Transcultural Devon interview with Florian 2025

I think it's started.

Yes.

So, good afternoon Florian.

Thank you for
participating in my interview.

Could you please
start by introducing yourself

and telling us a bit about you.

Yes, I am Florian, I am 33 years old.

I have been in England for 6 years now.

I grew up in the south of France,

with my Mother and
Father who were fishmongers.

Up until 19 I was working
with my Dad, then I left France.

I left to go and work in Australia.

Australia is where I met
my wife, well who is now my wife.

We decided to move to
the UK seven years ago now.

And now it's been five years
since we opened our restaurant.

That's great, and why
did you decide to move to Devon ?

Because my wife is
very close to her family

and she didn't want to
go further than England.

And also because for me,
I know how to speak English,

my wife knows how to speak English,

and Australia is harder to
immigrate to, so we chose England.

Did you have any
knowledge of English before moving,

or did you learn it
when you arrived here ?

No, I learnt English
when I arrived in Australia.

When I was 19/20 I left for
Australia and my English was really bad.

It's still not very good
if I'm being honest,

I still have quite a French accent.

But I learnt it in
Australia when I was 20.

So when I arrived in
the UK, I already spoke English.

And did you notice that the
English language in Australia,

is a bit different to
the English spoken here in the UK ?

Maybe in terms of slang and
expressions ?

Yes, the expressions, yes exactly.

There were people from the outback,

from rural areas, you know,

sometimes it was really hard to
understand them.

But they didn't understand me either,

so we didn't understand each other.

So it was a bit like that.

I think the English are bit easier
to understand than the Australians.

They're a bit lazy the Australians.

And how was settling in here ?

Did you feel welcomed ?

Or were there moments
you felt like an outsider ?

Maybe in comparison
to Australia, for example.

No not at all.

I think the English
like the French a lot.

I think we've always had a good
relationship with our neighbours.

So no I've never
felt discriminated against.

There are some people who often don't
make the effort to understand me maybe.

But that happens everywhere,
it's not just because it's England.

For example, when I'm on the phone
and I'm placing orders, things like that.

Sometimes I have to
repeat myself five, six times,

but that is also down to me,
because my accent is terrible.

But apart from that, no.

Everything is going well.

And have you met other
French people in the Devon area ?

Is there a noticeable
French community here ?

Because I don't know myself.

Well I have a restaurant,

and I have a few French
customers that come in who are...

how would you say,

regulars.

I've forgotten the word in French.

Who are, well yeah regulars.

But otherwise yeah there are some French,

but I wouldn't say its a big community.

But yes, yes a few of them yeah.

And so with your wife, and
maybe in your restaurant as well,

what is the main language that you speak ?

Always in English.

With my wife,

she wants me to speak
more in French with her...

to learn French.

But it's hard,

when we're working together,

when we have
to do things together,

it's a bit hard to
always speak in French,

it's easier to work in English.

So no it's English, exclusively English.

And would you say that it was more
your wife who helped you learn English

when you arrived in Australia ?

Yes, it was my wife.

When I was in Australia,

In the beginning I
worked in French restaurants,

surrounded by French people,

so I didn't need to speak English.

But later on, I set off
to explore a bit,

so I had to speak English.

And when I met her,
I wanted to charm her.

So I had to learn some words in English.

So yeah, she helped me learn.

At first, it was a bit like
sign language that I would use with her.

Then she helped me learn bit by bit.

Now i'm bilingual thanks to her.

And is she bilingual as well ?

Does she speak a bit of French ?

She speaks a bit in French.

She understands very well
if people don't speak too quickly.

But she is not bilingual.

But she understands French yes.

And just out of interest,

do your family speak English as well ?

No, no one speaks English in my family.

So just French ?

Yes.

Ok.

What do you like to do in your free
time,

when you are not managing your
restaurant ?

Well, we don't have a lot of free time

but when we do, we try to go out in Devon,

on the...

Tarka Trail. (walking and cycling route)

We have bikes.

So, we go on bike rides.

