專訪｜玉天璽Diin Fusion主廚 陳國華：立新中式風骨，承粵菜風華

EDITOR Annie Chien｜TRANSLATOR Aurora Lin｜PHOTOGRAPHER Leon Hung

在台北大直這片名廚薈萃之地，新中式料理「玉天璽」近期悄然入駐。以鮑魚、排翅、花膠、官燕等頂級乾貨為底，帶來的是傳統粵菜最矜貴的那一面——每一道菜的背後，都是幾代師傅淬煉而來、以時間與功法成就的深厚工藝。

玉天璽廚房的靈魂人物，是香港出身的行政主廚陳國華（Chef Chan）。十三歲入行，從打荷、水台一路熬上來，在以嚴苛著稱的香港利苑酒家歷練多年，磨出了紮實的底子。三十六年廚房生涯，走過香港、落腳台灣，他始終篤信一件事：中餐的功夫，是積出來的，急不得。

這份緣分，也與一段二十年的廚人情誼有關。粵菜名廚溫國輝（Chef Wen）當年親自引路，帶著 Chef Chan 踏上台灣這片土地。料理人之間的相知相惜，本身便是一種無聲的見證。如今 Chef Chan 在玉天璽站穩腳跟，帶著他在香港累積的那份對待粵菜與乾貨的堅持，為台北的饕客重新詮釋，粵菜最雋永的風味。

Reimagining Chinese Refinement,
Preserving the Legacy of Cantonese Cuisine

In Taipei’s Dazhi district, a neighborhood renowned for its constellation of celebrated chefs and acclaimed dining destinations, Diin Fusion has quietly made its debut. Built upon a foundation of prized dried delicacies—abalone, shark’s fin, fish maw, and bird’s nest—the restaurant presents the most refined expression of traditional Cantonese cuisine. Behind every dish lies generations of craftsmanship, painstakingly honed through time, patience, and unwavering dedication.

At the heart of Diin Fusion stands Executive Chef Chan Kwok Wah, a Hong Kong native whose culinary journey began at the age of thirteen. From the humble ranks of kitchen apprentice to the demanding environment of Hong Kong’s renowned Lei Garden, he built his career step by step, earning a reputation grounded in discipline and perseverance. Over a culinary career spanning thirty-six years, from Hong Kong to Taiwan, Chef Chan has remained steadfast in one belief: true mastery in Chinese cuisine is accumulated over time. It cannot be rushed.

His connection to Taiwan is also rooted in a friendship forged over two decades. Acclaimed Cantonese chef Chef Wen personally guided Chef Chan to this island years ago, opening the door to a new chapter in his culinary career. The mutual respect shared between chefs is, in itself, a quiet testament to the bonds forged through a lifetime devoted to cooking. Today, firmly established at Diin Fusion, Chef Chan continues to uphold the values he cultivated in Hong Kong, bringing Taipei diners a renewed appreciation for the enduring elegance of Cantonese cuisine.

十三歲進廚房，Chef Chan 從最底層的崗位開始。打荷、水台、砧板，每一個位置都得老老實實待過，沒有捷徑。在香港利苑酒家的那幾年，是他廚藝生涯真正的轉捩點——利苑出了名的嚴格，做事做人都不容有絲毫馬虎。他說，從「看人做」到「人叫你做」，那種責任與心理狀態是完全不同的兩件事。正是那段歲月，徹底練就了他的手藝，也成就了他面對廚房的心理素質。「以前很多事情都是逼出來、罵出來的。」他說這話，不是在懷舊，而是在講一種學習的本質。傳統中餐的訓練，漫長卻完整。每個崗位都待過，每種食材都碰過，在一次又一次的實踐裡，慢慢摸清楚同一種乾貨在不同產地、不同季節之間的細微差異。這些細節，是讀書讀不來的，也無法壓縮。

落腳台灣之後，Chef Chan 多了另一種尋覓靈感的方式——逛市場。濱江市場是他常去的地方，習慣在攤位之間慢慢走，看看今天有什麼當季的好食材，哪樣東西讓他心裡一動。「看到好的食材和熱情的人，就會想嘗試創作。」那些尋常的市場早晨，激發了他日後在玉天璽端上桌的「脆皮百花釀鳳翼佐川椒汁」與「鳳梨叉燒咕嚕肉」。三十六年的廚房歲月，起點是角落裡打荷的少年，落點是玉天璽的廚房。扎實的底子從來不是過去式，它是今天每一道菜的根。

