By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
The Bessie’s Chef Series is designed to bring the world’s kitchens to Sydney, creating fleeting opportunities to experience acclaimed international Chefs in local contexts.
Last October, New Zealand Chef Andy Hearnden held the inaugural event. However, if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a French farm-to-table philosophy landed in Surry Hills, then a two-night takeover between January 6 and 7, 2026, will answer the question in vivid, smoke-kissed flavours.
The latest collaboration between the Mediterranean-inspired, fire-driven restaurant on Albion Street will host James Henry, the Australian-born/France-based Chef and co-founder and culinary director of Le Doyenne - a landmark restaurant and working farm just outside Paris.
James will showcase his reputation as a hospitality heavyweight of quiet intensity who champions simplicity, technique and purity of ingredients over extravagance or unnecessary complication.
James’ career spans continents, with formative stints in Australia at Raes on Wategos in Byron Bay and Cumulus Inc in Melbourne under Andrew McConnell, followed by international acclaim in Hong Kong and France.
Today, Le Doyenne is considered one of Europe’s most important dining destinations, blending farm-to-table principles with a quiet mastery of technique. Vegetables are harvested metres from the pass, livestock is raised with care and preservation, fermentation and whole-animal cooking define the restaurant’s DNA. For Sydney diners, this is more than just a menu; it’s an education in taste, seasonality and the possibilities of mindful gastronomy.
Under James’ hands, every dish at Le Doyenne continues to be shaped by seasonality, open-fire cooking and the intimate connection between the Chef and the land that produces his ingredients. Fortunately for Sydney diners, this philosophy seamlessly translates into a set menu that’s hyper-seasonal, earthy and deeply respectful of local produce.
The partnership is a natural one with Bessie’s, which opened its doors in January 2025, built around share-style plates and fire-driven cooking. Co-owners and Chefs Sali and Nathan Sasi, along with Morgan McGlone, have carved out a space that is simultaneously warm, playful and refined.
The open kitchen, the crackle of fire and the rhythm of communal dining form a perfect stage for James’ restrained but intensely considered style.
"We’re thrilled to welcome James to Bessie’s for this special two-night event,” says Nathan. "His philosophy of connecting the kitchen to the land and celebrating pure, seasonal flavours resonates perfectly with our approach to food here at Bessie’s. Our guests are in for something really special.”
Tickets for this culinary collision are $280 per person and guests can expect a carefully curated set menu that will likely blur the line between Mediterranean warmth and French refinement. Open-fire techniques, handmade preparations and seasonal produce will dominate the evening. It’s the kind of meal that encourages conversation but also demands moments of silence, letting each bite speak for itself.
The takeover also extends Bessie’s ethos beyond the kitchen. Guests can round out the evening at Alma’s, the bar next doo
r, where classic cocktails and playful snacks continue the narrative of approachable sophistication. It’s a full-circle experience: the open kitchen, the fire, the carefully sourced ingredients and a sense that dining can be both serious and joyful at once.
James Henry x Bessie’s, Tuesday and Wednesday, January 6-7, 2026. $280 per person, set menu. Tickets via SevenRooms.