We like trying the
restaurants that are around us as well,

because we like being
customers too, you know.

So yeah we're living
the good life here in Devon.

The sun is usually shining.

So yeah, i'd say we
get enough time outdoors.

Have you found any
favourite spots in Devon ?

Maybe places you like
to visit on your days off ?

Do you feel that it is a
bit similar to the south of France ?

I'm not sure specifically
where your from in the south of France...

No, it's completely different.

I come from the
south of France, Montpellier,

which is one of the really big cities.

Here it's a small
town where I am, Bideford,

and even so, the biggest
city that there is near us is Exeter,

which is not next to
the sea and is very far,

around 45 minutes,

as you know as you are there.

But no, I like going
to Peppercombe beach.

It's a little beach
which isn't too far from here,

around 20 minutes in the car I think.

There is also a good
campsite that we like to go to,

that we go to often.

It's called the Nethercott.

It's just after Barnstaple.

So yeah, we go camping,
go on little outings to the beach.

We have two, three spots that
we like, but it doesn't resemble France,

it's completely different.

Yes, I can imagine.

And what was the
biggest challenge for you,

coming to live in a different culture?

And how did you overcome it?

Maybe it was the language...

Yes it was especially in Australia.

I think the difficulty in the beginning,

especially when you're chef,

when you are head chef,

and you have to get
your team to understand,

and talk to the supplier, all that.

Sometimes it's a bit frustrating.

Very, very frustrating.

Because for example, if
I absolutely need something,

I'll place my order in the
evening for the following morning.

The next morning, it arrives,
it's not at all what I ordered.

They have sent me something else.

So for me, I have to change
the menu the night before, all that.

So it was more in the beginning,

but otherwise here, since i've been
in Bideford,

I haven't had a
single big problem, I'd say.

I want to say as well,

the biggest hurdle
to overcome was Covid,

because we had just opened
the restaurant before Covid.

So we had to close for
a year, just as we had opened.

So it wasn't great, but
we managed to get past it

and we're still open
today, so yeah, it's ok.

Yeah I wanted to ask you
how Covid affected you guys,

but I also think Brexit
was maybe the same year.

I think it was 2020.

Yes, something like that.

But yes, I can imagine
that with Covid it was...

particularly with a new restaurant,

it can't have been
easy to get the word out.

But yes, I would love to
talk to you about your restaurant,

because as I've said, I think
identity and food are both linked.

So...

Before speaking
about it I wanted to ask you,

what drove you to this career ?

Did you grow up
cooking a lot with your family ?

I know you said that
your parents are in the industry.

Yes, so my father is still a fishmonger.

So when I was little, I worked with him

because my primary
school was next to his shop.

So when I finished
school I would go there

and I would stay until he closed,

then we would go home together.

I learnt about fish, how to fillet
fish since I was little.

How to open oysters.

How to cook, because he had
a catering side to the business.

So I started with my father

and yeah, after that I
did my apprenticeship with him.

And so yeah I think...

Well lets just say, my destiny
was mapped out in this direction.

Since I was little this
is what I was led to do.

What inspired you to
open 'Le Petit Monde' in Devon ?

For example was there a precise moment

that you knew that it was
here that you wanted to do it ?

Because I don't think there
is a ton of French restaurants here.

Well, I'm not sure.

Well there are a few,
but yes, not really a lot.

But actually, we were looking as
soon as we came from Australia.

We worked in London.

Then after
two/three years of saving,

we wanted to
open our own restaurant.

We searched a bit
of the surrounding areas.

We wanted a
restaurant that was small enough,

so that we could
manage it just the two of us.

We wanted a restaurant
that was close to the sea,

and a restaurant that
came with an apartment above.

So we wouldn't need to
travel or commute to work.

So it took us about three
years to find the right place.

We viewed restaurants in Brighton,

we viewed restaurants in the North...

in Cumbria.

We went to Falmouth, in Cornwall.

We visited a lot and in the end,

we found this restaurant that
was exactly what we were after.

So, that's what we went with.

So it was more practical
that we chose Devon and Bideford,

and because we fell in love with it.