Chef Chan entered the kitchen at thirteen, beginning from the very bottom. Whether working the wok station, handling seafood preparation, or mastering the chopping board, every position demanded patience, discipline, and commitment. There were no shortcuts.His years at Lei Garden proved to be the defining chapter of his professional journey. The restaurant was renowned for its exacting standards, where neither cooking nor conduct allowed room for carelessness. Chef Chan recalls the profound difference between simply watching others work and being entrusted with responsibility yourself. The shift was more than technical—it was psychological.“Back then, many lessons were forced out of us—and often scolded into us,” he says with a smile.He is not reminiscing about hardship, but reflecting on the essence of learning. Traditional Chinese culinary training was demanding, yet remarkably complete. Every station had to be mastered. Every ingredient had to be understood. Through countless repetitions, he learned to recognize the subtle distinctions between the same dried delicacy sourced from different regions or harvested in different seasons. Such knowledge cannot be found in books, nor can it be compressed into a shortcut.

After settling in Taiwan, Chef Chan discovered another source of inspiration: the marketplace.Binjiang Market remains one of his favorite destinations. He enjoys wandering through the stalls at an unhurried pace, observing seasonal produce and searching for ingredients that spark an idea.
“When I come across exceptional ingredients and passionate people, it inspires me to create.”Many of the dishes now served at Diin Fusion—including Chicken Wing with Sichuan & Pepper Jus and Sweet & Sour Kurobuta Pork with Pineapple Glaze—can trace their origins back to those ordinary market mornings.Thirty-six years ago, his journey began as a young apprentice quietly working in the corner of a bustling kitchen. Today, it continues in the kitchen of Diin Fusion. The foundations he built over those decades are not relics of the past; they remain the roots of every dish he creates.

玉天璽的菜單，是一份以頂級乾貨細細鋪陳的味覺旅程。排翅、花膠、官燕、鮑魚，每一樣都是講究火候與積累的珍饈。「蠔皇18頭南非吉品鮑魚」是他心中最能代表自身料理理念的一道菜。選用南非18頭溏心鮑，以干貝、老母雞、雞腳熬製的頂湯長時間燜煮，老抽提色、蠔油增香，待鮑身充分吸飽湯汁精華，方才整顆完整上桌。深褐色的醬汁在白瓷盤上沉穩鋪展，鮮味濃縮，回甘持久。為什麼是這道？他說得很直接：「如果我們這一代不做、不傳承，這個味道可能就會永遠消失。」傳統粵菜的乾貨工藝，是幾代師傅留下來的技術，繁複耗時，真正能做好的廚師愈來愈少。Chef Chan 不想讓它在自己這一代人手上斷掉，這道鮑魚，是他對粵菜最真摯的一份回答。

另一道招牌「濃雞湯竹笙香煎排翅」，同樣講究底蘊。特別選用台灣在地水沙勾魚翅，以傳統粵菜工法發製，保留翅絲天然紋理與膠質，再以台灣玉米雞熬製的金黃雞湯輕輕勾薄芡，每一口翅絲均勻裹覆湯汁的鮮甜。早年在利苑酒家，他做的是更傳統的乾撈煎排翅；在玉天璽，他選擇讓在地食材與港式工法相互融合，讓台灣的食材，也能在傳統粵菜的脈絡裡，發出屬於自己的光澤。

At Diin Fusion, the menu unfolds as a culinary journey meticulously built around premium dried delicacies. Shark’s fin, fish maw, bird’s nest, and abalone are more than luxurious ingredients—they are the result of techniques refined through generations of Cantonese culinary tradition.Among all his creations, Chef Chan considers Braised dried abalone in oyster sauce the dish that most clearly represents his culinary philosophy.The dish features premium South African dried abalone, slowly braised in a superior stock made from dried scallops, old hen, and chicken feet. Dark soy sauce lends depth of color, while oyster sauce enriches the aroma. Only after the abalone has fully absorbed the essence of the stock is it presented whole.A deep mahogany glaze settles elegantly across the porcelain plate. The flavors are concentrated yet balanced, delivering lingering layers of umami and sweetness.Why this dish?His answer is immediate.“If our generation chooses not to continue making it, not to pass it on, then this flavor may disappear forever.”The craft of preparing premium dried delicacies represents generations of Cantonese culinary heritage. Complex, labor-intensive, and increasingly rare, these techniques are practiced by fewer chefs each year. Chef Chan is determined not to let that legacy end with his generation. This abalone dish stands as his most sincere tribute to Cantonese cuisine.

