"I've known this place for over the past 10 years. They started out as a grocery store and they've slowly expanded. It's our (he and his wife Nana) go-to place to come and have a simple yet tasty meal that's very satisfactory when we're looking for something quick and easy," says Chin.

Chin goes on to explain that Frame Thai is one of the only places in PJ where he and his spouse can eat a truly authentic Thai meal. While a better part of his time is spent in the kitchen of his restaurant creating epic culinary odysseys, Chin likes to keep his orders simple when at Frame Thai, often ordering a plate of fried rice with a sunny side egg on top or pad see ew (stir fried soy sauce noodles).

"If my wife and I have more time in the day, we would take a drive down to Kuala Selangor to have really nice local live seafood," says Chin. "You'll find many Chinese restaurants along the coast and we'll order anything from the tank, we enjoy that."

One of the chef's favourite comfort foods is a beloved Malaysian dish that really shouldn't surprise anyone – chicken rice. 

"There's just one nearby called James' chicken rice (also known as Choon Yien Restaurant). I have to come extremely early and I think their chicken rice is really great," he confesses. "You know how they give Michelin stars to hawker centres in Singapore, I think if they came here he deserves something."

According to Chin, James' chicken rice doesn't only have chicken that's roasted really well, they also serve a mean crispy pork with crunch. To top it off, the chilli sauce is in his own words, "very good". These three elements makes it a win in his books.

It's always great to see when one chef praises another as a fan of their work.

"Just off the top of my head, I would have to say my dad's cooking," says Chin. "That's something I grew up eating as a kid and that taste is very distinct to me. One of my favourite dishes from him is stewed pork chop with fried potatoes and onions topped with gravy".

"When I eat that with white rice it brings back a lot of fond memories for me as a kid. I would rank my dad's cooking number 1," he says fondly.

"I'm not a snacker and I don't like desserts very much. Maybe some fruits at the end of a meal but that's about it," says Chin.

While potato chips, chocolate chip cookies and other nibbles may not be on his radar, the outspoken chef does have some weaknesses.

"The only vice that I have is alcohol. I like to drink but when consuming alcohol gets directly converted to visceral fat in your body," he admits with a counterpoint.

Chin also abstaints from having dishes like nasi lemak bumbung and hokkien mee, viewing them as guilty pleasures.

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"I wake up in the morning, have my coffee, eat something really simple like oat biscuits or a granola bar," he discloses. "I'm a bit cautious about what I eat as I try not to consume too many calories."

Here's something you may not know about the life of a successful celebrated chef – they don't have regular diets due to their work.

"I don't eat after 4PM because it would affect my taste buds during service and that's a fact," reveals Chin. "If I eat at say 6PM, my palate won't be very accurate because I feel full and I won't be able to find the tastes I'm looking for in a dish." 

While Chin tries to have three meals a day, it's a challenge for him due to the nature of his work. After the last table finishes up and leaves, only then will he dig in for dinner with his staff. Because of this, he often sleeps at 2AM to 3AM.

"At this moment, the mission is to be recognised. We need to let the world know what DC is capable of doing. We may have carved a name for ourselves dometiscally, but what's lacking is worldwide recognition," says Chin. 

"A lot of restaurants have failed and they are left forgotten. I don't want to end up like that, it's my biggest fear," he adds candidly. 

"The hardest thing to do when you create a great dish is to exercise restraint. In any craft, to come to a certain 'zen' moment is hard to execute," says Chin.

Discipline and control are two equally important traits for a chef, and arguably any creative, when aiming to express and bring to life the vision in their mind.

"I want to give to diners my life's work, my cuisine," says Chin. "I want to show them that this is how I cook it and this is how I do it, not in an arrogant or egoistical manner, but in a way where it shows that my food is how I would like to express myself on a plate."

"I'm a bit picky with the people I choose to eat with, because the time that I have to eat is also about conversation and not just about the food," says Chin. "It's about company, it's to stop and not think about food and I think that's very important in life."

"But, of course it's hard. They always tell me I'm too picky and I always end up doing all the ordering," he jokes.

Read what other chefs have to say: James Won of Enfin | Carrie Scully of Tiki Taka