What does it mean to make the perfect scoop of ice cream?

Countless chefs around the world have made all sorts of different styles of ice cream. While each chef may give a different answer based on their experience and background, there are some constants: the perfect scoop begins with the finest ingredients, time-honored technique, and the touch of a skilled artisan.

At Elliot’s, we respect these traditions. They are at the foundation of what we do; however, in the modern world where palates are more curious than ever and consumers demand local, sustainable, even personalized products, we ask ourselves a critical question:

Can we enhance tradition and artisanry to move as fast as the rest of the world without sacrificing the soul of ice cream?

This question drives our mission. At Elliot’s Ice Cream, we’re not just making a dessert. We are crafting a new future for food with ice cream as our platform. We’re proving that progress doesn’t mean leaving tradition behind, but empowering it. We believe the most delicious, memorable, and responsible ice cream is born from a unique harmony of three core principles:

• The technique and traditions of handmade, small-batch production
• The powerful intelligence and speed of AI-driven product research and development
• Respect and commitment to the local community and environment

Elliot’s is not about using technology and robots to replace taste and chefs. Our story is about how we use ice cream as a platform to blend science with artistry, data with dedication, and innovation with integrity.

Globally Influenced, Locally Crafted

Before we wrote a single line of code for our ice cream algorithms, our process began in the physical world, studying the fundamental principles of ice cream, dessert, and other culinary techniques. From these learnings, we handcraft every single flavor of Elliot’s Ice Cream in small batches. This is not a marketing term. It is the non-negotiable core of our ice cream’s quality.

A single concept does not define the perfect ice cream. True mastery of ice cream requires a broader, even global perspective. Therefore we don’t adhere to producing just a single style of ice cream. We believe the wisdom of a Florentine gelataio, the precision of a Parisian pâtissier, the creativity of an American creamery, and the subtlety of a Japanese artisan all have lessons for us to learn, so we’ve assimilated learnings from the world’s greatest dessert philosophies to create something entirely new. While we use all sorts of culinary tips and tricks from across cultures, below are a few specific examples of dessert techniques that we’ve incorporated into our repertoire:

Italian: Purity and Density

Italian gelato is a masterclass in flavor intensity. Its core philosophy is purity: to take one perfect, peak-season ingredient and transform it into its most vivid and expressive form. We embrace this philosophy through two key techniques. First, we adopt gelato’s lower overrun, churning less air into specific batches. This creates a denser, silkier product that allows pure flavor to coat the palate directly. Second, we formulate these recipes to be expressive at a slightly warmer temperature, just like true gelato. This means the cold doesn’t numb your taste buds, allowing for a more profound flavor experience.

Example of how Elliot’s puts this into practice: We often use Italian gelato techniques to bring out the vibrant flavors of Taiwan’s local fruits like red guava, green mango, and pineapple. The result is not just a hint of fruit, but powerful, unadulterated bursts of Taiwan fruit flavors.

French: Richness and Elegance

French ice cream (glace) is born from the world of pâtisserie, type of bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets. Its philosophy is one of richness, complexity, and supreme elegance. The foundation of this tradition is the cooked custard, or crème anglaise, and we channel its luxurious character in our most complex creations. By using the best creams and natural emulsifiers, we create an incredibly rich, velvety, and stable ice cream that resists ice crystals. This method also provides the perfect canvas for the French art of infusion. Steeping ingredients into a warm custard base allows for a deep, harmonious marriage of flavors.

Example of how Elliot’s puts this into practice: When creating a tea flavored ice creams, we employ a classic French method. We gently steep tea leaves directly into the warm custard as it cooks. Fats bind beautifully with the tea’s tannins and aromatic oils, producing a smooth, layered ice cream that captures and enhances every nuance of the tea tasting experience.

American: Indulgence and Inclusions

American craft ice cream embodies the spirit of creativity and indulgent satisfaction. Its philosophy celebrates textural contrast and the joy of discovery through generous “inclusions,” or mix-ins. While some American styles use a higher overrun for a lighter texture, we are most inspired by the dedication to the art of the mix-in. We adopt this philosophy not by using commercial additives, but by meticulously hand-crafting our own inclusions. Our kitchen becomes a bakery and a confectionery, where we control the science of every component.

Example of how Elliot’s puts this into practice: For flavors featuring multiple layers, swirls, and mix-ins, we channel the American spirit of indulgence. Our Taiwan Pineapple Cake flavor is the perfect example of East meets West. We toast a shortbread crumble, carefully prepared to achieve the perfect browning and flavor release from the Maillard Reaction. We also swirl in a handcrafted pineapple jam with pieces of real, Taiwanese pineapple, creating multiple layers of textural surprise and delight that is often found in an American artisan ice cream.

Japanese: Subtlety and Texture

Japanese dessert making (wagashi) is a study in subtlety, balance, and unique textural dimensions. The philosophy values nuanced, natural flavors over intense sweetness, and it introduces textures rarely found in Western desserts. The pursuit of balance and innovative use of natural ingredients are two of our own ice cream obsessions, so Japanese tradition is one that we very much identify with. This includes exploring the satisfying chewiness derived from glutinous rice flour (mochiko) or the earthy, savory umami notes that can bring a new dimension to sweetness.

