TAICHUNG (Taiwan News) — Chef Justine Li (黎俞君), founder and executive chef of Fleur de Sel in Taichung, has been named a knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit by the French government.
Frederic Laplanche, director of the French Office in Taipei, presented the medal during a ceremony at his residence.
Established in 1883, the honor recognizes distinguished contributions to agriculture, gastronomy, and food culture.
Li is the first Taiwanese chef and restaurant owner to receive the award.
Founded in 2004, Fleur de Sel has served French fine dining in Taiwan for more than two decades.
Early in her career, Li traveled to France to study at culinary academies and language schools and train alongside Michelin-starred chefs.
She continues to lead her team on annual trips to France to exchange techniques and explore regional cuisines.
Fleur de Sel launches autumn menu. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu photo)
Laplanche praised Li for spending two decades introducing French culinary culture to Taiwan by blending classical technique with local ingredients, while inspiring young Taiwanese chefs to train abroad.
Delivering her acceptance speech entirely in French, Li expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting that French cuisine had taught her so much and continues to inspire her today.
Over time, she incorporated her Taiwanese roots, home flavors, and Taiwan’s seasonal ingredients, finding her own style and voice at the intersection of two cultures.
Known as the “Godmother of Western Cuisine in Taiwan,” Li has kitchen staff who have worked with her for more than 15 years.
Sea fish with white water snowflake. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu photo)
To maintain the physical stamina required for daily prep work and menu development, Li has followed a weight-training routine for more than a decade.
To mark the honor, Fleur de Sel launched its autumn tasting menu, highlighting seasonal produce, wild game, and mushrooms.
The new menu features sweet autumn crab balanced with yuzu and fennel, as well as tuna and Wagyu tartare combining land and sea ingredients with precise knife work, accented with caviar and perilla flowers.
A slow-caramelized French onion soup built on a beef consomme base recreates a recipe from Li’s student days in France.
Lotus root mont blanc. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu photo)
For the main course, roasted pigeon is infused with subtle longan wood smoke, served with burdock root and autumn persimmon.
The meal concludes with a dessert pairing seasonal lotus seeds with sweet osmanthus honey, a reimagining of the classic Mont Blanc inspired by memories of Li’s grandmother.
Fleur de Sel launches autumn menu. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
Dining and Cooking