2018年的「世界五十最佳餐廳」（The World’s 50 Best Restaurants）即將在6月於畢爾包揭幕，暖身獎項已陸續開出，包括今年首度頒佈的「最佳五十BBVA獎學金」（50 Best BBVA Scholarship）。
請空出你的雙手，各位觀眾，首度獲得此殊榮的選手是台灣人！掌聲鼓勵來自台北的24歲餐飲新生－劉詩絜 Jessie Liu！
「最佳五十BBVA獎學金」為世界五十最佳餐廳與全球性金融集團 BBVA 共同開發，旨在培養卓越烹飪傳統，全球新秀主廚資歷在三年以內者皆可報名參加。今年共有來自全球 82 國、 1,080 位的廚師們報名本項獎學金！
劉詩絜將獲得在Mugaritz與Atelier Crenn的實習機會！她也將於 6 月 19 日在畢爾包的世界五十最佳餐廳頒獎典禮中上台接受獎學金。在Mugaritz（2017 年世界五十最佳餐廳第 9 名）與Atelier Crenn的實習期間各三個月，她將接受Andoni Luis Aduriz與Dominque Crenn（獲選為 2016 年世界最佳女性主廚 (The World’s Best Female Chef 2016)）的貼身指導。
劉詩絜現居澳洲墨爾本並於該地工作，僅有兩年的烹飪經驗，在家鄉台北開始了她的主廚生涯。她雖然並無正式訓練，但以自學方式無師自通，並以自創能觸動並激勵人心的新菜色為傲，她也希望在接下來的十年內能夠打造一間自己的餐廳。
第二輪的申請要求參加者錄製一段烹飪示範短片，並說明其食物理念。為了紀念她的阿嬤，劉詩絜製作了一道傳統台灣粽子，而就在劉詩絜得知自己晉級到第二輪的篩選時，阿嬤卻不幸過世了。「我製作了這道菜來紀念對奶奶的珍貴回憶。我的粽子是童年傳統菜餚的懷舊口味，但是我嘗試讓外觀更加引人注目並進一步提升味道，」她補充說道。
另外還有兩位年輕主廚也榮獲了「最佳 50 BBVA 獎學金」的亞軍寶座。來自墨西哥的 Adriana Payan（21 歲），擷取兒時環球旅行時的記憶創造了一道菜餚，為自己的參賽增色。來自哥倫比亞的 Moris Moreno（25 歲）則在烹飪示範中完全使用了自己的家庭菜園中所種植的食材。
讓她自己說－劉詩絜專訪
我很榮幸獲得訪問劉詩絜的機會。透過主辦單位安排，我們用email進行訪談，劉詩絜一字一句敲打出回覆，文字非常誠摯動人，我決定原文照登並且中英併呈，讓各位能直接感受其熱情與拼勁。
默默努力的優秀台灣人很多，劉詩絜剛好獲得這個機會，讓比較多人看到她。接下來才見真章，加油喔，祝福妳！
1. 為什麼會申請這個獎學金呢？
How did you find out the 50 Best BBVA Scholarship? Why did you want to apply?
我平常都會上網看餐飲相關的資訊跟機會，有很多獎學金都是只給廚藝學校的學生，但這次看到 50 Best BBVA Scholarship 第一屆的參賽資格算蠻寬鬆，也開放給非餐飲學校出身 (有一到三年工作經驗即可)，想說自己剛好符合資資格，不試白不試，要試當然就全力以赴。
我一直都好勝心很強，雖然沒把握一定會勝出，但總覺得這是個證明自己的好機會，一定得好好把握，所以一月底就開始把很多時間花在申請上，也要感謝許多人的幫忙，我才能把每一關交出來的成品都做到最好。申請時花了不少時間回想自己的故事、進廚房的初衷，覺得當廚師不只是關於切菜煮菜擺盤而已，工作勞動的背後需要堅定的信念跟無比的熱誠，這些技巧與經驗之外、別人看不到的特質才是最重要的。
I often read hospitality/food related articles online to keep myself informed. Most of the scholarships I’ve seen so far are only open to culinary school students, but 50 Best BBVA Scholarship also encourages all chefs who have 1-3 years of experience to apply. I was very happy because finally I was qualified, and this is definitely an opportunity of a lifetime. I either do my best or don’t, so of course I went all out for it.
