Flavors from Half a World Away Meet: Fon-Cé Marks Its First Anniversary with New “Sunrise Sunset” Menu
A new taste born from the natural meeting of two cultures!
Summary
- To mark its first anniversary, Fon-Cé is launching “日昇日落 | Oriente y Ocaso,” inspired by the 13-hour time difference between Taiwan and Colombia, bringing the terroir of both places together at the table.
- Chef Leo blends Latin American cooking techniques with Taiwan’s seasonal ingredients, presenting eight courses that express Fon-Cé’s own contemporary culinary language.
- The August-only “Flores de Agosto | 八月花宴” menu channels the lively spirit of Medellín’s flower festival in Colombia to Taipei.
Taipei’s contemporary Latin American restaurant Fon-Cé is celebrating its first anniversary with a new menu, “日昇日落｜Oriente y Ocaso,” by Colombian chef and founder Leonardo Fonseca Celis. Inspired by the 13-hour time difference between Taiwan and Colombia, it brings the shared yet out-of-sync sunrises and sunsets of these two places to the table in a series of dishes.
Rather than replicating the flavors of home, a new culinary language takes root in Taiwan
Images from / Fon-Cé
Rather than simply bringing Colombian cuisine to Taiwan, Chef Leo brings Latin American culinary memories and techniques into conversation with Taiwan’s seasons and local terroir. From Caldo con Pastel de Yuca, which pairs geoduck, amberjack, and plantain vinegar with Taiwanese high-mountain loquats, to Encocado, inspired by Colombia’s Pacific coastal cuisine and made with Taiwan’s seasonal fresh fish, the flavors of the two places come together naturally.
Ancient Latin American techniques meet Taiwan’s green mangoes
Images from / Fon-Cé
Dessert continues this cultural dialogue. Chef Leo applies nixtamalization, a traditional Latin American alkaline technique used for corn, to pumpkin, pairing it with green mango, buttermilk, and pine needles. For Fon-Cé, “日昇日落” is not about recreating a particular place; it documents the new culinary language that has gradually taken shape after a year of living and creating in Taiwan.
Bringing Colombia’s August flower season to Taipei
Images from / Fon-Cé
To mark its first anniversary, Fon-Cé is also bringing Medellín, Colombia’s annual August Feria de las Flores to Taipei with Flores de Agosto｜八月花宴, a limited lunch offered on August 22, 23, 29, and 30. Light dishes will be paired with Colombian cold-brew coffee scented with osmanthus and rose, sharing the story of Fon-Cé’s first year taking root in Taiwan through a lunch during flower season.
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