
Famed Malaysian chef Darren Chin receives knighthood from the French Republic
On a warm Wednesday night last week, about 20 people are gathered at the home of the French ambassador to Malaysia, His Excellency Axel Cruau.
The atmosphere is convivial and filled with a surge of anticipation, as the small crowd clamour around Cruau and the man of the moment – famed Malaysian chef Darren Chin, whose face betrays the wealth of emotions he is experiencing.
The reason for this display of emotion from a chef known for his masterful Michelin-starred French food?
Chin is now only the second Malaysian chef to be conferred the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Merite Agricole, or the Order of Agricultural Merit, which is bestowed by the French Republic to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture, including food and culinary arts.
'It's like a knighthood. You can call him 'Sir',' jokes Cruau, who adds that once a person is made a chevalier, they will have the title for life.
The order of Agricultural Merit was established in 1883 and has three categories: commanders, officers and knights.
Recipients of the knighthood have included Louis Pasteur (who invented pasteurisation) and famed French chef Jacque Pepin.
Chin meanwhile is no less star-studded.
His father David Chin founded the famed Dave's Deli chain of eateries, which Darren helped run.
Darren (third from right) says his family has been instrumental in supporting him throughout his career. (From left) Brother Brian, sister-in-law Honey Leong, wife Nana, Darren, mother Koh Mau Reen and father David Chin. — Photos: ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
Eventually Darren went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to pursue his love of French gastronomy.
Upon his return to Malaysia in 2014, he started DC by Darren Chin, which champions French cuisine and has since earned a Michelin star off the back of his sheer talent and hard work.
It is this and so much more that cemented to Cruau that Darren was the perfect person to nominate for this rare title.
'Darren is an icon in French gastronomy here in Kuala Lumpur. Actually I've been here for two-and-a-half years and one of the first events I attended was the Michelin Star reveal in KL where he was awarded a star,' Cruau says.
'So I knew him from the start. And I had the occasion to taste his food.
'But it was more his personality that was appealing. He's a philosopher of food and of transitioning his knowledge to younger chefs.
'So I said, 'Well, this is exactly the kind of person who deserves to be awarded the title, because Darren is also someone who is close to France and the spirit and values of French gastronomy.
'So for me, it was pure logic that we should ask for him to get the award,' says Cruau.
To qualify for the chevalier category of the Order of Agricultural Merit, a person has to be at least 30 years and have been in service for 15 years.
The nomination for Order of Agricultural Merit also has to be validated by France's Minister of Agriculture and Food who has to sign off on the person selected for the title.
In Malaysia, Cruau says he wanted to restart the process of awarding these titles when he took over as the ambassador as the title hadn't really been administered to Malaysians.
While Cruau nominated Darren for the title, the eventual approval has to come from France's Minister of Agriculture and Food.
'In Malaysia, it wasn't really being done and I thought it was unfair not to recognise Malaysian chefs who are French-trained and French-inspired.
'Because it's a way for France to work with the chefs and honour them,' he says.
Darren meanwhile is over-the-moon but says he is still in disbelief.
''I just cannot believe it. It means so much to me to get this recognition from the French government,' he says.
In many ways, Darren believes this is further inspiration to keep going strong and continue to hone his skills and appreciation for French gastronomy.
'Essentially French food culture has so much of a history and so much of a background that it's undeniable. I feel not just proud as a Malaysian cooking French food, but I feel extremely proud of how I have been able to fully express my heart and my soul through my food.
'So, lastly, I would just like to quote something. 'You are only as good as your last service', and in the hospitality world, it's only moving forward and never looking back,' says Darren, smiling.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: EXO's D.O. to entertain Malaysia on Aug 30
KUALA LUMPUR: K-pop fans in Malaysia have a date to mark: Doh Kyung-soo, the acclaimed main vocalist of EXO, will return on Aug 30 with his first-ever solo concert, the '2025 Doh Kyung-soo Asia Concert Tour'. Doh, or D.O. as he is also known, will be entertaining Malaysian fans at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil. His last visit to Malaysia was in 2024 for a sold-out fan concert. This new tour marks a significant milestone in his solo journey, promising a deeper musical experience that reflects his artistic growth and individuality beyond his group activities. Renowned for his rich vocals and understated charisma, D.O. is expected to deliver a meticulously curated setlist and a performance style that emphasises his emotional depth and storytelling abilities. Tickets are priced from RM488 to RM988. Additionally, 600 fans will be selected through a lucky draw to receive a premium pass and lanyard, which grants access to a customised photo booth experience at the venue.


