Joaquin Elizondo

The Climb

Training at IAG Instituto Argentino de Gastronomia gave Joaquin Elizondo a disciplined base. From there, the work tightened in Hong Kong, where he served as sous chef at MONO in Hong Kong before moving into the Head Chef role at Mercedes me Store in Hong Kong from 2018. Each step added responsibility and range, turning formal instruction into the kind of operational command that is earned in service rather than claimed in theory. Today, Joaquin is Head Chef of ZEA, where that cross-market experience sits behind a role built on control, consistency, and measured execution. The work reads less as display than as systems: technique held steady, pressure managed, and order maintained across service.

Today

In Taiwan, Joaquin frames the kitchen around product and pace. “Taiwan offers a wide selection of agricultural products and it changes very fast, which is why the menu is adjusted on a daily basis.” The point is practical: ingredients dictate the menu, and the menu has to stay responsive to what the day makes available. He also places food in the social space it occupies outside the pass. “Food is equivalent to gatherings with friends and family. To us, it is a part of life, a chance to create beautiful memories on the dining table.” That view treats the meal as a shared ritual, with service extending beyond technique into the habits of daily life.

In Their Words “Food is equivalent to gatherings with friends and family. To us, it is a part of life, a chance to create beautiful memories on the dining table.” “Taiwan offers a wide selection of agricultural products and it changes very fast, which is why the menu is adjusted on a daily basis.”

Recognition

The 2018 head-chef appointment at Mercedes me Store in Hong Kong is the main dated marker in Joaquin Elizondo’s record. It ties formal training at IAG Instituto Argentino de Gastronomia to senior roles across Hong Kong and, now, ZEA, outlining a climb defined by advancement through kitchen practice.