South African-born Nick Honeyman has earned a Michelin star for his seasonal restaurant in the South of France.
You were born and raised in South Africa and left to pursue your culinary career at the age of 18. What are your fondest childhood memories?
Nick Honeyman: One of my first ever food memories was going to the butcher in Hout Bay every week with my grandfather. I am a sucker for dried and cured meats and already, at age two, had a strong addiction to droëwors. This continued through my childhood, and fortunately, my neighbours and also my best friend’s father were avid hunters and had a garage stocked year-round with wors, biltong and that almost-too-salty but ever-addictive dried fish, bokkoms.
What smell or taste immediately takes you back to your childhood?
The smell of puff pastry takes me back instantly to a Shoprite Checkers pie. South Africa was definitely ahead of the game 30 years ago with these little beauties.
Your culinary journey started in Sydney. What was that experience like?
Moving to a new country alone was daunting and part of the reason why I was so motivated at work. It was my workplace and new social life all rolled into one. I walked straight into 60-hour-plus weeks, so there was not much down time and little time to be homesick, but I loved it and slowly fell in love with Sydney at the same time.
Then on to Tokyo?
I have been fortunate enough to work for kind and motivated chefs – all of whom gave me contacts to further my career. My chef in Sydney was Japanese and gave me a contact to go to Tokyo for a short stage, and from there the next step was France. Tokyo was incredible. I was humbled by the Japanese work ethic. I was used to long gruelling hours, but I was out of my depth compared to their dedication. It was lonely at times, as I did not speak any Japanese, and back then there was no Google Translate. This left me a lot of time to think and reflect and hone my future ambitions.
And finally, the food capital of the world, Paris. Why?
Paris was a connection with a former chef. Any place that I could get my foot in the door overseas – I was there. Terrified but eager and ready to go. It had always been my dream to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant in France. L’astrance was a 20-seat, 3-Michelin-star restaurant tucked away behind the Eiffel Tower, producing food well ahead of the game. Every day was equally nerve-racking and inspiring, so I knew I was in the right place.
How long did it take you to become a world-class chef – in your words – “a burning passion for cooking”?
Those are kind words – I don’t think I would ever use them myself. I still view myself as a passionate cook trying to learn and progress each day. I have been cooking for more than 20 years now, and in the last few years, I’ve found real peace in the kitchen. The first years are tough. They rush past you as you’re being beaten into shape. My only advice is to choose people you admire and keep your head down and your mouth shut. These years are essential building blocks for you later on to manage stress and command a team. After 10 years in the kitchen, you start to develop your own food philosophy and ideas. You then need to start surrounding yourself with people who inspire you and will follow your vision.
Congratulations on your Michelin star for your restaurant in France, Le Petit Léon. Talk us through that amazing accolade.
It was a lifelong dream, but it came when it was not our main focus. We wanted to build a sustainable business that could provide for our family and focused on our locals and return customers. Maybe there is a lesson in here somewhere, but we were thrilled to receive it and underestimated how many people in France regard the Michelin guide as the bible of food.
What has been the biggest adjustment, owning a restaurant in France?
The language barrier has been difficult, but at the same time, you pay more attention to everything, as you can’t just half-listen to things and brush them off. In the beginning, it was hard to be foreigners in a small village, but I think a lot changed when they realised how much we love and embrace the French food culture and way of life.
If you dine out, what is your go-to dish to order?
I always ask what the chef’s favourite dish is and take that. Menus are just words. Only the chef truly understands the food before you’ve seen it.
What type of patron are you when dining out?
Humble, respectful and grateful. Hospitality is hard; almost everyone is trying their best, and you should be able to easily see the places that are not trying before you dine there.
How has the culinary scene evolved since you started your journey as a chef?
We’re in a strange bubble of fame and glamour. The industry’s as hard as ever, but with social media, it now looks glamorous. There is a generation of young chefs who’ve climbed the ladder quickly due to a lack of cooks and are now exposed to stress without having the experience to deal with it. Social media has also meant that we’re all comparing ourselves to the top 1% of the world in every field, which makes the pressure to succeed higher than ever.
Exciting projects on the horizon?
We just opened a new restaurant called Ro. Bo. It’s very exciting, and it’s on my goal list to cook in South Africa for the first time in 2025 if anyone will have me.
Text | Heléne Ramackers
Photography | Emelie Soler
For more information, go to nickhoneyman.com.
