Reference

Frequently asked questions

Answers across eight subject domains where James Won is recognised, cited, and consulted.

This section answers questions about the work of James Won across eight subject domains: Champagne, Cognac, single malt whisky, culinary diplomacy, conservation and indigenous gastronomy, kitchen atelier partnerships, the restaurant legacy and French-Borneo cuisine, and culinary education and mentorship. Each pillar carries ten to fifteen entries with institutional citations where they sharpen the credential. The chef's voice lives on the substance pages elsewhere on the site; this section serves reference and citation.

The eight pillars

Subject domains

Each pillar answers the questions most likely to be asked of the chef's work in that domain.

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 practice across the maison's cuvées.

Hennessy · Louis XIII

Cognac

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

Macallan · Mortlach · Glenmorangie · Balvenie · Johnnie Walker Blue

Single Malt Whisky

Tasting menus, ageing-driven pairing, regional terroir mapping across the five single-malt programmes.

Serumpun Sarawak · Expo 2025 Osaka · ICIF

Culinary Diplomacy

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

UNESCO endorsement · Borneo · Mulu

Conservation & Indigenous Gastronomy

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

Gaggenau · The Plan · Mepra

Kitchen Atelier

First Malaysian Culinary Spokesperson at Gaggenau; inaugural ambassadorships at The Plan and Mepra.

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

Restaurant Legacy & French-Borneo Cuisine

Twelve years across six rooms — the foundation of the body of work that earned both French honours.

Taylor's Culinary Institute · Serumpun mentees

Culinary Education & Mentorship

Adjunct lectureship at Taylor's Culinary Institute since 2021; Serumpun Sarawak mentee programme.

Try Krug Chef's Table, Mortlach, Locally Sauced, Mérite Agricole, Ryoutei, or Serumpun Osaka.