As the owner of Gladesville’s most beloved restaurant Boronia Kitchen, Simon’s food journey began long before chefs had Instagram followings and kitchen gardens were cool. Raised in Rugby, UK, Simon’s early life was marked by big family meals and even bigger flavours. His dad, a phenomenal home cook, never used recipes—just instinct and whatever was in the pantry.

One vivid memory Simon shares is of walking past game carcasses hanging in the garage during winter—pheasants, partridge, rabbit, even venison—all maturing naturally until his dad declared them “ready” when the maggots dropped. It was a different era, no doubt, but one that ingrained in him a deep respect for flavour, seasonality, and food as an honest, lived experience.

Cooking, for Simon, was never just about feeding people—it was about discovery. He still remembers one of his dad’s more unusual favourites: soft cod’s roe poached in milk with garlic, rosemary and thyme, floured and fried in butter. Served with his mum’s homemade bread and pickled walnuts they’d made as a family, it was “like fish pâté on toast” —a humble dish with complexity and care.

Knowing he wanted to be a chef from a young age, Simon studied at catering college in Stratford-upon-Avon. While others fell away, he persisted—and excelled. A move to London saw him cooking in some of the capital’s most iconic kitchens: Claridge’s, The Ritz, Les Ambassadeurs. From there, he continued to chase knowledge and experience through the south-west of England, before embarking on a life-changing period of travel.

Two years in Paros, Greece, opened up the world. In between seasons, Simon and his brother travelled across the Middle East—Turkey, Israel, Syria, Egypt—soaking up flavours and cultures. Then came Africa: a year in a ’71 Chevy Impala exploring Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia. Eventually, Simon landed in Sydney and, in his words, “it felt like home.”

After 17 years working alongside Matt Moran, Simon left to start his own consultancy, but the restaurant world kept calling. When a former Italian restaurant in Gladesville (opposite his kids’ school, no less) became available, he took the plunge—even signing the lease while in intensive care. “The doctor said I wouldn’t have made it,” he says. “But this place gave me hope.”

Opened in 2018, Boronia Kitchen is now a neighbourhood staple, known for its seasonal modern Australian dishes and commitment to quality. The philosophy? Simplicity, elevated.

Behind the restaurant is a lush garden brimming with citrus trees, herbs, edible flowers and seasonal vegetables. There’s even a greenhouse for micro herbs. The footpath out front is dotted with native species like saltbush, strawberry gum and warrigal greens. His team harvests fresh produce twice daily, grounding each dish in the story and flavour of its ingredients.

Simon’s mum was right when she said he’d enjoy gardening one day.

Simon describes Boronia’s food as European technique meets Australian produce, lifted with Japanese lightness—his favourite cuisine. “It’s elegant, fresh and healthy. Packs a punch, but it’s simple. Simplicity is the hardest thing to get right, you’ve got nowhere to hide.”

His passion for honest, flavour-forward cooking shines through in everything, including the dishes he shares for this story: a passionfruit brûlée and grilled swordfish served with Imam Bayildi—a Turkish eggplant dish that harks back to his travels in the Aegean.

“I don’t mind what I cook with—I’d just do it well.” It’s a mantra shaped by a childhood of foraged walnuts, a career built in world-class kitchens, and a life lived through food.