Chef Christophe awarded one of France's highest honours

Christophe Gregoire can now add a knighthood to his hatted-chef credentials.

The man responsible for bringing a bit of France to the Canberra region has received one of the oldest awards in the French Republic in front of family and dignitaries.

The National Order of Agricultural Merit (or Ordre du Mérite Agricole) was created in 1883 and bestowed upon people who have rendered distinguished services to agriculture-related activities and art.

“I was very happy to receive this honour from France,” Christophe says.

“Josephine, she has helped so much. And my parents are cheesemakers in a small village in France, so they were very nice about it, too.”

Christophe was born and raised in the Les Vosges region of France, near the German border. He met his wife Josephine, a former Queanbeyanite, in New Caledonia while she was working in public health and he was teaching hospitality to local chefs.

Despite the fact he didn’t know a word of English, they married and agreed to set up a home in Australia.

In November 1999, they opened Christophe’s in Manuka, followed by Le Très Bon along the main road in Bungendore.

Why there? They didn’t find the landscape and local produce that far removed from France, with the perfect granite soils for producing fruity, floral red wines and growing truffles, berries and other ingredients Christophe loved to include on the menu.

People would come from not only Canberra, but also further afield, for lunch or dinner at the restaurant, and it wasn’t uncommon for local farmers to donate excess produce.

“It wasn’t very easy to run a small business in a small village like Bungendore, but it was a beautiful experience,” he says.

Christophe’s in Manuka closed in 2007, and last year, the couple sold Le Très Bon to focus on their other love – food tours.

Through their new company, called ‘Chef Christophe and Josephine’, they operate small-group food and wine tours through all their old haunts of France, New Caledonia and Italy, with Corsica and Vanuatu to come soon.

Closer to home, they also run gourmet tours and cooking classes throughout the Yarra Valley and Griffith in NSW.

“We are quite busy, with so much to do – cooking classes and tours are where we’d like to focus and work at the moment.”

The National Order of Agricultural Merit includes a medal and a certificate, presented by the French ambassador to Australia, Pierre-André Imbert.

“For years, Christophe Gregorie’s restaurant has been a beacon of French gastronomy in Canberra, displaying traditional French dishes prepared with the finest local products,” Mr Imbert said.

“Christophe, with his wife Josephine, still promotes French terroirs through wonderful gastronomic journeys. It was our pleasure and honour to make such a talented and deserving chef a knight of the National Order of Agricultural Merit.”

Later this month, Christophe will lead fresh truffle cooking demonstrations and tastings as part of the Canberra Region Truffle Festival.

Visit Southern Harvest Winter Festival for more information.