When it comes to someone who embodies French culture in the Canberra region, Bungendore's Christophe Gregoire is your go-to guy.
It's an expertise that is not just recognised by the local community, but also now by the French community, with the former owner of Le Tres Bon receiving one of the oldest awards in the French Republic - the National Order of Agricultural Merit, or l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole.
The French knighthood was presented to Gregoire - in front of family and dignitaries - by the Ambassador of France to Australia Pierre-André Imbert in the lead-up to Bastille Day.
"It's humbling to get this award," Mr Gregoire said,
"But it's a result of years of hard work, not just from me but from my wife Josephine as well.
"The thing which is fascinating is that we've got a memorial in our village in Lorraine, France in memory of the young soldiers who died in the Second World War for our freedom today. And it's in me to give something back to these people who lost their lives in force for freedom. It's an exchange; maybe an exchange of energy or something."
The knighthood comes in recognition of the past 25 years of work within the Australian community. It recognises people who have brought their capacity and passion for French agriculture, food products and gastronomy and in the case of Mr Gregoire, shared it with the world.
During his time within the region, he owned two restaurants - the first in Manuka which was open from 1999 to 2007, and then the second in Bungendore which closed last year.
He and Ms Gregoire continue to be a large part of the food community within the region, including with the Truffle Festival which is on at the moment.
"I've been involved in French gastronomy in Australia and being in a small little town like Bungendore wasn't very easy," Mr Gregoire said.
"You need lots of courage and passion in yourself, to survive, basically to get your living in Bungendore.
"But it was a good experience, a rich experience. We had so many younger apprentices and chefs come to join our kitchen in Bungendore. Even French students from the Hospitality School of France for four months in a year."
The couple created a community through their restaurant. A community that not only saw people travel from Canberra - or even further afield - for dinner in Bungendore, but had some dropping off excess produce for Mr Gregoire to use in the restaurant.
"The best part [about the knighthood] is that we're in Bungendore and they're still recognising that you don't have to be in the large cities," Ms Gregoire said.
"You don't have to be a celebrity chef. It's the people who do the work. There's a sense of responsibility, as well now. We need to keep that level of professionalism because you're representing a community, a people and an entire country."
The Order of Agricultural Merit was established in 1883 by the then minister for agriculture to reward services to agriculture. The reasoning behind it was that millions of French people lived directly from this industry and it had an impact on the national economy.
"For years, Christophe Grégoire's restaurant has been a beacon of French gastronomy in Canberra, displaying traditional French dishes prepared with the finest local products," Ambassador of France to Australia Pierre-André Imbert said.
"Christophe, with his wife Joséphine, still promotes French terroirs through wonderful gastronomic journeys. It was our pleasure and honour to make such a talented and deserving chef a knight of the National Order of Agricultural Merit."
