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Haili, founded by William Kang, has quickly become one of the most discussed and eye-catching restaurants in Kaohsiung’s dining scene in recent years. The reason is simple: within just three months of opening, it earned a Michelin star, and last year, it retained the prestigious accolade. If you know William’s background, it wouldn’t be too surprising. He previously worked at renowned fine dining restaurants in Taipei, including STAY, headed by the French three-star chef Yannick Alléno, RAW, a two-star restaurant led by international celebrity chef André Chiang, and logy, a two-star restaurant run by Japanese chef Ryogo Tahara.
Now 39 years old with 20 years of culinary experience, William ventured out on his own in 2023 but chose to open his first restaurant in the unfamiliar city of Kaohsiung rather than Taipei. “I’m from Taipei, and my wife is from Taichung. When our child was four months old, we decided to move to Kaohsiung. We chose this city because it was unfamiliar. Taiwan is small, but each city has its unique culture, including culinary tastes. For example, the north tends to be lighter, and the south is more intense in flavours. When I came to Kaohsiung, I realized that the cuisine is similar to that of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, where the hot weather calls for stronger flavours like salty, sweet, sour, and umami. The cooking methods also need to be adjusted, and I’ve learned a lot from that.” He laughs and says he wants to challenge himself from scratch to set an example for his child and show him that anything is possible, just like how he raised him.
He points out that when he started preparing two years ago, there weren’t many fine dining restaurants in Kaohsiung. He approached the challenge with a “let’s see how it goes” mindset. “It’s been over a year of running the business, and we’ve faced many challenges. Southern customers give both good and bad reviews, but that happens everywhere. I look at it positively—take in the good and ignore the bad.”
Haili is located next to Hanshin Department Store, with limited seating. The dining area and the open kitchen each occupy half of the space, offering 15 seats, including a bar and window-side tables, as well as a private room that can accommodate six people. The name “Haili” comes from the Japanese word “Hai,” meaning a firm “yes” in response to an order, representing William’s culinary career. “Li” represents the two most important women in his life: his mother and wife, both of whose names contain the character “Li.” Combining the two, he formed the name “Haili.”
William says that working at STAY was a turning point in his culinary career. Chef Yannick Alléno completely overhauled his kitchen knowledge, starting from the basics, which made him realize the rigor of French cuisine. At one point, he even doubted whether he was suited to be a chef. “I was corrected every day—this isn’t right, that isn’t right. But gradually, as I gained recognition, I grew more confident. Looking back now, I’m grateful for Chef’s strict training during that time.”
He continues, saying that after trying French cuisine made a by Japanese chef, he fell in love with the flavours that suited Asian palates and began to delve deeper into it. “You’ll notice that the Japanese are very proud of their culture and their country, and whatever cuisine they make, they incorporate their own elements like kombu, bonito flakes, soy sauce, and miso. I think Taiwan can do the same.” As a result, he has incorporated southern Taiwan’s ShaCha sauce, preserved radish and Kaohsiung’s Doubanjiang into his dishes. He doesn’t do it deliberately; he just uses whatever works.
The autumn-winter menu this season includes eight dishes, each with its own unique characteristics. For example, the duck main course uses Changhua’s duck, which is air-dried and matured for 14 days before being slow-roasted. The sauce is made from mulberries from Chiayi, sweet beetroot, and smoked with rice straw, with an addition of angelica-infused bubbles mixed with whiskey, bringing together every detail harmoniously.
Hot pot noodles are southern specialty and one of Haili’s most representative dishes. This time, the autumn-winter menu has the upgraded version 2.0. “I had never eaten hot pot noodles in Taipei until I moved to Kaohsiung, where it’s a common breakfast dish. In the past, Kaohsiung had many labourers who needed hearty breakfasts, and hot pot noodles was often served with sailfish.” Through William’s re-imagination, it became a dish with wonton stuffed with shrimp, and ravioli with clam meats and sailfish paste, along with chawanmushi at the bottom, topped with a rich shrimp-flavoured broth and hollandaise sauce, offering a unique taste reminiscent of Penang’s Hokkien mee.
“Once, a foreign guest tried Haili’s hot pot noodles and became interested in real hot pot noodles. He later emailed me to share his experience. That’s when I realized that I can use this platform to help tourists learn more about the city—it’s a great form of exchange.”
Regarding Michelin recognition, he admits that the first year was very stressful and he was very unhappy, because he felt that the team was not ready. “After the list was announced, everyone scrutinized us, questioning why we earned a star. So during the first year, I didn’t participate in any activities and focused solely on cooking and staff training. Only after retaining the star did I feel confident enough to start showcasing Haili to everyone.”
Haili
Address: 2F, no.264-1, Chenggong 1st Rd, Qianjin District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Contact: 07-2150559
Website: https://hai-li.tw/