I’ve always been more of a competitive person, and I felt like this would be a great chance for me to prove my abilities. With the help of some friends, I made sure all my applications materials looked great before finally submitting them. Applying for this scholarship actually turned out to be a great chance for me to look back and connect the dots of my past. I remembered much more stories in kitchens than I though, and some details are crucial in shaping my current values and attitudes. Becoming a chef is much more than just learning culinary skills and applying new techniques. What lies beyond our culinary performance is a constant strive for excellence and amazing willpower. These traits are invisible to the eye, but essential to every aspiring chef.
2. 當初為什麼會走進廚房呢？
Could you tell us more about how you began your career as a chef?
我一直都是別人眼中的吃貨吧，從以前就吃東西就蠻挑嘴，在食物方面特別有主見；大三的時候台大附近好吃的都吃膩了，剛好也搬到新的宿舍，就在那開始練習煮菜。在這之前有一年多的烘焙經驗，都是在家裡烤些甜點，還沒對做菜特別有興趣；看完 Master Chef 後覺得做菜好像蠻有趣的，開始買食譜、閱讀各種餐飲相關的資訊，也開始煮各種家常菜給室友們吃，每次都覺得像在做實驗一樣有趣，可以像那樣毫無壓力地做菜真的是件很快樂的事，煮好吃的餵飽別人也讓我覺得很有成就感。
後來有位朋友介紹我去他工作的地方 (Ounce Taipei，算是蠻知名的 speakeasy)，因緣際會下我就這樣開始第一份廚師工作了。其他三個廚師都是從紐約回來的，調酒師們也來自法國跟美國，大家擠在小廚房裡，每天中英台語夾雜，很吵也很很溫馨；這群有趣的同事們讓我了解原來工作可以很有歸屬感，還有做菜跟調酒都是一門藝術。
我還記得第一次套上廚師袍的那種感覺，整個人感動地起雞皮疙瘩，興奮了好久；那時候也不知道踏上這條路之後，人生從此就不一樣了。現在每次穿上廚師袍還是會有種肅然起敬的感動，因為知道全世界有好幾萬人都穿著同樣的制服，在廚房裡彎腰低頭、流血流汗；自己起步晚、廚藝也還不比多數人出色，工作時更要保持謙卑。
I am a big time foodie who’s pretty assertive when it comes to what I want/like to eat. Before I’ve really started working in any kitchen, I binge watched all episodes of Master Chef and developed a subconscious love for cooking. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I started baking in college and learned to make simple desserts like cookies and different types of cake. I wasn’t keen on using the stove back then, but in my junior year of college I moved into an old apartment with a few friends and suddenly gained access to a small kitchen. With new-found enthusiasm, I started buying recipe books and local ingredients and finally started to experiment with Asian dishes. Cooking for my roommates and close friends felt totally stress-free. In fact, it brought me great joy and a sense of achievement to see them eating my food.
Back then one of my friends was working in a speakeasy called Ounce (it was ranked no.40 on Asia’s Best 50 Bars back then), and he told me they needed a kitchen hand. There was this strong team that consist of three chefs who all just came back from New York, and bartenders from the U.S. and France. I was lucky enough to get the position, and started my first job in the small, nonetheless professional kitchen. That was also when I realized that there were so many passionate foodies working in the hospitality industry, and working with these fun people really gave me a sense of belonging. I also learned that bartending is as much of an art as cooking.
I can still recall the first time I put on my chef’s jacket: I had goosebumps all over my skin as an amazing thrill of excitement shot through me. Back then I had no idea what was in store for me and that this first time was going to be so life-changing, but now everytime I put on my chef’s jacket, I still get a similar sensation. Especially now that I now so many people are wearing the same uniforms, working hard in numerous kitchens around the world, putting on a chef’s jacket only makes me more humble than ever.
3. 遇到的挫折？
Any setback along the way?
