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2024-05-22
Chen Shilin
PRESENTER
Founder of ISM Sweet
Chen Shih-lin
Chen Shih-lin, founder of ISM Sweets and a guest principal cellist with the band Wan Sheng, turned to the dessert path he loved most at the age of 32. He studied culinary arts and baking in Canada and Japan, and from 2013 to 2014 trained and worked at 16ku, a renowned French pâtisserie in Fukuoka, Japan, under Japanese pastry master Takao Mihato.
At the end of 2015, he founded “ISM Sweet Time” in Tianmu and invited Japanese chef Shinjiro Komatsu to join the vision for his dream. The philosophy is to avoid chasing attention, value the source of ingredients, and let the ingredients speak for themselves.
Q & A
Q: How do you start your day?
I usually get up a little after four to practice the piano and then exercise. After taking a shower and having a cup of coffee, I think about what I need to do that day.
Q: Where do you usually hang out?
If I don't have anything else scheduled, I usually spend my time at ISM.
Q: Which restaurant do you go to most often?
I think the “Fuqi Squid Rice Noodles” next door is really good. The broth is deliciously sweet and the squid is very fresh. Also, when I have friends visiting from overseas or other parts of the country, I take them to “Fang’s Restaurant.” It’s great for gatherings, and the freshly made xiaolongbao and pork chop fried rice are both good. It’s like Tianmu’s Din Tai Fung (hahaha).
Q: What do you do for fun after work?
Let my mind go blank (laughs). I have to think so much at work, so after work I just want to switch off and give my brain a rest.
Q: At 32, you went to Japan to study further and started from scratch. How did you adjust your mindset?
Working in an industry that is completely different from my professional background, and experiencing some culture shock when I first arrived in Japan, I’ve spent the past two years constantly telling myself, “You’re amazing! You’re so brave!” After all, starting from scratch in your thirties is something most people wouldn’t step outside their comfort zone to do. Although music and pastry belong to different fields, my mindset is the same in both: whether it’s hearing or taste, expertise takes time to build.
Q: What advice would you give to people who want to start a business?
“If you’re going into the kitchen, don’t be afraid of the heat.” We’re not traveling along a set of tracks; we’re building the tracks ourselves, and we don’t know which direction they’ll go. Starting a business in this day and age comes with more hurdles. You may have to put in more effort and still get less-than-expected results. The key is to focus on what you can do now, keep finding ways to survive and move a little closer to your goal. Sometimes taking a step back isn’t a bad thing.
Q: What’s the most recent book you’ve read? Did you have any thoughts or takeaways after finishing it?
“The Aesthetics of Work” by André Chiang. Chef Chiang is a workaholic, and I also deeply admire his sense of aesthetics. In a busy, high-pressure work environment, he finds ways to create rituals in his daily life. His ideas about work and how to lead a team are expressed very clearly in the book. I found myself persuaded by him and wanted to give it a try, though I’m still looking for the right approach to leading my own team.
Q: What do you find most interesting or appealing about Taiwan?
Since I’m not a foreigner, I may not be able to explain what draws me to Taiwan. But whenever I perform overseas, I find myself missing all the good things about Taiwan. To me, Taiwan is home—the familiar language and my friends, and as someone from southern Taiwan, I feel an even deeper connection to this land. The most enjoyable part of traveling is exploring. There’s no need to look up restaurants or attractions in advance; stumbling upon a restaurant as you walk down the street or discovering an interesting little shop around the corner are all delightful surprises.
Q: What do you look forward to most when staying at a hotel?
Quietness and cleanliness. I must have stayed in well over 200 hotels during my touring career. Eventually, I realized that what matters about a place to stay is having a peaceful, comfortable space to relax in after a busy day.
Q: What is your impression of the hotels under Taipei Inn?
Sunshine and warmth. Before the pandemic, when I couldn’t travel abroad, I stayed at the Dandy Hotel Daan Park Branch. Although the room didn’t face Daan Forest Park, it felt very comfortable, and little touches like a personalized card at check-in made me feel warm and welcome.
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