Example of how Elliot’s puts this into practice: We look to Japanese dessert philosophy for all of our ice cream flavors: balanced, bringing out the best and uniqueness of each flavor and ingredient. This is especially true when we create alcoholic ice creams like our Kavalan Whisky and Taiwan Kinmen Kaoliang flavors. We event experiment with techniques derived from mochi production to achieve a uniquely satisfying, slightly chewy mouthfeel in not only in mix-ins that we may add into the ice cream, but also the ice cream itself! Depending on the flavor and overall experience we’re trying to craft, our ice cream texture can range from silky, smooth, melt-in-your-mouth to a thicker, chewier texture that you can actually bite.

By weaving together the intensity of Italy, the richness of France, the creativity of America, and the subtlety of Japan, we craft an ice cream that is both worldly and uniquely our own. Studying and mastering these techniques gives Elliot’s the flexibility to optimize the ice cream experience for the unique qualities of the ingredients and flavors that we are trying to emphasize. Our philosophy is that the type of ice cream created, whether it be gelato, sorbet, sherbert, soft serve, custard, etc., should be chosen based on the overall experience that we’re crafting as well as unique qualities of the ingredients and flavors that we’re accentuating.

AI Ice Cream: Accelerating Innovation and New Flavors

If tradition is like our hands in the kitchen, then AI is our mind in research and development. Elliot’s pioneers the use of AI in culinary R&D, transforming it from buzzword to a powerful partner in the ice cream lab.

The role of Elliot’s AI in Elliot’s Ice Cream

Elliot’s AI is not a single black box, but a suite of specialized tools that augments our artisans’ creativity. Below are some components of Elliot’s AI.

• Large Language Model (LLM): Our LLM model is trained on millions of data points from culinary texts, food science journals, historical recipes, modern social media trends, and of course our own research and documentation of real world as well as theoretical data. LLMs help us understand not only what flavors work well together, but also the language and emotions associated with certain flavors .
• Computational Chemistry & Flavor Pairing: At its core, flavor is chemistry and a lot of math. While analyzing the molecular composition of ingredients is a bit out of our expertise, Elliot’s has built a sizable database of ingredients and their key flavor compounds (like esters, aldehydes, terpenes). Elliot’s AI then matches the same or complementary compounds in other ingredients, suggesting pairings that are harmonious on a chemical level.
• Predictive Ice Cream Algorithms: Before we pour out a single drop of precious cream, our we run a digital simulation to predict how the final product will turn out. By inputting the properties of a new ingredient (like its sugar content (Brix), water content, fat content, and more), Elliot’s AI can accurately predict its impact on the final ice cream product’s flavor, texture, melting point, scooping point, etc. By the time we put whisk to bowl, our ice cream recipe is 95% accurate; meaning it is already very close to production ready and needs minimal fine tuning.

New Form of Kitchen Brainstorming

Our chefs do not ask Elliot’s AI, “What should I make?” They engage it in a creative dialogue. The prompt might simply be:

“I need to make an ice cream for a French restaurant to pair with their caviar. What are some flavors that would pair well?”

Or, perhaps a more complex prompt:

“I have this beautiful, high-umami shiitake mushroom from a farm in Puli. Its dominant flavor compounds are guanylate and lenthionine. What ingredient from Taiwan’s coastline shares a complementary aromatic profile but provides a contrasting saline note?”

Elliot’s AI then suggests a specific type of sea salt infused with local seaweed and even generates an ice cream recipe, providing a data-driven starting point for the chef’s experimentation.

This process allows us to innovate faster, smarter, and more daringly. It collapses months of trial-and-error into just a few hours and enables Elliot’s to push the boundaries of what ice cream can be.

Our Commitment to ESG, Taiwan, and Local Communities Everywhere

A deeper purpose drives our innovation and craft: to operate as a responsible business that enriches our community and protects our environment. We weave this commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into every aspect of our work.

Governance: A Commitment to Transparency

We believe a truly sustainable business must also be transparent and always do the right thing for our customers. We treat the ingredients list and nutrition facts on the back of our ice cream packaging with the same amount of care and passion as we do front. Doing the right thing and protecting our customers is the reason why we made a big upfront investment to ensure that Elliot’s Ice Cream kitchen is fully HACCP and ISO 22000 certified.

Environmental: A Data-Driven Approach to Sustainability

Elliot’s AI is the cornerstone of our environmental stewardship. The same AI that allows for creative new flavor development also leads to radical waste reduction. By minimizing failed test batches, we conserve cream, sugar, energy, and the irreplaceable local ingredients that we source. Beyond the kitchen, we use data to optimize our supply chain, planning precise sourcing from our farm partners across Taiwan to minimize our carbon footprint and waste. This is a philosophy of measure everything, waste nothing.

