Mandarin Grill enters a new chapter with Chef Sherine Lim taking the role of Chef de Cuisine. Her arrival signals a more intimate and expressive direction for the restaurant, shaped by fire-led cooking, layered flavours, and a philosophy rooted in memory and togetherness.
Born and raised in Singapore, Chef Sherine discovered her love for cooking at home alongside her mother and nanny. Those early kitchen moments continue to influence the way she approaches food today. Rather than focusing solely on technical perfection, she creates dishes that evoke emotion, familiarity, and connection. For the Chef, food goes beyond craftsmanship. It becomes a way to bring people together through shared experiences around the table.
Her appointment also marks an important moment for Mandarin Grill as the restaurant evolves its culinary identity while remaining grounded in refinement and precision. Under her direction, the experience feels more personal and ingredient-driven, with fire taking centre stage across the menu.
Fire-Led Dining With Depth And Restraint
At Mandarin Grill, Chef Sherine embraces charcoal-driven cooking techniques through the Josper and Konro grill. Instead of overpowering ingredients, she uses fire to draw out depth, texture, and natural flavour. Smoke becomes a subtle layer rather than the dominant element, allowing each component on the plate to remain balanced and expressive.
Spices also play a defining role in her cooking. Ingredients such as juniper, pine, coriander seeds, and cumin appear throughout the menu in nuanced ways. Rather than relying on heaviness, she introduces these flavours with restraint to create complexity and warmth. Her approach extends beyond savoury dishes into infused butters, sauces, and even desserts such as spiced ice creams, giving the dining experience a more unexpected dimension.
The direction reflects a wider movement in contemporary fine dining, where chefs increasingly prioritise clarity, seasonality, and thoughtful execution over elaborate presentation. At Mandarin Grill, that philosophy feels polished yet approachable, balancing sophistication with comfort.
A Kitchen Culture Rooted In Collaboration
Alongside her culinary vision, Chef Sherine also brings a strong commitment to conscious cooking and kitchen culture. She champions a zero-waste philosophy, encouraging her team to utilise every part of an ingredient thoughtfully while minimising unnecessary waste. Seasonal Malaysian produce and local proteins remain central to her menus, allowing the restaurant to celebrate the richness and diversity of local ingredients.
Beyond the food itself, she places strong emphasis on teamwork, kindness, and collaboration inside the kitchen. She believes a successful restaurant depends on trust and mutual respect among the team, creating an environment where curiosity and continuous learning can thrive naturally.
That sense of connection also shapes her daily routine. Mornings begin with an iced Americano before moving into quality checks, preparation, and slower processes such as infusions and bread-making rituals shared with the team twice a week. These quieter moments reflect the atmosphere she hopes to cultivate at Mandarin Grill, where discipline exists alongside warmth and familiarity.
Under Chef Sherine Lim, Mandarin Grill enters a more thoughtful and expressive phase. Through fire-led cooking, nuanced spices, and a deeply personal perspective on hospitality, she brings a quieter yet soulful energy to one of Kuala Lumpur’s longstanding dining destinations.
(Photos: Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur)
