In Paris with Early June

On a calm street down by the Canal Saint Martin, Early June has earned a reputation as a place of pilgrimage. Founded in 2019 by Victor Vautier and Camille Machet, the small wine bar and restaurant operates with a simple philosophy: what if we invited all of our friends to cook here?

Featuring a series of travelling chefs who take over the kitchen for special, one-off residencies, Early June has changed the landscape of contemporary cooking and they have a great time doing it.

We recently caught up with the team there to find out more.

Drake's: Hi Camille, can you tell us a little bit about the team behind Early June? What’s your background? 

Camille Machet: Victor and I opened the place a little more than five years ago.

Both of us are food and wine lovers. mainly focused on the wine part: tasting, selecting, pouring. Kitchen-wise, it was important for us to hire a team who would propose a creative cuisine in this very small open kitchen

The first year we had a permanent chef, and we started hosting some guest chefs for short events We loved it so much that when the first chef decided to leave for another project, we became a hosting place. That means taking care of everything : transportation, housing, suppliers, organising tours of our favourite places, introducing them to the food community of Paris

Chefs would come from all over the world, bringing their cuisine culture in this small counter-kitchen wine bar Being very close to the clients, they can almost serve the food directly on the tables!

Drake's: What do you hope Early June does differently to other restaurants in Paris? 

CM: Differently I don’t know, but since the beginning we focus on having people who are from other parts of the world, with different cultures and backgrounds who are almost always cooking here in Paris for the first time! 

Drake's: Do you have an ethos behind the food in the restaurant? How do you select the chefs you work with?

CM: Every chef who comes in is recommended by our community. It needs to be a good match, in terms of personality as much as in terms of food and convictions. We’re all here to enjoy, have fun, respect each other and respect the produce.

Drake's: What are you cooking at home at the moment? 

CM: The leftovers from the kitchen.

Drake's: If you could only drink one bottle of wine in your cellar, what would you choose?

CM: The maceration of Muscat from Gabriel and Lea Willem in Alsace.

Drake's: When you’re not at Early June, where else do you like to eat in Paris?

CM: Le Servan, Bistrot des Tournelles and Lao Siam.  

Drake's: Where did you get the name Early June from? 

We signed the lease for the place in early June 2018. A beautiful season; summer is getting closer and the sun is up.   

Drake's: What’s the secret to running a successful bar and restaurant?

CM: Caring about people, the clients, but also the team.