It was really because
it ticked all the boxes for us.

You said that
you worked in London.

How was it different in
London, compared to here?

Maybe regarding
the aspects of hospitality

and the restaurants.

In London, being a chef makes
you want to pull your hair out,

and the commuting takes up a lot of time.

I dont think that being
a chef in London is a good career,

except if you're
in something exceptional

like as a head chef in
a small restaurant, it was really....

I definitely prefer to
be working in Devon, for sure.

Even if I didn't have a restaurant,
even if I worked for someone else,

I would prefer here for sure.

Obviously your restaurant
is called 'Le Petit Monde'.

I saw on your website that you
have written a little description

about why it is called 'Le Petit Monde'.

I wanted to ask you yourself,

what does this name
mean to you and your kitchen ?

Well it was really about finding
a name that spoke to us because...

well, you haven't
been to my restaurant yet

and I hope you will come one day.

It's a little restaurant,
I only have eight tables.

Now it's been five
years since we've been open.

Everyone that comes now,
generally know each other.

We know them.

Yesterday we were
invited to eat at one of our clients,

who comes in all the time.

So now we're our own little world,

a small family.

So we wanted the
restaurant to reflect that,

something familial.

So the little world
of Florian and friends,

it's all the people
that come to dine with us

and to have a good time really.

That's really nice
that you have created

a community with your clients.

Your cooking is like a bridge
between France and Devon.

Do you think that your food
can serve as a universal language,

to build connections
across cultural differences ?

Everyone loves to eat.

I don't know anyone
that doesn't love good food.

So even if someone
arrived, and they weren't happy

and then they eat
something good here,

they will be
happy when they leave.

It's the same with everyone,
the people that come here,

they want to taste a little.

What we do in France, and what I do,

I do a lot of things but,

mostly French dishes.

And yes, I think that there are people

that have probably
never tried frogs legs, for example,

and they come to my
restaurant, and they try it.

Maybe they have
never tried it before,

because they've gone elsewhere.

But because our restaurant
is so small and welcoming,

that yes, I think that cooking can
sometimes break down barriers.

And do you think that
your relationship with food

has changed
since you left France ?

and how has your
way of cooking and eating

evolved through
exposure to a new culture ?

Because obviously
here in Devon, in general,

I think it's regarded as a place
that is really known for its seafood.

So maybe there is a resemblance
from where you're from in France ?

My father was a
fishmonger and seafood caterer.

Here I cook fish a lot.

Mainly fish.

So It's really the same thing.

Since it's my restaurant,
I decide everything I do,

in terms of the menu.

So It wasn't really a
massive shock, in terms of that.

I found it a bit
difficult to find fish suppliers,

which is weird because,

England is a little island,
surrounded by sea water

and when you don't find any
fish, it's really bizarre sometimes

But no apart from
that, it wasn't really a shock.

It's what I was doing in
France, but I'm doing it here.

Have you ever had
to adapt French dishes,

to please the British ?

And was it difficult ?

Or was it more
of a creative challenge ?

No, it's not difficult...

it's just a matter
of judging and knowing.

There are
things that the British like

and there are
things that they hate,

and they won't even
try it, they will just hate it.

It's just a case of trial and error,
I think is what the English say.

It's just about
knowing how to do it,

to observe,

and listen to the critiques.

For example,
a really simple thing...

I argue with my wife about it
from time to time, because of that.

But I do a lot of
Bouillabaisse (fish soup)

and the Bouillabiasse
is served with a Rouille sauce.

Rouille is a saffron-coloured
mayonnaise sauce.

Every time,
in France it goes with it.

Without question, it goes with it.

But here when I make it,
and I put Rouille with it,

99% of the time,
they don't want to eat the sauce.

Even if we explain what
it is, they don't want to eat it.

Now I don't put the sauce anymore.

So that's kind of how you reacted

if someone came to
eat at a French restaurant

and they want to
remove the part that is French.

Yes exactly.

So, there you go.

If it happens once or
twice, it doesn't bother me.

