Some of France's top food and wine experts have moved to the Mornington Peninsula

Though the weather is less than ideal for champagne in the sun to celebrate Bastille Day this week, Francophiles who haven’t found their way to Paris for the summer can find some of the best of France right here in Victoria.

Some of the Mornington Peninsula’s top restaurants have attracted talent from la Republique, bringing their food and wine expertise to our shores.

French-born Jordan Clavaron recently took up the head chef’s job at RACV Cape Schanck Resort’s Cape restaurant. He is a third-generation chef from Fontainbleau, near Paris, and first arrived in Australia as a 20-year-old because he was “sick of Paris” and wanted to see the world.

He worked in Sydney and Brisbane before heading back to the northern hemisphere to gain experience at Marcus Wareing’s Michelin-starred London restaurant, Marcus. He made his way to Melbourne in between lockdowns.

“The produce in Australia is amazing and the decision to come back was easy – it was the switch I was ready to make,” Clavaron says.

His love of European tradition and modern minimalism drives his culinary excellence. And while he grew up surrounded by Michelin-starred restaurant chefs – including his father and grandfather – Clavaron’s decision to become a chef wasn’t met with enthusiasm at home.

“My dad always tried to talk me out of the kitchen, and when I started my apprenticeship at 14, he told me it was better to stay in school longer and find an easier job,” he says. “But I fell in love with the kitchen when I was working in Paris, and then London. He always visited me and could see I was in my element.”

At Cape, Clavaron plates up dishes that push boundaries. From his Victorian venison tartare to Murray cod wrapped and smoked in paperbark and served with Cloudy Bay clams, the emphasis is on the theatrical without being too show-focused.

“For me, I want people to have a good experience with us,” he says. “It’s like coming into my house. We have people dine with us often, so it’s important they find something on the menu that wasn’t there from a previous visit.”

The French-born head sommelier at Ten Minutes By Tractor, Xavier Vigier, won the Wine List of the Year award in 2021 and wears the accolade proudly.

He moved from France to Australia in 2013 and relocated to the Mornington Peninsula with his Australian wife in 2019 to inspire a new wave of wine consumption.

He turned down a job at French retro brasserie Felix in Sydney and took a leap of faith to put the Main Ridge winery and restaurant back on the map after a fire decimated its business.

“I didn’t know the market on the peninsula when I moved here, so I had to create a wine program from scratch,” Vigier says.

“The restaurant went from a la carte to a tasting eight course and it drove me to focus on wine by the glass and wine pairings.”

A decision to cater to everyone’s tastes was a big ask, but he’s set the standard and delivered on his mission to please.

“A lot of people travel to the peninsula for the day, so they may not want a full bottle of wine but they want a really good glass or two,” Vigier says.

“It’s the window of your wine program that gives people a chance to enjoy some incredible wine and it’s working well for us. It’s about bringing good food and wine to everyone, with a mix of those from the area and around the globe.”