We chat to JC Mandarin’s Manfred Wimmer about his one of his greatest loves; the Shanghai dining scene.

What do you like most about cooking?
The chance to make people happy. You see people coming back happy and this is the greatest satisfaction.

And how long have you been cooking in Shanghai?
I’ve now been here for 18 years. I went back twice to Vancouver to establish my own business but it was very difficult because you get used to the population and the business here, where things are very colorful and always moving. Shanghai is the destination for dining.

What are some of your signature dishes?
I don’t have a signature dish. For me, being a chef is like being a painter. A painter could never paint the same picture twice. Food is never the same because the ingredients and the produce are always different. The origin is always a little bit different, so the food is never the same. Where can we get a taste of some of your art? I have been working at the JC Mandarin since the beginning of February. We serve mostly meat and steaks but we are trying to change to more import meats, like Canadian meats and AAA grade meat. We were just recently allowed to use new suppliers. It’s going to be exciting.

WHO: Manfred Wimmer

WHERE:Wine Bar & Grill | 3/F, Shanghai JC Mandarin, 1225 Nanjing Xi Lu

TEL: 6279-1888 ext. 5306