Another signature creation, Dry fried shark’s fin in chicken soup, reflects the same devotion to tradition.Prepared using locally sourced Taiwanese shark’s fin, the ingredient is meticulously rehydrated following classical Cantonese techniques to preserve its natural texture and gelatinous richness. A golden broth made from Taiwanese corn-fed chicken is lightly thickened, allowing each strand of shark’s fin to be evenly coated in the soup’s delicate sweetness.During his years at Lei Garden, Chef Chan prepared a more traditional dry-style pan-fried shark’s fin. At Diin Fusion, however, he has chosen to create a dialogue between local Taiwanese ingredients and Cantonese culinary techniques, allowing regional produce to shine within the framework of a timeless cuisine.

Chef Chan 對「新中式料理」有一份清晰而篤定的想法。擺盤可以走法式的精緻路線，視覺現代、有當代感；菜系的疆界也可以打破，將粵菜、潮州菜、川菜的精髓融會貫通，相輔相成。但粵菜靈魂裡的鑊氣，以及傳統味道的根基，他無論如何都會堅守。翻開他的菜單，這份堅持處處可見。「脆皮百花釀鳳翼佐川椒汁」以南非大白蝦手打蝦漿填入雞翅，高溫油炸至外皮金黃酥脆，沾醬以花椒與馬告調製而成，麻而不辣、香氣悠長，在傳統炸功之上，融入了潮州與台灣食材的風味語言。「鳳梨叉燒咕嚕肉」則更為大膽——頂級黑豬肉裹入新鮮金鑽鳳梨同炸，自製鳳梨乾疊香，特調糖醋醬汁收尾，一口咬下，豐沛肉汁與鳳梨清甜同時迸發，叉燒的醬香在底層穩穩托住整道菜的重心。

談到未來高端中餐的挑戰，Chef Chan 列了三點：廚藝傳承的斷層、年輕一代饕客口味的轉變，以及整個市場加速走向西式呈現的趨勢。「如何在西化潮流中守住中餐的魂，是極大的考驗。」對他而言，創新從來不是目的，讓那口鑊氣始終在場，才是。採訪進行時，他拿出多年珍藏的粵菜筆記，密密麻麻記下的是他想守護的珍味，也是他對粵菜最深的一份情。

Chef Chan holds a clear and unwavering vision of what contemporary Chinese cuisine should be.Presentation may embrace the elegance of French plating, offering a more contemporary visual language. Culinary boundaries may become fluid, allowing Cantonese, Teochew, and Sichuan influences to coexist and complement one another. Yet the soul of Cantonese cuisine—its prized wok hei and its respect for traditional flavors—must remain intact.This philosophy is evident throughout his menu.Chicken Wing with Sichuan & Pepper Jus features chicken wings stuffed with hand-chopped South African king prawn mousse before being fried until golden and crisp. The accompanying sauce combines Sichuan peppercorns and Taiwanese maqaw, delivering layers of fragrance and gentle numbing spice without overwhelming heat. Traditional Cantonese frying techniques meet the flavors of Teochew cuisine and Taiwan’s indigenous ingredients, creating a dish that feels both familiar and new.Equally expressive is Sweet & Sour Kurobuta Pork with Pineapple Glaze. Premium Kurobuta pork is fried alongside fresh Golden Diamond pineapple, layered with house-made dried pineapple, and finished with a specially crafted sweet-and-sour glaze. Each bite delivers succulent juices, vibrant fruit sweetness, and the savory depth of char siu, all in perfect balance.

When discussing the future of high-end Chinese dining, Chef Chan identifies three major challenges: the diminishing transmission of culinary craftsmanship, the changing tastes of younger generations, and the accelerating trend toward Western-style presentation.“How do we preserve the soul of Chinese cuisine amid the tide of Westernization? That is the greatest challenge.”For Chef Chan, innovation has never been the ultimate goal. What matters most is ensuring that the spirit of wok hei remains present.During the interview, he shares notebooks accumulated over decades of cooking. Filled with densely written notes, the pages record not only the flavors he hopes to preserve, but also the enduring affection he holds for Cantonese cuisine. They are a reflection of a lifetime devoted to the craft—and perhaps the most heartfelt expression of his commitment to its future.

INFO BOX
玉天璽
地址：臺北市中山區成功里敬業一路 192 號 1 樓
電話：（02）8502-9919