From a teenage summer challenge in England to the creation of Maison Lucien in Hội An, Chef John Gallais has built a life in pursuit of flavour, culture, and connection. Blending French tradition with Asian influence, his cuisine reflects both heritage and discovery, crafted with respect, resilience, and imagination.
For Chef John Gallais, a career in the kitchen began almost by chance. At fifteen, he accepted a bet from his father: if he could find a summer job in a restaurant, he would take it. Within months, he was working as a commis chef in a hotel restaurant in Limpley Stoke, England. Though he spoke little English and had no formal training, the experience revealed his true calling—cooking would not be a temporary diversion but his life’s work.
Returning to France, John pursued formal training at the Lion d’Or in Bayeux, mastering the fundamentals of classical French cuisine. He earned his CAP/BEP diploma and went on to refine his craft at the Hyatt Concorde Hotel in Paris, a bustling 1,000-room property where precision and consistency were non-negotiable. His dedication led him to the prestigious Potel & Chabot, Paris’s renowned high-end catering house, where he contributed to events at landmarks such as Versailles and the Louvre, experiences that deepened his artistry and broadened his vision.
Eager for new challenges, John returned to England as head chef of a gastropub in Wiltshire. His leadership not only earned the pub the title of Best Pub in the South West but also brought him personal acclaim, including Vice Champion Best Chef of the Year in Wiltshire and a finalist place in the Gordon Ramsay School Award.
His curiosity soon carried him further east. In Bangkok, he studied Thai cuisine, earning a national diploma and immersing himself in a new culinary landscape. After a return to France, he founded a cooking school in Bayeux, later expanding to Caen, where for eight years he taught classical French and international gastronomy, passing on knowledge to a new generation.
In January 2020, John set out on a cycling journey across Asia, pedalling through Thailand and Laos before arriving in Vietnam as the world shifted under the weight of the pandemic. Settling in Hội An, he and partner Vy Nguyen restored a bar-restaurant during those challenging times, building not just a business but a community.
Today, John is the chef and co-founder of Maison Lucien, a French restaurant in Hội An where craftsmanship and culture meet. From Franco-Vietnamese menus to interiors built with reclaimed timber and handmade brasserie tables, Maison Lucien reflects John’s philosophy: food and space alike should honour history, celebrate artistry, and connect people across borders.