Chef John Gallais — French Restaurant Hội An

A bet that changed everything

At fifteen years old, John Gallais made a bet with his father: if he found a job in England, he would keep it. A few weeks later, he was commis chef at a hotel-restaurant in Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire — speaking almost no English. It was not supposed to be a career. It became a vocation.

The French classics — Bayeux to Paris

Back in Normandy, John trained at the Lion d'Or in Bayeux, acquiring the foundations of classical French cuisine. After earning his CAP/BEP diploma, he moved to Paris, joining the Hyatt Concorde — a 1,000-room hotel where precision, speed and discipline were non-negotiable.

Potel & Chabot — the most prestigious table in France

John then joined Potel & Chabot, one of the most celebrated catering houses in the world and an institution of French gastronomy. Founded in 1820, Potel & Chabot has served royalty, heads of state and the greatest Michelin-starred events in France.

Cooking at this level is not about technique alone — it is about feeding a vision. Potel & Chabot taught me that every plate, even the ten-thousandth of the evening, must be perfect.

Head Chef in England — recognition & awards

John returned to England as Head Chef of a gastropub in Wiltshire. Under his direction, the establishment became one of the most acclaimed in the region.

Bangkok — a new flavour universe

Driven by curiosity about Asian flavours, John flew to Bangkok and enrolled in a national diploma in Thai cuisine. Immersed in the markets, wok cooking, charcoal grilling, fermented sauces and layered spices of Thai food, he came away with a transformed understanding of balance, heat and aroma — a sensory education no Western culinary school could have provided.

P'tit Chef Academy — teaching the next generation

Back in Normandy, John founded the P'tit Chef Academy — a cooking school for adults and children that he ran for eight years across two locations in Bayeux and Caen. Courses ranged from classic French technique to wine pairing, insect cuisine, Japanese cooking and single-ingredient masterclasses.

The Academy was covered extensively by the Norman press, and John became a recognised figure of culinary education in the region, training hundreds of students and becoming known as a generous, rigorous chef-educator.

The journey that changed everything — Asia by bicycle

In January 2020, John loaded a touring bicycle with everything he needed and set off from Bangkok. He pedalled north through Thailand, crossed into Laos through mountain villages where food was cooked over open fire with wild herbs and river fish, and eventually crossed into Vietnam.

The journey was slow by design — sleeping in villages, eating from family kitchens, learning through the road. It transformed his approach to cooking: "Cuisine is not technique. It is memory, place and people."

When the pandemic arrived, John found himself in Hội An — a city of lanterns, old trading houses, river fish and one of the oldest culinary traditions in Southeast Asia. He stayed.

Maison Lucien — built by hand in Hội An

In Hội An, John met Vy Nguyen — a native of the city, bartender, sommelier and entrepreneur. Together, during the pandemic, they first ran a bar-restaurant. Then, in 2022, they built Maison Lucien — renovating a traditional space with reclaimed wood from old Vietnamese houses, tables inspired by Parisian brasseries, warm lighting and a kitchen that respects both French technique and Vietnamese ingredients.

The name is a tribute to John's grandfather, Lucien Gallais — a Norman charcutier from Bayeux, who lost a leg in 1968 but never lost his love of food, cycling or life.