Chef Darren Chin
What the most respected cognac house commands, it gets. And this year, Hennessy X.O Odyssey’s second edition taps into Chef Darren Chin’s culinary finesse, where in a lively little corner of Taman Tun Dr Ismail, at the three-storey DC restaurant Chef Darren founded in 2014, he has curated a seven-course menu that complements and articulates the tasting notes of the Hennessy X.O.
When the Hennessy X.O Odyssey winnowed its way to the hearts (and palates) of Malaysians last year, the then-newly introduced culinary platform did exactly what it could to serve up what the House of Hennessy and its most esteemed patrons would expect—an exclusive gastronomic experience that was unrivalled. Diners familiar with the Hennessy X.O culinary collaborations would see the shadows of the annual Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows affair in Odyssey, and the Odyssey journey is as all-encompassing in its flavours as those of Appreciation Grows.
With a week left till Hennessy X.O Odyssey 2017 is done for the year, BAZAAR speaks to Chef Darren about perfect pairings.
Flavours that don’t falter …
In alcohol pairing, there are two kinds, as I see it. You can either go for the “contrast pairing”, which means you need something to elevate the other, or you can go with the “perfect pairing”. It’s not being “safe”; I’m just more of a “perfect pairing” person. So, these ingredients I use don’t crash with the Hennessy X.O, nor does the cognac overwhelm the dish.
Infinite Echo: Takao cold somen with Ogawa Bafun uni, and truffle celeriac cream, served with Hennessy X.O, with a splash of water
