Celebrity Chef Darren Chin is no stranger to when it comes to practitioners of gastronomic indulgence.
His love and knowledge of three types of cuisine (Malaysian, Thai and French) have resulted in bursts of exotic flavours that continuously enchant his well-earned fan base from all across the country.
Darren’s DC Restaurant and BREF in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) reflects his 2 decades of professional experience in the industry.
His exquisite taste is also reflected in the sophisticated interior design that he has included in his house at Armanee Terrace, located in upscale Damansara Perdana.
Its rustic yet modern design emits a somewhat Balinese ambience, as its scenic views are full of greenery.
Having been trained in a French kitchen, he believes that a home is where great taste comes to life.
When finding a home, comfort is a priority, and so is the ability to entertain his guests by demonstrating his craft in a more relaxed ambience at his own home.
Turning A Dream Into Reality
Darren shared that it took him some time to accumulate his savings before he could afford his dream home.
“The most important thing to consider before purchasing a property is the ability to afford it”, he advised.
Darren explained that he worked at restaurants for 25 years before having the means to own a property.
“Working at a restaurant is no office job as it takes hard work. But if you work hard enough, your efforts will pay off, as mine did in affording this home”.
He comes from humble beginnings, growing up at Pelangi Damansara, in a small 2-bedroom apartment.
But armed with ambition and humility, he persevered and managed to accumulate enough savings to move out, as well as to afford renovations and additional fixtures to beautify his new home.
After researching on PropertyGuru’s AreaInsider, Darren knew that Damansara Perdana was the neighbourhood he wanted to be a part of.
And, as soon as he was confident of making the right decision, he went on to purchase a unit at Armanee Terrace.
Upon receiving the keys to his new home, he immediately acquired the expertise of a professional interior designer, and was extremely happy with the classy and sophisticated finished result.
To him, this was a home to live in, and not just an investment. “If you intend to succeed in anything you do, you need to commit your time, energy, and stay focused at all costs,” he shared.
Taking A Peek At A Chef’s Home Kitchen
Aside from a place to live and sleep in, Darren needed a sanctuary that could create value for his clients too.
The idea was to design a more ‘personalised’ layout, that would allow him to comfortably host his clients outside of his own restaurants.
“We are in the business of hospitality, not food,” he proudly noted, adding that the interior design was specially tailored for that purpose.
The functionality of the home was a key subject to Darren, so it’s no surprise that the highlight of his home is the fact that the entire property was designed to centre around the kitchen.
“The whole idea is to structure the kitchen in such a way that I can engage with my guests in a private and personalised session, because it isn’t feasible in any of my restaurants,” he said.
He added that creating this atmosphere wasn’t easy, but it was of his utmost priority. He has managed to combine both his private and business worlds into a culinary concoction of love and passion.
On the current property market, Darren believes that property investment is becoming increasingly challenging in today’s climate.
In spite of this, he thinks that the eventful journey he has been on thus far should not be unique only to himself.
More Malaysians can own a home too, as long as they work on their passion, and learn to make better property decisions.
He also recommends potential homeowners to first understand the market, and to take advantage of current home pricing trends by checking out the Malaysia Property Market Index.
In the foreseeable future, Darren plans on retiring to his wife’s hometown in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
However, in his own words, “that can wait for now”, as they are comfortable with their current sanctuary.
Read more stories of people and their home journeys, or start your own process to purchasing your dream home on PropertyGuru.