For Jimmy Lim, chef of three-MICHELIN-starred restaurant JL Studio in Taichung, one of the most frequently asked questions he receives is how he explores flavors and keeps his inspiration flowing.
"Many people think that to master something means repeatedly practicing that specific skill, like continuously practicing martial arts moves," says Lim, and so, cooking would involve constantly reading cookbooks or honing culinary techniques. "But sometimes, I believe that opening your mind to experience life, people, and things around you can provide you with even more inspiration."
For him, cooking doesn't have a formula or standard operating procedure, but it does require an attitude. Maintaining an open mindset, constantly seeking improvement, and pushing the boundaries are principles he would never compromise on.
Take one of the signature dishes at JL Studio for example — it is a reinterpretation of the Singaporean classic, Hainanese Chicken Rice. Lim has created over a dozen variations of his own.
In one version, he uses Chiayi white asparagus to mimic the texture of chicken and konjac to imitate chicken skin. This "chicken-less" combination still delivers a subtly reminiscent taste of Hainanese Chicken Rice. It is then accompanied by julienned bamboo shoots, sweet pear shreds, and a thin rice broth drizzled over the dish. In a recent iteration, he evolved the dish from cod fish to grouper, garnishing it with thin slices of bamboo shoots and a sauce made from jasmine rice, as well as a green chili sauce. The dish retains the charm and satisfaction of street-style Hainanese Chicken Rice even in a fine-dining presentation.
He even has a dish toying with the idea of a "noodle-less meat ball soup," crafting it using abalone.
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"Every change must lead to improvement, to a better approach — not change for the sake of change," he explains. "When reimagining and elevating a dish, I always consider how to push the boundaries," adds Lim. However, he doesn't do this purely just with a goal to create a surprise for his guests; instead, he just continues to always think about surpassing himself, to have a better, more interesting version of a dish. By doing this, a pleasant surprise is just a natural consequence of his habit of always pushing the boundaries when contemplating a dish.
Singaporean DNA + High-Quality Taiwanese Ingredients
While there's neither no formula nor SOP when creating dishes, at JL Studio, two core principles play a significant role when conceptualizing dishes: the DNA of Singaporean cuisine and culture and showcasing the essence of ingredients.
Take the dish "Lamb Rack / Masala / Sustainable Greens" as an example. This dish initially originated from an invitation to incorporate Nespresso coffee into the cuisine. "I started by tasting the coffee and noticed some toasty flavors and some spices, which reminded me of masala," says Lim. This led him to create a fresh salad pasta using masala spices.
Next, he researched the Exclusive Selection - Nespresso Nepal Lamjung for the dish, exploring the growing environment and local cuisine of Nepal. He found out that the Nepalese have a preference for lamb, and so he decided to use it. Marinated with dry masala spices, coffee, and oil, the meat is first seared and then grilled to bring out a smoky, alluring flavor.
The lamb is paired with two sauces: one is a coffee sabayon that is made with a Lungo Nespresso Nepal Lamjung, and another is a lamb jus infused with Nespresso Nepal Lamjung in espresso. On the sides of the lamb are two enticing arcs made from coffee crumbles, mimicking the shape of Nepali sand dunes.
In this dish, he also used vegetables farmed from areas where Nespresso worked with farmers to grow with recycled coffee grounds. He grilledbok choy, Qingjiang cabbage, komatsuna, and black-leafed cabbage to make a purée, and even the stems weren't wasted — they were diced and paired with the lamb.
"Sustainability is a topic I care deeply about. When my team and I think about dishes, we would definitely discuss how to make the most of everything. It's a practice we frequently engage in," says Lim. Even with sustainability, he is always pushing the boundaries, always trying to find a better way to do things. "I love the idea of using vegetables grown with coffee grounds because in this way, there's a product (sustainable vegetables), there are people who use it (to create dishes), and then people will care about it. Sustainability becomes a full cycle, instead of just a marketing tool,” he says with sincerity.
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