In addition to precision ingredient planning, we also work with local Taiwan farms and other vendors to upcycle ingredients that might otherwise be thrown away. A great example of this are fruits and vegetables that don’t make the cut for the grocery store display, but are completely fine to eat. We take these “ugly fruits” and turn them into delicious ice creams.

Social: Celebrating the Terroir of Taiwan

We are very proud to have founded Elliot’s Ice Cream in Taiwan and be part of the vibrant Taiwanese community. We apply the fine wine concept of terroir, which is the idea that a product’s flavor is a direct reflection of its specific environment, to our ice cream. Our AI-driven development process specifically celebrates the unique agricultural landscape, culture, and unique culinary practices of Taiwan. We build direct relationships with the people who grow our food. This means going to the source: working with family farms in the Alishan mountains for their uniquely floral high-mountain oolong tea; partnering with orchards in the sun-drenched south for their juicy, golden Irwin mangoes, and celebrating the famously fragrant taro from Dajia. Our goal is to tell the story of Taiwan’s culture and its communities, one scoop at a time.

An Example of How Our Three Key Pillars All Come Together in Real Life

To understand how our pillars of craft, technology, and purpose merge, consider the story behind one of our most meaningful creations—a sorbet born from a local partnership and a commitment to the circular economy.

The Result: A dairy-free Millet Wine Sorbet that tells a story about environmental friendliness and community. It possesses a creaminess derived entirely from the upcycled rice. The first taste is a bright, sweet, and tangy note from the millet wine, which then gives way to the clean, comforting, and familiar flavor of pure Taiwanese rice. It is more than a delicious and innovative sorbet; it’s a testament to community partnership, creative upcycling, and our core belief that the most advanced technology works best when it serves to honor our local traditions and resources.

The Inspiration (Local & ESG): Our journey began not with an ingredient, but with a conversation. We are deeply connected to our neighbors in the East Rift Valley, including the team at “Living in the Valley” (山下生活), a local company that shares our passion for sustainability and land-friendly farming that reduces chemical exposure for farmers, protects consumer health, and restores the land’s original vitality. In their meticulous process of preparing local rice, they sometimes have a surplus of high-quality rice that is leftover and “broken”. We saw not waste, but opportunity. The challenge was born from a shared principle: how can we honor this rice and ensure none of its value is lost?

The Challenge (The Human Element & Elliot’s AI Prompt): The problem that we needed to solve: how can we transform this rice into a delicious, high-value, dairy-free dessert? This led to the following prompt for Elliot’s AI: “Develop an ice cream concept using cooked Taiwanese rice as the primary textural and body agent. Identify a traditional Taiwanese flavor pairing that complements the rice’s subtle sweetness and aligns with our commitment to local heritage. The final recipe must be optimized for a smooth, creamy, non-icy texture.”

The Insight (Elliot’s AI Analysis): Elliot’s AI analyzed the molecular structure of cooked rice, focusing on its gelatinized starches. It predicted that if processed correctly, this starch could act as a powerful natural stabilizer and emulsifier, creating a creamy body for an ice cream. The flavor profile of rice is quite subtle and easily hidden, so Elliot’s AI recommended creating a sorbet in order to maximize the unique flavors of the rice. To find a flavor partner, Elliot’s AI cross-referenced its database of traditional Taiwanese fermented products with the flavor profile of rice, ultimately recommending Millet Wine (小米酒), a sweet, slightly tangy rice beverage made by Taiwan’s indigenous peoples. Elliot’s AI reasoned that the wine’s fermented notes would cut through the richness of the rice, while its natural sugars and low alcohol content would improve the sorbet’s scoopability by lowering its freezing point.

The Sourcing (A Circular Partnership): This step embodies our ESG philosophy. The primary ingredient, the rice, is sourced directly from our partners at Living in the Valley. We then worked with them to ferment the rice into millet wine, which was the main ingredient used in our collaboration sorbet. This isn’t just farm-to-table; it’s a closed-loop system between local businesses.

The Craft (The Artisan’s Touch): After the millet wine was prepared, our chefs took over, applying their skill to transform these ingredients into iec cream, carefully cooking and processing it to break down the starches and achieve a perfectly velvety, non-gritty base. Applying Italian and Japanese culinary philosophies in tandem was critical to achieving the ideal sorbet texture and flavor, creamy like an ice cream, yet light, refreshing, and well balanced to highlight the rice flavors.

Conclusion: A Taste of Tomorrow, Today

Elliot’s Ice Cream is more than a product; it is a philosophy. It is proof that we do not have to choose between the heritage of the past and the promise of the future. We operate in a way that honors and respects the irreplaceable wisdom of tradition and the artisan’s hand while embracing the limitless potential of technology to make the way ice cream is made smarter, more creative, and more sustainable.

We commit to creating flavors that not only taste delicious but also tell a story of innovation, environmental responsibility, and a deep, connection to the community and culture of Taiwan. We invite you to be a part of our journey and taste the future of ice cream.