I say to myself,
maybe they don't like it,

or maybe they
don't want to taste it.

When it's 9/10 people,
that don't even taste it...

I just decided to take it off,

it's just easier and they're happier.

So yeah, it's
an example like any other.

I was also interested
by your facebook and instagram

and I noticed that,

on one of your posts,
you commented underneath:

"locally sourced
scallops with a French touch"

and it's really this part of
the caption that interested me.

So what do
you mean exactly by this ?

Is there a distinctive way
to prepare this French dish ?

Whether it's in terms of technique,
ingredients or presentation.

Maybe it's linked
to authenticity for you ?

Yes well, for example,

scallops is something
that is quite popular in France.

Very popular.

I would say it's more
popular in France than in England.

Actually the
fisherman are battling it out

between France and England
to get their hands on them.

Let's just say that
the scallops that I do,

I don't think
I've seen them anywhere

on any menu in places I've been

and I look at menu's a lot

because it's my
job and it's my passion.

So, I think what
you're referring to here is,

for example, just flamed in cognac.

It's a French classic.

Classic French scallop
puff pastry, something like that

and flamed with cognac.

That's what people come here for.

They are impressed by this

because they have never tasted it before.

So yes, it's things like that.

It's a bit difficult to
say that just one dish or recipe,

defines what French cuisine is,

but it's just techniques,

techniques that you
wouldn't generally find that often.

You can find it, but not often.

So yes, I think that
people, especially our clientele

who are majority people
between the ages of 40 and 70,

who have spent a lot of time in France,

so they are familiar with it, and
they're happy it brings back

memories of their childhood holidays

or when they would take
their kids on holiday to France.

Here they get to rediscover
the pleasure and taste again.

That is very interesting
that the majority of your clients

is between
40 and 60, is what you said ?

Yes well, it's Devon as you
know, it's not very populated

and it's Bideford as well.

Most of Bideford is retired,
or people who work from home.

So yes I would say the majority of
our clientele is

between 40 and 60 years old.

And for example, with a British
dish like, I don't know like a roast.

Beef Wellington.

Oh yes Beef Wellington.

How do you adapt this dish,
so that you add a French touch ?

Because I saw on your
menu that you have a roast,

or that you had a roast,

and you changed it in
the way that you prepared it.

So I was interested by that.

With the roast, we
haven't done this here.

I do steak frites, lamb shoulder,
pork cheek, beef cheek.

We make things like this.

But for example, speaking of wellington...

for Valentines day we did a Monkfish.

Do you know Monkfish?

Yes, yes.

Monkfish Wellington.

It's the same concept,

but instead of a fillet of beef,

you have a massive fillet Monkfish.

It's a dish that is both French
and English at the same time.

People loved it!

They wanted to
try it because it's Wellington,

which they generally like.

I don't know
anyone who doesn't like it.

So yeah, we do little
twists like that, a bit Anglo-French,

to please everyone,

and also for me,
to have a bit of fun!

It's fun to see
how my dishes turn out,

whether people like it or not...

To experiment a little bit.

Yes, yes!

And do you travel often ?

If yes, have you ever taken
a dish from another culture

and given it a French touch ?

For example, from Europe
or even an Australian dish.

Yes, the
Australians love their squid.

I learned some techniques there,

because I worked with Australian chefs.

It's not really dishes,
but rather techniques let's say.

But that's what being a
chef is, you learn every day.

And of course,
I don't know everything.

So when I discover
something that interests me,

and I say to myself
'Mmm that smells really good'.

I want to try it,
so I try it in my kitchen

and If I think it's
good enough quality,

I make it again and again
until it's perfect, and that's it!

So yeah, that happens.

There are a few dishes
that I took inspiration from.

There are a few chefs
that I took inspiration from.

I know you told me
that it's difficult sometimes...

to have access to fish.

Access to what ?

- Fish
- Oh, fish yes.

But how do you get
French ingredients in Devon ?

For example, with cheese or other
products, have you found...

Well, I know you said it's
difficult to find local suppliers.

Maybe your family
import them for you ?