我從小就比較叛逆，爸媽常覺得我想法異於常人，所以像剛開始踏入這一行，他們很反對：第一點是因為學歷，他們覺得台大外文系畢業就去當廚師，親友問起他們不太好解釋，第二點則是性別，他們說一個女孩子體力拼不過男生，在廚房做整天勞動，非長久之計。
開始第一份工作的同時，我錄取了台大翻譯所最後十幾人的面試，爸媽覺得我以後一定會當口譯，所以下定決心要轉換跑道的一開始很辛苦，得不斷跟解釋學歷跟性別並不重要，在廚房裡工作的態度跟表現才是重點，但或許上一輩的對廚師的刻板印象比較根深蒂固，他們短時間內無法被說服。我第二個工作在君悅飯店的義大利廳，那時候承受的心裡壓力最大，跟家裡的爭執不斷，而換到新環境工作，一開始也不是很順心，遇到好多挫折都自己默默承受，幾乎每天下班就躲在員工休息室裡哭，回家就把自己關在房間裡。
那時候抗壓力還不夠強，覺得這種處境沒有人會懂，只好忍氣吞聲，感覺走到了人生最低潮，但或許也是經過那半年的淚水才得以成長、心態也變得更堅定。所以我就是那時候下定決心以後一定要成為一個獨當一面的主廚，讓爸媽感到驕傲，也不辜負自己當初的決定。
I’ve always been more of a rebellious kid and my parents often find me difficult to understand. When I first told them I was working as a chef, they were really against it. They had two main disagreements with my decision: first is my educational background, and the second is my gender: My mom found it hard to explain to friends that her daughter, who graduated from the best university in Taiwan, was suddenly working in kitchens; and my dad simply couldn’t understand why a young girl like me would want to do manual labor all day with strong guys in such a male-dominant field. Like many Taiwanese elders, they still think that chefs/cooks are mainly jobs for lower-educated male, and this stereotype was hard to eradicate.
My parents had always thought I’d become a professional interpreter, since that was what I’d aimed for in my university years. So it was hard for me to change my career decision in the beginning. I tried to tell them education and gender is irrelevant in the kitchen, attitude and ability matters more, but in vain. So I was going through serious mental struggles back then, and the difficulties I encountered in my second job at Grand Hyatt Taipei only made things worse. There was a period when I would cry in the staff locker room every night before heading home and locking myself in my room. I thought no one would understand the dilemma I was facing, and I had really hit rock bottom.
Now, looking back, I think that period of time was probably crucial in my life: It made me a lot stronger and more determined to go after the things I love. It also urged me to work harder so that one day I can not only make myself but also my parents proud.
4. 工作過的地方？為什麼會去澳洲？
Where have you worked at before and how did you end up in Melbourne?
第一份工作在 Ounce，第二份工作在君悅飯店的 Ziga Zaga， 第三份工作在 Solo Trattoria，那是我最開心的時期了，有很多好玩的事可以說，主廚王嘉平跟同事們都是我十分敬佩喜愛的人，從他們身上學到很多，現在雖然各奔東西了，大家也都還有保持聯絡。
去年九月 Solo Trattoria 收店了，我原本想去歐洲看看，但經濟考量下決定先去澳洲，除了想看看那邊的餐飲業生態，也對當地的各種食材感到好奇。考慮了一天就開始寫信給雪梨跟墨爾本的幾間餐廳，收到兩封可以去試做的回復就申請簽證、買機票了。一開始求職不太順利，還好十月底就開始在在墨爾本 Vue de Monde 工作，也租到市中心的公寓安頓下來， Vue de Monde 是全國前幾的餐廳，但廚師流動率高，我工作轉成兼職之後幾乎就沒被排班了，後來找到現在的 Eau de Vie，因為跟主廚二廚學到很多，就待到現在了。
My first job was in Ounce, my second was in Ziga Zaga (the Italian restaurant in Grand Hyatt Taipei), and my third was in Solo Trattoria, which was my favorite job so far. So many things happened when I worked there and eventually the restaurant closed last September, but I learned a lot and had so much fun working with my awesome comrades. The executive chef (owner of the restaurant) J-Ping Wang also visited from time to time. He was a respectable employer and a good mentor to me.