Rakyat Post
3 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
A Clip Of Sharifah Aini's Vocal Prowess Shines A Light On Malaysian City Pop
Subscribe to our FREE Malaysia's music scene is full of talent, and Instagram user Pri (@pridrinks) recently celebrated the late Datuk Sharifah Aini and our local city pop sound. Pri, who's a DJ, shared a clip of Sharifah's song titled 'Kudaku Lari' and noted her vocal prowess, especially her ability to hold long and high notes. He believes it's one of the hardest songs to sing along to and encourages everyone to give it a go. He claimed Sharifah gives American singer-songwriter Bill Withers a run for his money too. In the comments, many people were won over by her voice and the song. Someone noted how minimal audio engineering was used at the time, hinting at the 'nearly pure' sound of Sharifah's singing voice. Sharifah's high note was so good that a user shared that a sample of the song was used in one of Malaysia's famous rap tracks, Too Phat's 'Anak Anyam.' Did anyone attempt to sing it? A user shared that they will attempt it the next time they're singing karaoke and hope they will not pass out. Meanwhile, the other person who attempted to hold the high note admitted that it was a challenge and had to take multiple deep breaths to achieve a fraction of what Sharifah did. However, the comment that stood out the most was shared by a user who played the song by the Barcelona pier. A foreign tourist at the beach heard the song and was surprised to find out it was a Malaysian singer. Pri's post also triggered a fond memory from the late singer's friend. The user shared that the legendary second Biduanita Negara Sharifah performed at their wedding and described the singer as a 'generous and wonderful friend. What are the other classic Malaysian city pop songs to check out? If Sharifah Aini's song has set you down the path of Malaysia's city pop genre, you can check out songs by Sheila Majid, Francissca Peter, and Sudirman. Here are songs by some of our local singers to get you started: Demi Cinta Sejati – Royston Sta Maria & Francissca Peter Malam Sunyi – Francissca Peter Fikirkan Dulu – Sheila Majid Kekasih – Francissca Peter Datanglah – Fairuz Hussein Kejadian Ini – Francissca Peter Jangan Ku Kau Persiakan – Noorkumalasari Ketenangan Jiwa – Sudirman Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.


Rakyat Post
3 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
Malaysian Man Says Girlfriend Complains About Being Broke Despite Labubu Obsession Taking Over Their Home
Subscribe to our FREE A Malaysian guy just went viral for complaining about his girlfriend's blind box addiction. Here's what happened: This dude's girlfriend has completely lost it over those little mystery toy boxes. You know the ones – you pay money, get a random figurine, and somehow convince yourself 'just one more' until your living room looks like a toy store exploded. The most popular ones right now? Labubu – those weird-looking elf creatures that somehow became everyone's obsession. Images shown are for illustration purposes only and do not represent the actual collection mentioned in the story. He'd even buy her those expensive Labubu figures because he's a good boyfriend. Sweet gesture, right? Wrong. That was apparently the gateway drug. Now she's not buying one box here and there, even buying entire sets – like 12 boxes at once, hoping to complete a collection. The Plot Twist That Had Him Seeing Red Here's where it gets spicy: She's dropping hundreds of ringgit every month on these things. Can't find what she wants in Malaysia? No problem! She'll pay extra to get someone to ship them from overseas. Then, she complains about being broke and every single day, she whines that her bag is too heavy. His response? 'Maybe because you've got an entire toy collection hanging off it?' It's like putting rocks in your backpack and wondering why hiking is hard. Comments Turn Into Couples Counselling Session The comments section turned into relationship therapy. 'Dump Her' squad: 'There are girls out there who save money, bro' 'Y'all want different things – time to go' 'New girlfriend fixes this problem real quick' 'Let Her Live' team: 'Nothing wrong with buying stuff that makes you happy' 'Few hundred a month? That's not crazy' 'Everyone's got their thing' The guy's not wrong for being annoyed. Nobody wants to live in a toy warehouse or hear daily money complaints when hundreds are going to collectibles. But maybe she's just found something that genuinely makes her happy in a world that's pretty stressful right now. That surprise element, the thrill of potentially getting something rare – it's like a mini celebration every time you open one. The New Money Game: Chasing Those Rare Pulls While you might find basic figurines in the second-hand market for RM20++, the real money is in the rare pieces. Take the popular But here's where it gets crazy: if you're lucky enough to get a secret version, prices can be 'fried' (inflated) to several hundred ringgit. The newest Labubu V3 secret edition can resell for RM800 or more – turning a small blind box purchase into serious money, if you're one of the lucky few to pull one. Skullpanda, another hot product from Pop Mart (the company behind Labubu and many other blind box collectibles), follows similar pricing patterns with its own series and special editions. A Balanced Perspective Here's another perspective to consider though. Some people have shared online about financial challenges related to collecting, with reports of individuals spending beyond their means or, in extreme cases, resorting to theft. Like any hobby or interest, finding the right balance is important. While collecting can bring joy and excitement, it's worth considering how any purchase fits into your overall budget and lifestyle. And this phenomenon isn't limited to Malaysia – Labubu and blind box collecting have become global trends with people sharing similar experiences and stories across different countries. Nangis ga lo liat vt semalem orang2 dewasa antre berjam2 sampe berakhir rusuh demi membeli labubu, pada saat bersamaan ada adek2 kecil kreasi bikin labubu sendiri pake kertas & selotip. 🥲🥲 It feels wrong. — the elusive sniffer (@shandya) READ MORE : READ MORE : READ MORE : Disclaimer: This article presents various perspectives on Labubu and blind box collecting phenomenon based on publicly shared experiences and social media discussions. Collecting brings joy to millions worldwide, and this content aims to offer a balanced view of this popular cultural trend. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.