Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants has announced that JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan, is the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Miele One To Watch Award. Selected by the organisers of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, in collaboration with its regional experts, the Miele One To Watch title is presented to a restaurant that is outside the Asia’s 50 Best list but identified as the rising star of the region.

Opened in 2017, JL Studio reflects the upbringing and cultural influences of chef-owner Jimmy Lim. Born in Singapore, Lim presents modern interpretations of classic dishes from his home city. Combining traditional Singapore flavours and refined cooking techniques, Lim’s “Mod-Sin” menu translates and elevates much-loved Singaporean dishes with creative flair and a progressive approach.

William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “JL Studio celebrates Chef Lim’s culinary heritage and honours the authentic flavours of his childhood. The chef’s creativity, attention to detail and commitment to push the creative boundaries of gastronomy have made his restaurant a worthy recipient of the Miele One To Watch Award.”

Using ingredients sourced from surrounding farms in the Taichung area, Lim offers elegant interpretations of his homeland’s cuisine. Diners choose between the Experience or Discovery tasting menus and are served expertly plated versions of Singapore’s iconic hawker fare – from Chilli Crab and Nasi Lemak to Curry Puffs and Kueh Pie Tee – reimagined for a fine dining setting. Designed to welcome up to 20 guests, the restaurant’s interiors are intimate and understated. Focusing on natural materials, the style is minimalist and authentic with an emphasis on raw timber, plain surfaces and warm lighting.

Growing up in Singapore, Lim spent most of his childhood helping in his family’s restaurant. After graduating from a local culinary school, he won the 2006 WACS World Young Chef Challenge and moved to Taichung, where he worked at the award-winning Le Moût restaurant for seven years. Expanding his international culinary knowledge, he spent time in the kitchens of some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, including The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York, as well as Noma and Geranium in Copenhagen.

Chef Jimmy Lim said: “Having JL Studio named this year’s Miele One To Watch is a huge validation for myself and the team. Although we are a very young restaurant, this honour encourages us to continue challenging ourselves, striving for excellence and discovering new ways to reinterpret Singapore cuisine.”

Mario Miranda, Regional Managing Director Asia at Miele, said: “The spirit of innovation and the continuous pursuit of perfection are at the core of Miele’s brand philosophy as manufacturer of premium kitchen appliances. This year is special as Miele celebrates its 120th anniversary. It is inspiring to discover a similar development at JL Studio in Taiwan: while maintaining a solid foundation based on traditions, chef Jimmy Lim works daily to modernise and elevate his Singapore cuisine to cater for an international audience. We congratulate Chef Lim and his team on this well-deserved 2019 ‘Miele One To Watch’ award.”

JL Studio joins a stellar line-up of recent One To Watch award winners including Florilège in Tokyo (2016), TocToc in Seoul (2017) and Toyo Eatery in Manila (2018).

Company profile: Miele is the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products. This line-up is augmented by dishwashers, washer-extractors and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Professional Business Unit). The Miele company, founded in 1899, has eight production plants in Germany as well as one plant each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania. These are joined by the two plants belonging to Miele's Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. 2017/18 turnover amounted to approx. EUR 4.1 bn, with sales outside Germany accounting for 70%. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries. Throughout the world, the family-run enterprise, now in its fourth generation, employs a workforce of around 20,100, whereof 11,200 are employed in Germany. The company headquarters are located in Gütersloh/Westphalia, Germany.