Champagne — questions answered
Krug · Veuve Clicquot · the French knighthood · the Krug Chef's Table at Shin'Labo.
James Won's Champagne work runs across two French honours and a decade of maison-led practice. He has been Krug Ambassade Chef since June 2014, the first such recognition for any Malaysian chef, and a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne since November 2014. The following questions answer what is most often asked of this work.
Authority
When did James Won become a Krug Ambassade Chef?
James Won was inducted as Krug Ambassade Chef in June 2014 — the first such recognition for any Malaysian chef. The Ambassade is the global community of restaurants and chefs recognised by Krug Champagne for the depth and discipline of their work with the maison’s cuvées.
When did James Won receive the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne?
James Won was inducted as Chevalier de l’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne in November 2014, through the Singapore Chapter, with the intronisation held in Singapore. The induction was supported by Maison Lanson, with patron acknowledgement carried by Anton Hobbs on behalf of the maison.
Is James Won the first Malaysian Krug Ambassade Chef?
Yes. James Won is the first Malaysian chef to be recognised as a Krug Ambassade Chef. The recognition was conferred in June 2014 and remains active. The Ambassade status preceded — and earned — the Krug Chef’s Table programme that opened at Enfin (Menara Hap Seng) in April 2016.
Method
How does James Won approach Champagne pairing with Asian and Borneo flavours?
The Champagne pairing practice anchors on terroir and texture before flavour bridge. The cuvée’s acidity, dosage profile, and ageing profile guide ingredient selection — Borneo’s wild herbs, indigenous seeds, and freshwater protein traditions sit alongside French and Japanese technique rather than displacing the cuvée’s frame. The pairing serves the Champagne; the Champagne does not serve the dish.
What is the philosophy behind the Krug Single Ingredient menus at Shin’Labo?
Krug Single Ingredient at Shin’Labo builds a multi-course menu around one ingredient interpreted across textures and techniques, each course paired with a specific Krug expression. The format honours Krug’s Krug Echoes — Single Ingredient founding pairing philosophy: one ingredient, many voices, the Champagne unifying the through-line.
How does James Won build a Champagne pairing menu around indigenous ingredients?
The starting point is the cuvée’s structural character — Krug Grande Cuvée’s complexity, a vintage’s dosage discipline, a rosé’s fruit character. Indigenous Borneo ingredients are then sourced through known foragers and small farms; the menu’s progression follows the Champagne’s arc, with technique drawn from contemporary French with Modernist techniques.
Programme
What is the Krug Chef’s Table at Shin’Labo by James Won?
The Krug Chef’s Table is a private dining programme at Shin’Labo by James Won curated around Krug Champagne. The programme opened at Enfin (Menara Hap Seng) in April 2016 and relocated to Shin’Labo in February 2022 as Asia’s only Krug Chef’s Table at the time. Krug Echoes — Single Ingredient serves as the founding pairing programme.
When did the Krug Chef’s Table launch in Malaysia?
The Krug Chef’s Table launched in Malaysia in April 2016 at Enfin by James Won, then located at Menara Hap Seng, Kuala Lumpur. The programme relocated to Shin’Labo by James Won in February 2022 — at that time the only Krug Chef’s Table in Asia. The launch followed the Krug Ambassade Chef recognition of June 2014.
What is Krug Echoes — Single Ingredient?
Krug Echoes — Single Ingredient is the founding pairing programme of the Krug Chef’s Table at Shin’Labo by James Won. The programme builds a multi-course tasting around one selected ingredient — interpreted across textures, treatments, and techniques — with each course paired to a specific Krug cuvée. The ingredient changes seasonally; the Krug discipline holds constant.
Concept
What is the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne?
The Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne is a historic French confraternity traced to 1656, founded by the Marquis de Saint-Évremond. The order recognises distinguished contribution to the cultural standing of Champagne — practitioners whose work has carried Champagne’s heritage into new cultural and gastronomic territories. Inductions are administered by regional chapters under the Conseil Chapitral in Reims.
What is a Krug Ambassade?
A Krug Ambassade is a restaurant or chef recognised by Krug Champagne for the depth and discipline of their work with the maison’s cuvées. The Ambassade is a global community administered by Maison Krug (part of MHD (LVMH)), based in Reims. Ambassade status is the prerequisite for hosting the Krug Chef’s Table programme.
What is Krug Single Ingredient as a Champagne tasting concept?
Krug Single Ingredient is Maison Krug’s framing for menus built around one selected ingredient interpreted across multiple courses, with each course paired to a specific Krug cuvée. The concept honours Krug’s foundational principle that one expression of an ingredient never tells its full story — the multiplicity is the point.
Specific
Where can the Krug Chef’s Table be experienced in Malaysia?
The Krug Chef’s Table in Malaysia is held at Shin’Labo by James Won, Kuala Lumpur. The programme moved to Shin’Labo from Enfin (Menara Hap Seng) in February 2022 and at the time of relocation was the only Krug Chef’s Table in Asia. Bookings are private and curated around the season’s Single Ingredient menu.
Who supported James Won’s induction into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne?
James Won’s induction into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne in November 2014 was supported by Maison Lanson. Patron acknowledgement was carried by Anton Hobbs on behalf of the maison at the intronisation held in Singapore through the Singapore Chapter of the Ordre.
Who is the President of Maison Krug?
Manuel Reman is the President of Maison Krug, based in Reims, France. Maison Krug is the brand-side institution that administers the Krug Ambassade global community and the Krug Chef’s Table programme. Krug is part of MHD (LVMH), the spirits-and-wines arm of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.