This Is The Only Michelin-Starred Ice Cream Shop In The World - A Look Inside It
Tucked away in a quiet alley in Taichung, Minimal greets visitors with a minimalist grey facade. Inside, however, is a fascinating world of creative ice creams, flavours and textures you would have experienced nowhere else.
Chef Arvin Wan And His Dreams Made Of Ice Cream
Minimal was founded in 2021 by chef Arvin Wan, whose lifelong fascination with ice cream led him to rethink what the frozen dessert could be. His mission? To take ice cream's four basic elements - fats, proteins, sugar, and liquid - and push them to their absolute best and unique versions, without unnecessary additives.
Even the way he scoops is deliberate - every serving has a perfect ridge to ensure a smooth texture that melts slowly, releasing flavours at just the right pace. "I want my ice cream to melt two seconds after you put it in your mouth, not one. It just tastes better," Wan told CNN.
The Seven-Course Ice Cream Menu That Won The Michelin Star
In 2023, Minimal's second floor hosted an innovative seven-course ice cream tasting menu. The experience explored different temperatures, from -5 degrees Celsius shaved ice to a mind-blowing -196 degrees Celsius ice crystal dessert. This creative approach, paired with unique local ingredients like oolong tea and magnolia leaf, wowed Michelin inspectors and earned Minimal a place in the Michelin Guide Taiwan 2024.
From Tasting Menus To Takeaway Cups
But just months after winning the coveted star, Wan made a surprising move - he scrapped the tasting menu altogether. Now, Minimal sells only takeaway scoops. For Wan, it was about focusing entirely on his true passion: making the best ice cream possible, without the extra demands of plating and table service.
A Cult Favourite With No Expansion Plans
Since the Michelin win, fans line up from Friday to Monday, sometimes waiting over an hour until the last scoop is sold by around 4 pm. Despite the demand, Wan isn't planning to open another shop. "Instead of risking a dip in quality, I want to focus on what I can handle for now," he explains to CNN.
His creations are far from ordinary. There is a gelato infused with olive oil, oolong tea, and magnolia leaf, crafted with painstaking care to maximise aroma and freshness. Every batch is tested and adjusted until it's just right.
For now, Minimal remains a small but mighty ice cream haven, proving that even the simplest dessert can earn a place among the culinary elite - if it's made with skill, patience, and a lot of passion.
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