer opens for a marvelous dinner set. As we begin to understand the three-dimensional culinary philosophy of Michelin three-star chef Thomas Bühner, we are invited to embark on a flavorful journey through the vast depths of Eurasia. Now, at La Vie by Thomas Bühner in Dazhi district, Taipei, we finally have the opportunity to taste it all. 

It’s All About Purity 

When asked about the connection he built with this treasure island, Bühner chuckled and said there are simply too many reasons behind it. He first had the opportunity to visit Taiwan for business and was instantly impressed by the amicable local customs and bountiful natural produce. As if tugged by an invisible thread of fate, he met Ray and the two decided to come up with a partnership plan. After two years of preparation, La Vie by Thomas Bühner was finally grounded in reality. For Bühner, the key to his managing philosophy is to create beautiful moments and precious memories for his guests, allowing them to fully enjoy each dish through building a flawless dining experience. “To present the perfect meal, we focus on the pure and natural flavors of the ingredients, pay attention to the cooking techniques while making adjustments when needed and try to bring together the flavors of different dishes in the set.” In the face of the differences between Eastern and Western food cultures, he admitted that he conducted a lot of research in the beginning. After trying countless restaurants – from high-end meals to street food – he noticed how Taiwanese people preferred raw seafood as seen in Japanese cuisines. Which is why he decided to incorporate elements of Japanese flavors into the seasonal menu through using cooking techniques that worked with low-temperature. “Our dishes are not confined by boundaries. The most important thing is to combine the best ingredients nurtured by the mountains, forests, rivers and oceans in Taiwan with my European cooking style and deliver a taste experience that is pure and refined.” 

Strive for Perfection 

If you take a closer look in the kitchen, you will notice another busy figure – Xavier Yeung, the executive chef of La Vie by Thomas Bühner, who Bühner described as a highly meticulous chef. Having previously worked together at Majesty, the two once again partnered up and displayed a seamless understanding that can only be found between brothers. Through exchanging ideas and listening to each other’s opinion attentively, they are constantly creating new ideas without losing a sense of fun during the process. Bühner further shared with us that, in the kitchen, he always adhered to honesty, as he saw it as the best approach. “Contemporary European cuisine is built upon the foundations of the kitchen.” This is also reflected in his high standards for the kitchen equipment used at the restaurant. Not only involved in the planning and configuration during the early stages, but he was also precise about the efficiency of traffic flow in the kitchen, energy conservation and even the small details such as the height of the work stations – everything was a demonstration of the head chef’s attention to detail. As for tableware, Bühner chose from the wide selection of porcelain pieces from Belgian artist Pieter Stockmans, along with custom-made utensils from the ceramics team in Yingge, perfectly showcasing the essence of the saying, one must have the right tools for the job. The visually stunning presentation displayed on the dining table brings, with no doubt, layers of sensory surprises for the diners. Of all the corners of the restaurant, Bühner chose the semi-open kitchen which is transparent, as his favorite, for it allows his guests to observe the cooking process clearly, which is the best way to connect with them and establish intimacy and proximity. 

Active Mindset 

Having accumulated over 30 years of fine dining experience, Bühner believed maintaining an active and thoughtful mindset, while being a good listener and approaching various situations with a friendly demeanor are the keys to continuous self-improvement. During his leisure time, he loves to cycle when he is not cooking and often hosts dinner parties for his friends. Smiling, he said if Taiwanese xiao long bao and fried rice are sold in Germany, they would surely gain popularity. Like the philosophy conveyed by La Vie by Thomas Bühner, where happiness in daily life should be collected and beautiful memories should be created, he hoped that each and every guest who chose to dine at his restaurant would enjoy a delightful culinary experience. To the aspiring young chefs, Bühner humorously offered his advice, “Stay away from your girlfriends, work hard appropriately and always stay focused.” Setting eyes on the future, he aims to continue to innovate and present simple but unforgettable dishes. In the hopes of attracting diners who also wish to pursue the wonders in life, he strives – with confidence and composure – for La Vie by Thomas Bühner to become a must-visit fine dining restaurant in the world.