HEAD CHEF & CO-OWNER

PARIS BUTTER

Zennon Wijlens, the Co-Owner and Head Chef of Paris Butter, is a culinary maestro whose innovative spirit and commitment to excellence have propelled the restaurant to the forefront of Auckland’s dining scene. Alongside fellow chef and Co-Owner Nick Honeyman, Zennon has transformed Paris Butter into an establishment that seamlessly blends a fun, innovative, yet refined ambience with a modern dining experience.

Awarded the prestigious title of Cuisine NZ Chef of the Year for 2023/24, Zennon’s culinary prowess is unmistakable. His approach to cuisine is deeply rooted in memories and travel, bringing to the table innovative and interpretive New Zealand dishes that are both familiar and excitingly novel. Under his guidance, Paris Butter’s menu is a testament to creativity and culinary finesse, offering diners a choice between three or six courses that highlight the best of New Zealand’s produce.

Zennon and his team work closely with some of the best suppliers in the country, ensuring that every ingredient is of the highest quality. This dedication to sourcing is evident in every dish, where the emphasis is strongly placed on seasons, textures, and flavours. The result is a beautifully balanced evolution menu that takes diners on a gastronomic journey.

As a chef and leader, Zennon Wijlens is not just an advocate for great cuisine but also for the rich tapestry of experiences that food can offer. His passion for creating memorable dining experiences is what makes Paris Butter not just a restaurant but a destination for anyone seeking culinary innovation and excellence.

OWNER & CHEF

PARIS BUTTER | LE PETIT LÉON

Born and raised in South Africa, Nick left at 18 to pursue a dream of becoming a world class chef with what he describes as “a burning passion for cooking”.

In Sydney he enrolled in a four year course at a cooking school – tearing through it in less than three years, working at some of the city’s five star hotels.

After two months in Tokyo at Iron chef Sakai Hirotia’s restaurant La Rochelle, Honeyman spent a year in Paris working for Michelin-starred Chefs Pascal Barbot at L’Astrance and Alain Passard at L’Arpège.

He returned to Sydney working under Justin North at Becasse and then arrived in New Zealand where he slid straight into the kitchen of Simon Wright at The French Café.

Nick took on the opening of Dallow’s (Cuisine magazine Top 50 and a finalist for Best Restaurant) and then Cru at Sale St. In 2012 he opened The Commons Restaurant (Metro Awards – Top 50, shortlist Best New Restaurant & runner up Best Chef, Cuisine Awards NZ Top 50 restaurants) followed by Everybody’s Izakaya, a modern Japanese Izakaya style restaurant. He then went on to be the Executive Chef of the 5 star luxury hotel the Sofitel.

Nick now splits his time between his two restaurants, Paris Butter in Auckland and his seasonal restaurant Le Petit Léon in the south of France.

Paris Butter (Cuisine 1 Hat, Metro Awards – Top 50) is an interpretive French style cuisine, adapted to New Zealand ingredients.

He also stars in the television series ‘The Best of New Zealand with Nick Honeyman’.

CHEF de CUISINE

CANOE

Chef Ron has always loved food – whether he was digging in to his mom’s homemade Sunday roast or mixing up waffle batter on Saturday morning. After completing a Culinary Arts diploma in his hometown of Vancouver, he took off to New Zealand to play competitive rugby and travel abroad, until an unfortunate injury ended his career in his early 20s. That’s when he decided to move back to Canada and give cooking a shot.

In 2006, while researching the U.K.’s Michelin-star restaurants, Chef Ron booked a ticket to Edinburgh, Scotland on a whim. Through sheer persistence, he was able to snag a role training under Michelin-star Chef Tom Kitchin, who would become a great influence and mentor. He spent nearly four years at The Kitchin cooking classic French food with Scottish ingredients, while grinding out 17-hour days. He worked hard to perfect his old school cooking techniques, established a strong sense of discipline, and learned how to take criticism in the kitchen.

Chef Ron made the leap to Melbourne, Australia in 2010, where he helped to open Maze by Chef Gordon Ramsay, and then moved on to work under Chef Scott Pickett at Estelle Bar & Kitchen. After rising up to Senior Sous Chef, he was appointed by Chef Pickett to open and lead Saint Crispin as Chef de Cuisine, which would earn two hats in 2014. The following year, Chef Ron made another big move – this time to take a Chef de Cuisine position at the Six Senses resort in Zighy Bay, Oman. While he embraced his autonomy and took the opportunity to create and test out new dishes, after 18 months he was ready to come home to Canada.