No, it would be too expensive
to import products from France.

I learned recently that, with the
UK no longer being part of the EU,

everything has
become more expensive so,

I try to work with English products.

Not French but English.

But for example,
instead of having French duck,

I buy English duck,
which is just as good.

That's just an example.

I would say that...

Do you think it takes
away the French aspect,

- because it's not French duck?
- No I don't think so.

If you want
something, for example,

Toulouse sausage
for a Cassoulet (French stew),

you can make them yourself.

They won't be from Toulouse,
but it'll always be the same thing.

Apart from a few ingredients that
sometimes I miss but I can't get,

like foie gras, I love foie gras.

We had it on the
menu in the beginning,

Sorry my cat is trying
to destroy my computer.

Sorry about that.

In the beginning when we opened,

we could get foie gras
that came from France.

But overnight, we
couldn't get it anymore.

I searched all over the place,

as there are people that
do foie gras in England.

And it just wasn't the
same quality, it wasn't good,

so I preferred not to put it on the menu.

There are things you can find
just the same, or pretty similar,

or recreate it to
make it feel more French.

Like snails, for example.

Yes, you can buy them here or in
France, and it's exactly the same.

They're the same snails.

I'm not sure if you know but,

was it easier to
import things before Brexit?

Oh yes, absolutely.

So do you think Brexit has
had an impact on your business ?

Yes, of course.

It has affected all businesses,
unfortunately not just ours.

It's also affected the
fact that, for example,

I have been trying to find
a sous-chef for four years...

Impossible to find one.

Maybe if Brexit didn't happen,

there would be more
foreign workers here in Devon,

trying to find work,

to have a better
chance at opportunities.

So no, it's not a
step in the right direction.

It's cost a lot.

I dont think
Brexit was the best idea,

but that's not the
focus of the conversation.

Certain dishes are tied
to the idea of 'home' and nostalgia.

Is there a recipe that instantly
takes you back to France ?

And, conversely is there a
taste that you've discovered here,

that now represents
your life in the UK ?

I wouldn't say represents but,
something so simple and so silly,

Steak frites.

Steak frites is what
I've done since the beginning.

Every time I've taken it off the
menu,

people have kicked up a fuss, so
I had to put it back on the menu.

For me, when I make Steak
frites with salad it reminds me of

when I used to go to the brasserie
as a teenager with my friends,

and we'd have
a beer and steak frites.

I think that steak frites, even if
it's a bit basic, it's my first thought.

Also as I've already
said, I make Bouillabaisse.

I make things that are very, very French.

Do you think that there is a certain
expectation,

maybe from the English,

that there is steak frites
in every French restaurant ?

Certainly yes.

It's funny because,

there's lot's of people who expect
you to give them free bread,

because if you were on
holiday in France 20 years ago

they would give out free bread,
but no one does that anymore.

Not for 20 years.

The bread I buy from the bakery,
costs me quite a bit of money.

So if I start giving out free
bread, i'll go out of business.

Some people have an idea
in their head when they arrive,

that it's a French restaurant.

They'll think that
the waiter, for example,

something that occurs frequently,
people don't think we're French

because they speak to my
wife, who is Front of House,

and they go,
"oh so you're not French?"

and she says, no I'm
English but my husband is French.

And so then they calm down a bit,

they understand it's a real French
restaurant, it's not just the 'name'.

So yes, I would say steak
frites is French, I am French.

So I will say my restaurant
is mostly French, I would say.

People enjoy that and they
come here for that as well.

And on the subject of stereotypes,

I don't know if you have
ever heard the expression,

"You are what you eat"

which maybe suggest
that food defines a culture.

In France, for example sometimes
they call the English 'Les Rosbifs'.

In England, the French are often
associated with frogs, snails, etc.

What do you think
about these associations,

between food
and national identity ?

Do you think that food
really represents a culture ?

Or is it a cliché ?

No, I think it's
definitely part of a culture.

For example, if you
ask a lot of French people

if they have eaten
a lot of snails or frogs legs,

i'm sure 80% will say no,
they haven't had them this year.

