TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Maeda Tetsuro, the chef behind Txispa, one of Spain’s Basque Country’s most acclaimed Michelin-starred destinations, has completed an exclusive four-day residency at Villa 32.
Originally from Kanazawa, Japan, Maeda spent years honing the art of Basque grilling, or asador, in the secluded mountain village of Axpe.
His debut in Taiwan was more than a guest appearance — it was a culinary expedition. The event sold out instantly during the reservation phase, becoming one of the most coveted invitations of the new year.
Maeda said that during the planning stages, he declined offers of Japanese Wagyu or Australian beef, insisting instead on local Taiwanese cattle.
"I heard that the rating of local beef might not be the highest, but I wanted to try it," Maeda said. A month before his arrival, he guided the Villa 32 team via video calls through a precise 1°C oil-aging process to deepen the meat's complexity.
Upon tasting the results in person, Maeda was struck by the quality. “It is very special. While Taiwanese cattle are younger — only 2 to 3 years old compared to the 12-year-old retired cows I use in Spain — the texture is fascinating. I see immense potential in this local product.”
He noted that while Japanese Wagyu is prized for its sweetness, its extreme marbling can lack balance.
"Taiwanese beef offers a superior structural balance," Maeda said. "The aroma of the fire and the flavor of the meat engage in a perfect dialogue. It possesses a wildness that I find incredibly compelling."
Beyond the grill, Maeda explored local fishing ports. Faced with an eclectic array of catches, he observed a difference in supply philosophy.
"Most restaurants demand consistency — the same fish for every guest — which is easier for the supply chain," he said. "But in Taiwan, the biodiversity is breathtaking. We must change our mindset to adapt to what the land provides."
This adaptive spirit is rooted in his early, minimalist years in the Basque Country. Reflecting on his journey as a young chef in Spain, Maeda recalled how working in resource-scarce environments fostered a reverence for nature.
This self-reliant philosophy leads him to handcraft nearly all his condiments, including a soy-style sauce brewed from fish protein. "Even without global suppliers or the internet, as long as you have your senses, you can create a masterpiece."
The 13-course menu infused Taiwanese ingredients with Basque fire, beginning with the cabbage and kumquat. This dish featured a crystalline broth of Pingtung Liudui black pork rib, extracted at low temperatures to reflect Maeda’s culinary evolution in Spain.
The menu also nodded to local street culture in the txorizo and gua bao, which paired Basque-style chorizo with a spread of salted egg yolks boiled in Beitou’s signature green sulfur hot spring water.
"I love the process of thinking and the intensity of the fire, but I refuse to be a prisoner to mechanical kitchen tasks," Maeda said.
In a display of minimalist precision, the Yilan carabinero prawn was grilled unsalted and shell-side down over an open flame to preserve its natural sweetness.
This approach underscores Maeda’s belief that "less is more," focusing entirely on the exactitude of the heat. The sequence further highlighted local biodiversity with the alfonsino and white water snowflake, featuring fish aged for five days to concentrate its texture, served alongside a house-made fish-protein sauce and charred white water snowflake.
Maeda’s flagship restaurant sits in a village of just 100 people. He brought that intimacy to Villa 32, encouraging guests to break the sourdough bread with their bare hands to connect with its warmth.
As the meal concluded with a delicate cherry blossom pudding, Maeda said excellence does not require the most expensive ingredients. "The resonance between balance and the aroma of the fire," he concluded, "is the true soul of cooking."
(Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
