Jimmy Lim Tyan Yaw

At a glance

Jimmy Lim Tyan Yaw, known in Chinese as Lin Tianyao, founded JL Studio in Taichung. His story begins in his father’s Singapore hawker kitchen, continues through professional training and European-technique kitchens, and turns into a deliberate decision to cook Singaporean food with Taiwanese produce.[1] [2] [3]

Cooking & identity

Singaporean food memories supply the reference; technique and Taiwanese ingredients supply the means. In his interview he also describes learning to adjust, rather than treating his original intention as an excuse to ignore the diner.[2] [1]

Why this profile is included

Included through Asia’s 2026 Top100 and a chef-led Singaporean concept in Taichung. The record also retains an older named exchange with Labyrinth, keeping the restaurant’s regional connections visible.[1] [2] [3]

Connected restaurant / chef: JL Studio

Independent observations

ChefsLanding · 2026-11-04 · Editorial commentary on the public record

Throwing out a nearly finished opening menu is not a business method we would recommend casually. As a professional story, though, it is more revealing than another paragraph about passion: Lim had to choose what he wanted to cook, then learn how to make that choice work for his diners.

His willingness to discuss adjustment is worth more than pretending a signature concept arrived fully formed. The useful chef is not always the one whose first thought wins; sometimes it is the one who can take an ego out of the pass before service.

Sources & dates [2] [1]

Recent developments

1. 2026-11

   The current restaurant website continues to identify him as chef-founder and frames his work through Singaporean heritage and Taiwanese ingredients.[1]

Collaborations & guest appearances

1 collaboration project · 0 within the two-year research window

Projects are deduplicated: multiple nights, venues or reports do not automatically become separate collaborations. Food-and-drink events and shared festival appearances are labelled by format.

1. Culinary exchangeMixed evidence · see each date

   JL Studio × Labyrinth · Mod-Sin exchange

   • 2018-08 (Exact day not published)
     JL Studio · Taichung
     Reported after the event
   • 2018-09 (Exact day not published)
     Labyrinth · Singapore
     Scheduled date passed · announcement

   Participants / partners
   Jimmy Lim / JL Studio · Han Liguang / Labyrinth

   A September 2018 interview previews Jimmy Lim’s return visit to Han Liguang’s Labyrinth after their Taiwan exchange. The series explores Singaporean memories using Taiwanese and Singaporean produce. The interview reports Han’s August Taiwan appearance and previews the September Singapore visit. Exact service days remain unverified.[4]

Career & milestones

1. Early life

   Grew up around his father’s hawker cooking in Singapore.[2]

2. Training / 2006

   Trained at SHATEC; the award organiser’s biography also records the 2006 WACS World Young Chef Challenge gold.[3]

3. Before JL Studio

   Developed his professional career in Taiwan; the 2018 collaboration interview records a substantial period at Le Moût in Taichung.[4]

4. International training

   The award organiser records training or development at The French Laundry, Per Se and Geranium; it does not specify posts or dates.[3]

5. 2017-02-01

   Opened JL Studio on 1 February 2017 after changing the intended European concept to Singaporean cuisine.[2]

6. 2023

   His restaurant’s 2023 promotion marked a milestone in presenting Singaporean cuisine abroad; the stars belong to JL Studio.[5] [2]

Recognition over time

Restaurant ratings and individual honours are listed separately. Editorial profiles are labelled as coverage.

1. Edition unspecified

   The Best Chef · Two Knives in the current individual profile; edition not stated on that page[3]

2. 2006

   WACS World Young Chef Challenge · gold, as recorded in organiser biography[3]

Sources & dates

Public biographies, restaurant statements and named projects checked on 4 November 2026. Exact employment dates and unreported engagements may remain unavailable.

1. jlstudiotw.com · JL Studio · restaurant concept, team and recognition ↗Checked 2026-11-04
2. MICHELIN · Jimmy Lim · first-person MICHELIN interview ↗Published 2023-09-18 · Checked 2026-11-04
3. thebestchefawards.com · Jimmy Lim · The Best Chef personal profile ↗Checked 2026-11-04
4. MICHELIN · Jimmy Lim and Han Liguang · collaboration interview ↗Published 2018-09-25 · Checked 2026-11-04
5. 50 Best · JL Studio · Asia2026 profile ↗Checked 2026-11-04