However, if you're talking
about Roast dinners in England,

90% of people in
England will have one on a Sunday.

We tried to open on Sunday's, but
we're actually closed by the way.

We tried for a year and
a half to open on Sunday's,

and no one, no one.

They all wanted to go to
the pub to have their Roast.

They didn't want fish,
they didn't want steak frites,

no they wanted their Roast.

So I would say yes and no,

how do you call it again...

the stereotypes.

Yes the French love their baguette,

but it's not for that
reason that we eat frogs.

I wouldn't say
that you are what you eat,

because I don't know
what they eat all the time.

I think with the English
we are so traditional like that,

we always have
a roast on a Sunday.

We will never change!

I think it's great,
it's also a good thing

because it gives you a day
where you are together as a family,

to see the grandparents,
to see the children, things like that.

So I think it's great.

The majority of Roasts when you
go to a pub doesn't cost too much,

it's like 10, 12, 15 pounds,

so it's also an
opportunity for the English to

go out on a Sunday,
whereas they normally wouldn't.

They would normally have to pay
around 50 pounds at a restaurant.

So, I think the Roast is a cliché
that is really true for the English,

but the frogs isn't a
true cliché for the French.

And in your opinion,

do you think food can help
break down stereotypes like that

about foreign cultures and create
bridges between communities ?

Yes, definitely.

As I said to you earlier,
those who have empty stomachs

and you give them something
to eat, they're happy afterwards.

And I think that when you
have someone who is difficult,

or doesn't come from
the same background as you,

or doesn't even speak the
same language, like me in Australia.

When you find
yourself around a table,

and you're all eating together,

there is an opportunity to
talk and get to know one another,

to see the bigger picture.

So yes, I think it opens doors.

Food opens doors, like for me.

I was a chef, I cooked,

I met my wife
because she loved my cooking.

She first spoke to me
because she adored my food,

and now we've been
married for 10, 12 years.

So there you go.

She was English,
I didn't speak English.

The only thing I
knew how to do was cook.

and are your waiters all
English or are there some French ?

It's only me and my
wife, just the two of us.

I am in the Kitchen
and she is in the front.

She is English and I am French.

And what are your
future plans for 'Le Petit Monde',

and for yourself as a chef ?

Do you have any dreams or goals
you wish to accomplish here in Devon,

or elsewhere ?

Do you think you will
always stay in Devon?

It's a bit difficult to
know what we will do.

It's a bit difficult to
always know what's happening.

I think we will stay here as
long as people want to dine with us.

We will stay here, and in the future,

we will have children.

So I don't know if when we
have children, it will be the same life,

maybe it will be a bit harder.

Maybe we will do something
else, maybe not, i'm not sure.

But we are happy with what we're
doing right now, the people are happy.

I think we have a
good reputation in Devon so,

We will keep going at that and
we'll see where we go in the future.

And in terms of children,
if you don't mind me asking,

do you think that your
house will be bilingual?

Oh yes, definitely,

but then again...

of course I would love for my son or
daughter to speak English and French,

that would be a plus.

I would have loved to
speak English since the age of 12,

that would've been great and much
easier for when I left for Australia.

it would have opened more doors.

And I think that languages,

are super important.

So yes, I would try to speak
French as much as possible,

but I'm not a very good teacher,

and I'm not very patient.

so I will do my best, but we'll see.

I think it's also super important,

to also be able to communicate
with your family as well in France.

Yes, exactly.

Well, I think that is all my questions.

Do you have anything
else you would like to add,

regarding your experience here in Devon,

or your regarding your restaurant ?

maybe in terms of the locals...

I think I've said everything already.

It's been five, six years since opening.

We got through Covid,
which was a big hurdle,

and now we're cruising.

We make people happy,

we work all hours, with my wife.

We try to do good food for good people,

and it seems to work, so
that's it really, there we go.

Ok well, thank you so much for your time.

No worries Grace, I hope
that your interview is good,

and if you need anymore
questions, just let me know.

Thank you so much, I'm going
to stop the recording now just in case.