After Solo Trattoria closed, me and my chef friends had to go separate ways. I was pondering whether to apply to culinary schools in Italy or continue working in kitchens, but due to financial considerations, I decided to continue working. I had a few friends who were in Australia and I’ve always been curious about the exotic ingredients and hospitality industry there, so I forwarded my resume to several restaurants, applied for a visa and went abroad in October. I was lucky to secure a job within two weeks in Melbourne. Vue de Monde kitchen was hiring new commis chefs and I worked there for a few months before later I started helping out at Eau de Vie and other places. I stayed in Eau de Vie until now because I learned a lot from the head chef and sous chef.
5. 最崇拜/喜歡的廚師？
Who are the people that you admire in the culinary world?
我最喜歡的名廚應該是 Dominique Crenn 跟 Massimo Bottura，因為他們總是給人一種陽光藝術家的形象，但這兩年來遇到的許多廚師都影響我很多，比起遙不可及名廚們我更該感謝他們，像之前在 Solo Trattoria 的同事們，對食物都充滿熱情，講到好吃的眼睛都會發光，那時候我們做員工餐都像在比賽一樣，台菜義菜日菜輪流上桌，每天吃得好，大家工作起來當然也快樂。有些人教我如何更有自信、更勇敢，有些則教我如何做事更輕鬆、更有效率，當然也有些反面例子，讓我警惕以後不要變得像他們一樣。其實我喜歡的廚師很多也不是餐飲科系出身的，他們都憑著強烈的好奇心與熱情而努力學習，不懂的就多問、不會的就多練習，練到可以跟別人一樣好為止，也積極嘗試新的事物，所以我期許自己能一直保有這種態度，謹記一開始踏入廚房的初衷，十年如一日。
There are many chefs who I look up to… Dominique Crenn and Massimo Bottura are probably my favorites. However, chefs who have worked with me in the past two years have more influence on me than most celebrity chefs. I often feel grateful for what they have taught me in person. Like the chefs in Solo Trattoria: all of them were so passionate about food and so knowledgeable in cooking. Every day our staff meal (made by the assigned chef of the day) was tastier than before, it was almost like a competition. Watching them cook Italian, Japanese, or Taiwanese cuisine was certainly very awe-inspiring to me, and everyone would feast happily ever day at 5pm like a family. It was probably our favorite time of the day.
Many chefs were like brothers to me: some taught me how to be more confident and brave, some instructed me in how to work more easily and efficiently. There were a few cocky chefs too, but I knew better than to be like them. Most of the chefs I look up to don’t have a culinary background either, yet they are not afraid to ask questions and always have a can-do attitude and a strong passion to learn. What’s more, they stay humble as if every day is their first day in the kitchen. I expect myself to be this kind of chef, and never forget why I started this career in the first place.
6. 希望實習學到什麼？
What do you expect to learn in the following two stages at Mugaritz and Atelier Crenn?
實習開始前目前的準備就是先把兩間餐廳的食譜都看完，對他們所有菜色少有點概念；很幸運得到這樣的機會，但多少還是會緊張，畢竟兩年的廚房資歷真的還太淺，期望自己能學就儘量學，善用五感、多做筆記、多思考；在一間廚房實習六週感覺不長，但說短也不算太短，因為到了全新的環境，每天都會是種難得的體驗。期望自己保持最佳狀態，不論備料或出餐都能跟上團隊的腳步。
I plan to finish reading the two recipe books before setting off on this exciting journey (Atelier Crenn: Metamorphosis of Taste and Mugaritz: A Natural Science of Cooking). This way at least I’ll have a better understanding of the dishes in the two prestigious restaurants. I’m still amazed at my own luck, and at the same time a bit nervous about stepping forward. Two years of working in kitchens is nothing compared to those who have devoted decades or a whole lifetime to their culinary career. I will do the best that I can and learn as much as possible, using all five sense to take in all the details. A six-week stage in a kitchen may not sound like a long time, but I believe it will be very intense experience. I hope to always be at my best, adapt myself quickly to the new environments and keep up with the teams in every aspect.
