MasterChef star cooks up new beachfront life

Gold Coast Bulletin - 10.10.2026

Former MasterChef contestant Metter Chin and his partner Joseph Sbarro have moved into their luxury Gold Coast beachfront apartment four years after buying off the plan.

The Sydney couple bought a two-bedroom plus multipurpose room residence at Royale in Surfers Paradise as a holiday home, attracted by its northeast-facing beachfront position, ocean views, apartment design and private resident amenities.

Now settled into their new home, Mr Chin and Mr Sbarro say they expect to spend considerably more time at Royale, including escaping Sydney winters for extended stays on the Gold Coast.

“We bought Royale as a holiday home so we could come and go whenever we pleased, but now that we have moved in, we can see ourselves spending much more time here,” Mr Chin said.

“The building has exceeded our expectations. The finishes are of the highest quality, our apartment is generous in size and every morning we wake up to uninterrupted, expansive views across the beach and ocean.

“We walk on the beach every day and use the gymnasium, sauna, spa and pools. We can walk to Isle of Capri for dining, shopping and fresh produce, and with the light rail nearby, we really don’t need a car. It is an incredibly convenient and relaxed lifestyle.”

As someone who loves to cook, Mr Chin said their Royale apartment kitchen had particularly impressed him, while the Club Royale entertaining facilities had provided another dimension to hosting family and friends.

“I love cooking, so the kitchen was always going to be important to me, and I have been particularly impressed by the design, finishes and butler’s pantry,” Mr Chin said.

“But having Club Royale downstairs means we can also entertain outside our apartment on a completely different scale, with spaces specially designed for bringing people together.

“We recently had friends visiting from interstate and hosted dinner for 12 people, including some of our fellow Royale residents.

“We started with drinks at the bar before moving into the private dining room for dinner, then at the end of the evening we simply returned upstairs to our apartment.

“For someone who loves cooking and entertaining, it’s an exceptional way to live.”

Developed by DD Living, designed by DKO Architecture with interiors by Mim Design and constructed by Hutchinson Builders, Royale includes 103 residences at 7–9 Northcliffe Terrace.

Mr Sbarro said the sense of community had been another important part of their experience.

“DD Living and Total Property Group hosted several events throughout the construction phase, giving us the opportunity to meet other purchasers, so by the time we moved in, we already knew quite a few of our neighbours,” Mr Sbarro said.

“We have become good friends with several residents and were recently invited to a 40th birthday celebration in the private lounge and bar.

“Royale can be as social or as private as you want it to be, and that balance really suits us.

“We had never bought off the plan before, so we were naturally cautious, but we were looked after throughout the entire process, from purchasing, through the construction to settlement and moving in and we couldn’t be happier.”

Total Property Group managing director and Royale Gold Coast marketing manager Adrian Parsons said Mr Chin and Mr Sbarro’s experience demonstrated how Royale’s extensive amenities had become an extension of residents’ private homes.

“When Metter and Joseph purchased in 2022, they had a very clear vision of the beachfront lifestyle they wanted, and now they are living it,” he said.

“Now that residents have moved in, we are seeing these spaces genuinely being used every day, whether that is exercising in the wellness facilities, entertaining friends in the private dining room or meeting neighbours for a drink in Club Royale.”

The completed 38-level Royale Gold Coast has a limited number of apartments available starting from $5.671m.

Published by Gold Coast Bulletin