Malaysia’s chef Darren Chin has helmed D.C. fine-dining restaurant since 2014, a venue which—ever since the Michelin Guide was launched—has held one Michelin star across two consecutive years. Chin’s formative years as a chef began in Malaysia and then France, where he learnt and cooked in the kitchen of Pierre Sang Boyer and Michelin-starred Lasserre in Paris, before founding his eponymous fine-dine restaurant in the leafy suburb of Kuala Lumpur’s Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Now, a decade later, an email from the national carrier set off a chain of events that led to Chin’s own culinary renaissance—a new manifesto for DC’s next evolution that is premised on five key tenets: exploration, lush and green, terroir-driven, locavore, and harmony. In all this, the underpinning emotion is one of quiet confidence, one that Chin picked up in the research, planning and production of the series of five episodes that he co-scripted and starred in for Malaysia Airlines to announce its new Chiang Mai routes. In all this, he says, the new manifesto is driven not merely by an understanding of food, but also the enrichment that one experiences in travel.
What stories did you discover in the creation of the video series to announce Malaysia Airlines’ new Chiang Mai routes?
Chiang Mai is very personal for me, because my wife is from there and the food we do in Gai (the two Thai restaurants under Chin’s restaurant group) is representative of Lanna cuisine, the food of northern Thai rooted in the ancient kingdom. I was looking for meaning—what these places mean to the people there and why Malaysians should visit. What I found was so much more than just food. We experienced a living culture dating back centuries—you can’t deny this fact—in terms of how they have always respected biodiversity, ecology and having the real luxury of taking time to appreciate life.
What makes Chiang Mai real for you?
It’s a very organic place. People there cultivate the land; they grow plants, create recipes from the plants, and eat the food. And this is generational, with kids, and grandkids following suit. It’s really inspirational to see that they have such a great conviction in how they make their dishes and seeing them do it with such natural flair—it was like learning a new language for me.
Chiang Mai for me is a self-healing place. Plenty of chefs are always in a hurry, chasing accolades and validation. It’s important to be reminded of who we are at times—and I think getting that e-mail from Malaysia Airlines to work on this project made me see the world in a fresh new way, in that they could relate the happiness of travel through what my wife Nana and I were bringing through Gai.
How has this process also deepened your understanding of northern Thai cuisine?
I came to understand that Thai food has its own rules, its own techniques, and the ratios of chilli to other spices. There is a great cohesion in all that they do and that’s why a bowl of khao soi (Thai noodle soup) is so satisfying because there’s no pretence.
Was there a particular moment in the production that encapsulated this epiphany for you?
When we were trying to find out the origins of khao soi. We realised that, in fact, three variants exist: the Chiang Mai version, khao soi Islam, and khao soi Yunnan. And, really, these versions came about because they introduced dried spices, like black cardamom of the place they left, into the fresh pounded chilli paste of Thai cooking, which became their adopted homeland. The result is a really mind-blowing bowl of noodles—very fulfilling.
And how has this led to your evolved culinary manifesto?
Being there helped me to reconnect with the soul of Southeast Asia and implement that into D.C. Restaurant’s next evolution. We blend the finest local and global ingredients. We place great importance on sustainability and freshness in our kitchens. Each dish is created to be a tribute to the land that nourishes us. We support local farmers and artisans. And, finally, we harmonise and balance each dish, so it makes sense on both the palate and in the mind. This manifesto is, most importantly, the context in which our entire team operates on—so they can explain the whys of what we do and for diners to appreciate what we’re looking to achieve.
What is your biggest challenge getting to this point?
My new menu is, in essence, me speaking another language. Of course, I still operate on the fundamentals of French cooking, but I now embrace the very pleasing experience of making food for enjoyment. Doing this automatically happens for a good reason—it’s a sense of moving on and into new life experiences that I hope our diners will enjoy. So, now when I get out of bed, I’m motivated by this conviction.
What is worth paying for?
For me, what’s worth paying for these days is education. I stumbled across a white guy who runs a farm and cooking school an hour out of Chiang Mai. And he teaches Thai food to Thai chefs. That’s a lot of confidence—getting people to drive out to spend two weeks learning from him. I asked some chef friends, including those who have Michelin stars attached to their restaurants. They say that they would make the time to go every year if they could. This guy has turned the ancient art of Thai cooking into a very accurate science.
Window or aisle?
Aisle. I don’t like the window.
Long or short distance?
I’m okay with both but I don’t like getting on night flights.
Meal or sleep?
If it’s a night flight, I skip the service and sleep.
Malaysia Airlines now invites Malaysian travellers to explore Chiang Mai via direct flights from Kuala Lumpur.
Additional photography: Joshua Chay, Law Soo Phye
