The full version of this article originally appeared in the March/April 19 issue of My French Country Home. To subscribe and read the article, click HERE.
France is known for its jaw-dropping produce: jewel-like vegetables, fragrant fruits, hundreds types of cheese, savory charcuterie, perfectly crunchy bread. We sit down with Lise Kvan and Eric Montéléon of Bon Fond, to discover their journey hunting for France’s best produce and how they want to champion those that grow it.
After working in some of Paris’ finest restaurants and receiving stunning ingredients from the top farmers in the country, Lise Kvan and Eric Montéléon began to wonder who were the talented individuals behind the products.
Making it their mission to meet the farmers and food artisans of France, Lise and Eric sold all their belongings, bought an old camping car and left Paris in January 2018. Bon Fond was born.
Naming the project Bon Fond was completely representative of their mission. Meaning a “good soul” and “good stock,” they wanted to work alongside the producers, gain hands-on knowledge of their professions, and document this special combination of modern and traditional farming techniques.
They traveled counterclockwise around the country: starting in Normandy, then across to Brittany, down to Charentes, Occitane, via a month-long detour to Corsica, and up to Provence.
In harmony with the brand ethos, they encourage you to buy ingredients directly from farmers, waste as little as possible, and partake in the thrill of growing your own fruits and vegetables if you have a garden.
The pair have recently opened up a restaurant that epitomizes the work they did as Bon Fond. They bought and renovated Le Saint Hubert Restaurant, set in the Provençal town of Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt is now a working with local food producers and wine sellers,
To read more about Bon Fond (and get 4 delicious recipes, including this delicious Passionfruit and Mango Crème Caramel), head to page 76 of March/April 19. For more recipes and tales about French cooking, subscribe to the magazine here.
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2019 issue of My French Country Home.
Photography by Lise Kvan & Eric Montéléon, Text by Alice White Walker