Australian chef opens restaurant in Jura's Grozon, impressed by local produce

Australian chef Byron has opened a restaurant at the Auberge de Bellevie in Grozon, Jura, since 2024, having settled there with his wife Fanny and their 5-year-old son, buying a house and declaring no intention to live elsewhere. Impressed by the quality of local fruits and vegetables, Byron sources most summer produce from within a 20-kilometer radius, using Google Translate to contact farmers. He also values the region's natural wine access and proximity to nature, offering swimming in nearby lakes as an alternative to his native Perth's ocean. Byron, 37, began cooking at 22 after abandoning accounting studies, working in Perth, Singapore, London, and Essonne before arriving in Jura, Fanny's home region. He continues learning French, though paused lessons due to time constraints, and remains connected to Australia through family visits.