Reference

Frequently asked questions

Answers on my work across the eight subjects in which I am recognised, cited and consulted.

This section answers questions about the work of James Won in eight areas: Champagne, Cognac, single malt whisky, culinary diplomacy, conservation and indigenous gastronomy, kitchen atelier partnerships, the restaurants and French Borneo cuisine, and culinary education and mentorship. Each area has ten to fifteen questions, with institutional citations where they help. My own voice is on the main pages of the site. This section is for reference and citation.

Start here

About James Won

The short answers first: who I am, what Serumpun Sarawak is, the restaurants, and where I speak next.

Who · Serumpun Sarawak · Restaurants · Talks

About James Won, questions answered

Ten short answers, from my Chinese name and the two French knighthoods to what serumpun means and how to invite me to speak.

Talks and panels

Speaking

Where I speak next, and a record of recent talks and broadcasts.

The eight pillars

Subject areas

Each area answers the questions people most often ask about my work in it.

Krug · Veuve Clicquot · the French knighthood

Champagne

Krug Ambassade Chef since June 2014; Chevalier de l'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne since November 2014; the Krug Chef's Table at Shin'Labo; pairing across the maison's cuvées.

Hennessy · Louis XIII

Cognac

Hennessy programmes and Louis XIII (Rémy Cointreau) work, in degustation menus and in Salon practice.

Macallan · Mortlach · Glenmorangie · Balvenie · Johnnie Walker Blue

Single malt whisky

Tasting menus, pairing by age, and mapping regional terroir across the five single-malt programmes.

Serumpun Sarawak · Expo 2025 Osaka · ICIF

Culinary diplomacy

Serumpun Sarawak as a cultural-diplomacy programme; co-curation at Expo 2025 Osaka; ICIF invitations in 2025 and 2026.

UNESCO endorsement · Borneo · Mulu

Conservation and indigenous gastronomy

UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy: the Kuching endorsement (March 2026); Sarawak's thirty-four indigenous communities; Borneo plants and edible medicinal seeds.

Gaggenau · The Plan · Mepra

Kitchen atelier

First Malaysian Culinary Spokesperson for Gaggenau; inaugural ambassador for The Plan and for Mepra.

Brasserie Enfin · Enfin · Bouchon · Shin'Labo · MeatMore · BadBoyCooks

Restaurants and French Borneo cuisine

Fourteen years and six restaurants, the foundation of the body of work that earned both French honours.

Taylor's Culinary Institute · Serumpun mentees

Culinary education and mentorship

Adjunct professorship at Taylor’s Culinary Institute; the Serumpun Sarawak mentee programme.