Pierre Fenoux and Diana Goh
French-born Pierre Fenoux, 37, is the head chef of Wellington’s Jano Bistro, which he co-owns with fiancee Diana Goh, 43, the restaurant manager. The couple have been together 10 years and opened their Willis St restaurant in 2014.
PI moved to New Zealand in early 2010 after being in Australia for a few years. Diana and I almost didn’t meet – she was living in Melbourne but was back in Wellington for a few days and I wasn’t planning on going out that night because I’d worked a long shift and was tired. But my friends convinced me and after a few drinks we went to Boogie Wonderland, a club in Courtenay Place that no longer exits. I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and the bouncer wasn’t happy about letting me in. He finally did and that’s where I met Diana.
My first thought was, she’s so beautiful. And smiley and chatty. I don’t really have a type, and I’d never dated an Asian woman before, but Diana ticked all the boxes in terms of being cute and authentic and great to talk to.
I asked her out to the Matterhorn a few days later and that’s when I was fully sold. I was sad when she went back to Melbourne but it just so happened I’d booked to spend Christmas in Melbourne with friends. So we ended up spending three weeks together.
A few months later, Diana surprised me by showing up in Wellington and told me she wanted to move back. We looked for a place and have been together ever since.
Diana had her own fashion business and had never really worked in hospo but she agreed to start the restaurant with me. About six months in, when our manager didn’t turn up, Diana jumped into the role and never left. People talk about the food and the chef, but Diana is just as essential a part of the business.
She gave up her career to join me and has done things such as build our website which was a huge challenge. She also keeps the front-of-house and the admin running smoothly so I can get on with the cooking. Diana is always positive and wants to make people happy, not just because that’s her job but because she genuinely wants to.
Sometimes she can be a bit stubborn – she gets an idea in her head and won’t budge. But that’s her only fault.
We got engaged around the same time we opened our restaurant. I asked her father permission, then flew to France to see my family and buy a ring. When I got home, I dropped to one knee and proposed. We haven’t got around to getting married because we’re so busy with the restaurant and it’s probably less of a priority at the moment. One day, we’ll have a wedding in France and one in Wellington.
DI was born in Malaysia but came to Wellington when I was 4 years old. I did a degree in tourism management and Mandarin at Vic but have a real love of fashion so followed that with a diploma in fashion design. I was living in Melbourne when my last relationship ended. I’ve always had long relationships and with guys of different nationalities – the first guy I dated for seven years was Ma¯ ori, and the second, for five years, was Asian.
The film Eat, Pray, Love had just been released after my last relationship ended, and I remember thinking, I’d quite like to go to France and meet a gorgeous Frenchman!
Instead, I met him in Wellington when I came home for my father’s birthday. I could feel Pierre’s eyes on me in the bar, but not in a creepy way. We got on really well that night – he’s innocent and sweet and not into playing games, which I appreciated. I didn’t think it would go anywhere but I really enjoyed his company.
Pierre has always wanted to open his own restaurant and I supported him 100 per cent. I really believe in him and his talent. I guess that comes from my parents, because my mother always supported my father’s many business projects.
We work so well together because we each have our areas of expertise within the restaurant. Pierre also has a great sense of humour and we laugh a lot both at the restaurant and at home. It really helps to have a sense of humour in a high-pressure environment.
Lots of people tell me they couldn’t live and work with their partners, but we’re best friends so it doesn’t bother us. It’s hard not take work home at the end of the day – Pierre is much better at switching off than I am. Work can bleed into my personal life if I’m not careful, but Pierre grounds me and tells me to slow down and relax.
He’s a really gentle, humble person who’s incredibly laid back. In fact, sometimes he’s too laid back and I have to push him into action. But we always get there.
We share a great love of food and I enjoy cooking for Pierre. People often don’t invite chefs to dinner because they think they’ll be critical but Pierre isn’t at all judgmental and doesn’t expect to be served Michelin-starred food. His palate isn’t restricted to what he cooks at the restaurant and he’s always willing to try different flavours.
As with any relationship, ours is a work in progress. The key is not taking each other for granted and understanding and respecting each other’s differences. That’s why we work.