In this episode, My friend Chef Nick Honeyman and I take a journey into Nick's past and his love of food, and why he does what he does. We talk a bit on what it takes to have a successful kitchen, why most of them fail, and several stories along the way we were driving back from the mountains and I wanted to share with you so please enjoy. If you find yourself in the south of France, stop by Le petite Leon and if you're in Auckland, New Zealand, make sure you stop by Paris butter. I'll share a link to both the website as well as to the social media for Chef Honeyman and the Restaurants.
Born and raised in South Africa, Nick's heart was set on being a world-class chef from an early age. Nick's burning passion for cooking led him to Sydney, where he enrolled in a rigorous four-year cooking school course. He completed it in under three years, going on to sharpen his skills at some of the city’s most luxurious hotels.
Nick's next stop was Tokyo, landing a position at Iron Chef Sakai Hirotia’s restaurant, La Rochelle, before spending a year in Paris working for two of the city's most renowned Michelin-starred chefs, Pascal Barbot at L'Astrance and Alain Passard at L'Arpège. His culinary excellence did not go unnoticed, being tapped to work under Justin North at Becasse in Sydney before making his way to New Zealand to work for Simon Wright at The French Café, an icon in the kiwi fine dining scene.
His talent led him to leading several award-winning restaurants in Auckland such as Dallow's, Cru at Sale St, and The Commons Restaurant, as well as Everybody's Izakaya. Nick then stepped out on his own, creating two acclaimed restaurants - Auckland's Paris Butter (Two Hats), and his seasonal restaurant, Le Petit Léon, nestled in the serene south of France.
Paris Butter is an amalgamation of fine dining techniques and interpretative French cuisine, all of which have been innovatively adapted to celebrate New Zealand's famous local produce with the occasional playful nod to Antipodean nostalgia. Nick's cuisine has made Paris Butter a fixture in Cuisine Magazine's Top 50, a favourite of diners, chefs and critics alike.
Le Petit Léon, which he runs alongside model-turned-restaurant manager, sommelier and wife, Sina Honeyman, showcases Nick's thoughtfully-crafted cuisine in a countryside setting bursting with hospitality, family, authenticity, and a true love for their local community.
Nick Honeyman's influence has surpassed the kitchen, leading his own show, "The Best of New Zealand with Nick Honeyman," as well as appearing in the ever-popular My Kitchen Rules and Masterchef.
https://restaurantlepetitleon.fr/
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantlepetitleon/