Real Estate | @recipe_tin via Instagram
Since home cook and author Nagi Maehashi founded her food blog RecipeTin Eats in 2011, it has become one of Australia’s most trusted destinations for reliable, tasty meals that can be whipped up using simple, everyday ingredients. Her first book, RecipeTin Eats: Dinner, published in 2022, was an instant hit, breaking records and making the New York Times best sellers list.
It’s unquestionable, she’s a homegrown success story. And it seems like that success translates not just to delicious meals on the plate or even to millions of devoted followers online, but to the property market, too. Nagi has reportedly snapped up a Victorian-era home in Sydney’s Hunters Hill for $7 million. The property was sold off-market by BresicWhitney.
‘Daybreak’, as the property is known, was built in c1883 and last sold in 2019 for $4.75 million.
Real estate listings show that the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home is set on a 1550sqm block with a wrap-around sandstone verandah, a large swimming pool and an expansive, park-like garden – all of which is to say that Nagi’s devoted sidekick, Dozer the golden retriever, will have his pick of places to bask in the sunshine.
Gazing upon the home’s romantic symmetrical facade, it’s clear that it was built according to the Victorian Gothic style, which favours ornate lace detailing, steeply pitched roofs, dormer windows and ornamental finials.
According to The Heritage of Hunters Hills Green Book, Daybreak was originally built for the Lenehan family, who called the property home until 1920.
Now it’s time for Nagi to put her own stamp on the property, and while listings claim the home is already equipped with a chef-worthy kitchen, time will only tell if it will need a revamp to keep up with Nagi’s busy recipe development schedule.
Prior to starting RecipeTin Eats, Nagi worked in corporate finance, a career she enjoyed but wasn’t particularly passionate about. It wasn’t long before the self-taught cook gave up her day job and put her life savings into pursuing something she really loved: cooking. In her website’s bio, she says her biggest inspiration was her upbringing.
“Growing up, budget was tight and even though my mother worked full time, we dined like royalty because she was so creative in the kitchen. And this is why I know it’s possible to make great, fresh food even if you’re short on time and on a budget.” Nagi’s humble beginnings and love of food saw her found not-for-profit RecipeTin Meals in 2021, which produces up to 100,000 meals annually for Sydneysiders in need.
