James Mussillon was the owner of Aubergine, Sabayon and then Water Edges, he is now focusing his efforts on Courgette restaurant. Since establishing Courgette, James’ expertise in the kitchen has seen Courgette receive six consecutive 1 Chefs Hat awards from the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide. From a young age James was inspired by the idea of being creative in the kitchen. After careful research, he decided that the best way forward was to train in Europe. James worked his way into the London kitchen of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, then the only British chef to hold three Michelin stars. He says “Marco Pierre White was extreme, passionate and driven –being in his kitchen was so exciting. James also got to work with Philip Howard at The Square and French chef Joel Robuchon and claims “he basically got about eight years of experience out of four years of working”. After returning from London, James accepted a position as sous chef at Quay, one of Sydney’s top restaurants. With a desire and passion to strike out on his own, James chose Canberra as the place in which to showcase his French-inspired Australian cuisine. His restaurants have made an indelible mark on the nation’s capital and James is pleased to be a part of Australia’s world-class restaurant scene. ​The key to the success of this restaurant, he says, is fresh local produce and uncomplicated food. He says “you need to understand each product and know how to cook it properly so the flavours can be fully extracted and the plate can be teased”.