Inside the Kitchen: Seven Questions With Nicholas Bazik of Provenance

Going to a restaurant in Paris, expecting a certain level and quality of food, being totally surprised by the nuance and service of it. I first went to Le Clarence in 2020 with my wife on our baby moon honeymoon. At the time it was a Michelin two-starred restaurant and considered the next big thing in Paris. I had read about it and the chef’s dependence on the best ingredients.

We sat down and the waiter recognized that my wife was from Korea. Halfway through the meal, it suddenly turned Korean. It was amazing. The CDC was also from Korea, and we started getting sauces with kimchi, then doenjang. No single table in that restaurant got the same menu.

Fine dining means being surprised, but also having your anticipations and expectations met.

The ultimate goal is to sustainably provide a space where people can thrive and not just make a living. To exist where I’m not taking advantage of anybody.

Mawn here and Sézanne in Tokyo.

K.I.S.S.

Chicken noodle soup, made from scratch. My mom would make it for me growing up in Harleysville, Pennsylvania. We didn’t have enough fridge space, so she always kept it outside on our porch. I have a visceral memory of being ten years old and going outside to get it.