Former MasterChef contestant Jimmy Seervai snaps up $11.6m Mosman spread

Former MasterChef contestant Jimmy Seervai has come a long way since he was eliminated from season two of the reality TV cook-off in 2010, taking fourth place behind winner Adam Liaw.

The “curry king”, as he was dubbed at the time, has been honing his food ingredient research skills in the decade since, founding food manufacturing outfit Essence Group that creates sports nutrition and supplements for corporate giants like Woolworths, Aldi and Swisse, and exports to China, India and the US.

And now he has joined the ranks of Mosman’s high-end home owners, having bought two houses near Balmoral Beach for a total of about $11.6 million amid plans to eventually knock them down and rebuild a single three-level residence with a swimming pool to a design by Corben Architects.

The two Esther Road houses were bought in one line by Seervai through LJ Hooker Avnu’s Michael Coombs and Bo Zhang, with settlement on one for $5.82 million, and settlement on its neighbour expected later this year at the same level.

The DA plans were already approved by previous owners Wai Ling Chan and Wai Yee Ng, who copped a loss on their investment given they had bought the two houses separately in 2017 for a total of $12.4 million.

Brendan McAssey heads for Highlands

The Alex Popov-designed Mosman residence bought by childcare mogul Brendan McAssey in 2016 for $17.35 million – and rented by Victoria and David Beckham when they visited for the Invictus Games two years ago – is set to hit the market.

McAssey, the founder of Only About Children, was already a Balmoral local at the time he bought it, having paid $11.25 million for his Plunkett Road home next door in 2013 amid plans to eventually knock down both houses and rebuild a forever home on the amalgamated site.

But then the pandemic upended their plans. McAssey and his wife Elizabeth had been living in Tuscany until earlier this year, and returned to join the throngs of Sydney’s well-heeled migrating to the Southern Highlands, basing themselves since at their recently renovated Mittagong property Luggie Bank.

Belle Property Mosman’s Tim Foote, who sold it to McAssey on behalf of Donna Doyle in 2016, takes it to market next week.

No word yet on whether McAssey plans to extend his sell-off to the superyacht, helicopter and Bombardier private jet held by his Beluga Capital subsidiary Beluga Luxury.

Slice of history hits the market in Mosman 

Still with Mosman’s trophy home market, the heritage-listed Queen Anne Federation mansion Ardagh is set to hit the market for about $18 million through Richard Simeon, of Simeon Partners.

Businessman and former local alderman Gary Smoker and his wife Mary have owned the 1905-built residence since 1994, paying $2.4 million at the time to pianist and former ABC personality John Champ.

British trade commissioner John Adams and his wife Gwynneth owned it from 1945, paying £5500 and selling it to the Champ family in 1964 for £23,000.

The 2770-square-metre holding is one of the largest blocks claimed by Clifton Garden’s prized Smith & Cabban “merchants mansions”, with a tennis court, swimming pool and two-storey coach house on title.

Padgett’s waterfront bolthole ready to takeoff 

Aviation tycoon Steve Padgett is offloading his Sydney bolthole in the waterfront Wallaringa Mansions development for more than $7 million.

The sale comes not only when the Noosa-based co-founder of Alliance Airlines is locked out of the state, but amid a reshuffle of Australia’s airline ownership.

Qantas bought a 19.9 per cent stake in Alliance Airlines last year, but a bid to expand that stake to a majority ownership was stamped out by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission more recently.

Padgett bought the three-bedroom spread with a private marina berth on Kurraba Point in 2013 for $4.2 million.

It returns to the market with The Agency’s Dino Gatti and Kingsley Yates.

Sir Ron signs off on Elizabeth Bay

Retired corporate raider Sir Ron Brierley has quietly sold his Elizabeth Bay apartment in the Encore building for $4.2 million.

The level 14 apartment has long been an investment for the Point Piper resident, currently facing charges of possessing child pornography, for which he reportedly intends to plead not-guilty.

Sir Ron bought the two-storey spread in 2004 for $2,375,000 from Guzman y Gomez chairman Guy Russo through Jason Boon, of Richardson & Wrench Elizabeth Bay.

A tight-lipped Boon is tipped to have sold the apartment again on behalf of Sir Ron, just as he did on the quiet in May for heiress Francesca Packer Barham for $2.6 million.

Sir Ron’s apartment is one of 78 in the Mirvac development built on what was formerly the Sebel Townhouse Hotel, renowned as the hotel of choice for superstars of the ‘70s and ‘80s like Rod Stewart, Elton John and David Bowie.

Khuda adds $3m pad to his portfolio 

Tech entrepreneur Robin Khuda, chief executive of data centre operator AirTrunk, continues to add to his stockpile of Sydney investment properties, snapping up a three-bedroom terrace for $3,055,000.

The purchase take Khuda’s real estate spend of recent months to more than $13.8 million, of which $6.1 million went towards the McMahons Point apartment of former New Zealand prime minister Sir John Key.

In June Khuda bought a Woollahra townhouse from mining executive Mark Le Messurier and his wife Dayna for $4.6 million.