Back in 1997, Helene An and her husband Danny bought a French chateau-style mansion tucked away in the Coldwater Canyon area of Beverly Hills. The Vietnamese-born couple—he a former Air Force pilot from a prominent industrialist family, and she a Smithsonian-recognized master chef who owns the Crustacean and AnQi Bistro dining dynasty known as House of An—subsequently transferred the property to their daughter, House of An CEO Elizabeth An. Now the family’s longtime residence is available for the first time in over two decades, asking a speck over $5.6 million.
Completed in the early 1950s and since updated, the fully walled and gated estate occupies an almost half-acre parcel of land fronted by a driveway that empties out at a detached two-car garage at the rear of the property. Once inside, a total of five bedrooms and a matching amount of baths are sprawled across a little more than 4,700 square feet of multi-level living space featuring rustic hardwood floors, high wood-beam ceilings, and double-pane windows providing abundant natural light.
The expansive living room features a formal space on one side and a more casual seating area on the other.
Michael McNamara
Especially standing out is a marble-clad entry foyer, which flows to a formal dining room and a gourmet kitchen outfitted with dark gray Chevron-patterned floors, custom cabinetry, top-tier stainless appliances, and an accompanying breakfast nook. The living room is highlighted by a formal section housing a grand piano and a more casual seating area warmed by a granite-trimmed wood-burning fireplace, plus French doors spilling out to a brick-enhanced backyard hosting a barbecue-equipped terrace and a pool and spa.
Also on the main level is an en-suite bedroom boasting a subterranean hallway lined with closets, along with an office sporting a wall of hand-painted shelving and its own powder room. Elsewhere is a lavish primary suite that comes complete with access to the outdoors, dual walk-in closets, and a luxe bath spotlighted by a custom marble spa tub matching the walls and countertops.
The posh primary bath is equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area, a marble spa tub, and a separate shower.
Michael McNamara
A spiral staircase heads upstairs, where a landing with a built-in seating area leads to a pair of en-suite bedrooms that each have walk-in closets, one of which was recently expanded with glass doors, recessed lighting, and a lounging spot. And, per the listing held by Jane Dorian and Shaun Alan-Lee of Carolwood Estates, there’s also a large space on the top-floor that could easily be used as an office or a recreation room.
After leaving her homeland of Vietnam in the 1970s, Helene went on to work at her mother-in-law’s Italian deli in San Francisco before founding the first Crustacean restaurant in the Nob Hill neighborhood in 1991 and later opening a second location in Beverly Hills—with both eateries well-known for their roasted crabs and garlic noodles, as well as a celeb-studded clientele that includes the likes of Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. Today, Helene’s House of An empire is operated by her five daughters and grandchildren and touts six restaurants in the U.S., three international establishments, and a catering division.
Click here for more photos of Elizabeth An’s Beverly Hills house.
Michael McNamara
Source: Luxury - robbreport.com
