Makito Hiratsuka Takes Desserts to New Heights

A self-styled culinary vagabond, Makito Hiratsuka traveled the world, working alongside top chefs in Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain and Singapore before settling in Taipei, where he opened his high-end dessert bar akaruE. akaruE is“Eureka” rendered in reverse, but it also means“open” in Japanese. Chef Makito is eager to introduce adventurous Taiwanese diners to his wonderfully creative desserts, offering a memorable dining experience laden with rich textures, exotic flavors, and bold combinations.

“Through my desserts I want to share my stories,” says Chef Makito. “These stories are the inspiration for my creations. I want diners to join me on a journey of discovery.”

His desserts are all made from scratch, and visitors to the dessert bar can watch him at work as he and his team expertly assemble the edible art.

“Locally grown fruits are a basic component of the desserts,” he says, “alongside jiu niang (fermented rice), magao (a Taiwanese spice), and Taiwanese basil. Taiwan is a small island, but it produces many unique ingredients like chocolate and whiskey.

”For his first collaboration with EVA Air, he created Crab & Ikura Cheesecake and Edamame Pannacotta.

Following a trip to northern Japan, Chef Maki¬to was enamored with the quality of the local seafood and decided to experiment with it as a pastry com¬ponent. “I started to use fresh uni (sea urchin) as a savory element, as well as fish roe and seaweed,” he says. “The fresh snow crab for EVA’s Crab & Ikura Cheesecake is flown in di¬rectly from Hokkaido.

”The inspiration for Edamame Pannacotta also rooted in Japan. Chef Makito says his hometown of Ishinomaki, which was seriously affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, is famous for a variety of dishes made from edamame, and that his grandmother often prepared mochi pastries using the beans. “For this collaboration with EVA, I wanted to make a personal connection,” he says. “It represents a bridge between my origins in Japan and my new life in Taiwan.”

Beginning July 1, Crab & Ikura Cheesecake will be available to Premium Laurel Class pas¬sengers flying from Taipei to LA (BR12). Edamame Pannacot¬ta will be served to Premium Laurel Class passengers flying from Taipei to LA (BR12) and Taipei to San Francisco (BR18). The Edamame Pannacotta is paired with refreshing Taiwan Jinxuan Oolong Tea by Nick Wu, the host of Bar Mood, one of Asia’s 50 best bars.

Executive Chef Weng-Kuang Hsu of Yu Yue Lou Showcases Splendors of Cantonese Cuisine

Yu Yue Lou Restaurant in Nantun, Taichung, has attracted domestic and international attention since opening in 2015 and has held Michelin Plate rating for three consecutive years since 2020. The man at the helm of Yu Yue Lou is Executive Chef Wen-Kuang Hsu.

Chef Hsu was born in Sha Tin District, Hong Kong, and learned to prepare authentic Cantonese cuisine at a very young age under the tutelage of his father. After his training at the revered and Michelin-recognized Lei Garden in Hong Kong, Chef Hsu served as head chef and executive chef at various major hotels and restaurants, including Hotel Royal, My Humble House Group, The Dragon at Sheraton Grand Taipei, and Le Méridien Taipei. He was even invited to cater a banquet hosted at the Presidential Office in Taipei.

After 40 years in the business, Chef Hsu understands the profound diversity of Cantonese cuisine from streetside snacks to high-end abalone. Many classic dishes are no longer made with traditional ingredients and flavors, and sophisticated techniques have been lost. Chef Hsu studied old recipes of classic Hong Kong dishes made by his father in the 1950s and has recreated several of them in Taiwan, impressing gourmets visiting Yu Yue Lou Restaurant.

The main entrées in Royal Laurel Class, Braised Whole Abalone and Mushroom with Oyster Sauce, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Seasonal Vegetables, and Stir-Fried Rice with Sausages, feature premium dried abalone that has been soaked for two weeks to ensure a rich and profound flavor and tender texture. The three-part appetizer, Scallop with Sichuan Pepper Sauce, Marinated Radish, and BBQ Pork Char Siu with Grated Mullet Roe, includes Char Siu made with classic BBQ pork sauce and mullet roe for a surf-and-turf taste. Fish maw is braised with black garlic that has been fermented for 20 days for the nourishing soup Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Black Garlic and Fish Maw. A two-part dessert course, Sesame Cake with Pork and Green Onion and Mango Sago Cream with Pomelo, round off an exquisite Cantonese meal.

Chef Hsu has also designed menus for Premium Economy Class and Economy Class. In Premium Economy Class, passengers may savor the appetizer Marinated Fungus with Vinegar, Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Plum, King Oyster Mushroom with Sichuan Pepper Sauce and a main course of Braised Pork Meatball with Salted Egg Yolk Served with Steamed Rice with Quinoa. In Economy Class, the appetizer is King Oyster Mushroom with Sichuan Pepper Sauce and a main course of Stir Fried Shrimps with Fried Noodles.

Starting in July, all passengers on BR12 flying from Taipei to Los Angeles can enjoy the exquisite splendors of Cantonese cuisine.