i. Biography
From Barossa in Titirangi, Zennon Wijlens was hired at sixteen and started the work early: service rhythm, pass discipline, and the kind of repetition that turns a kitchen from a first job into a working education. The line from apprentice to chef-owner is straightforward, but the labour inside it is not. It is built on learning how to hold standards under pressure, and how to keep a room moving when the restaurant carries your name as well as your hours.
The Climb
Barossa in Titirangi was the first kitchen on record for Zennon Wijlens, where the apprenticeship in Auckland gave form to the rest of the career. That path is less about spectacle than about accumulation: show up, learn fast, repeat the work, and absorb the demands of service until the kitchen becomes a place of responsibility rather than entry. At Paris Butter in Auckland, Zennon Wijlens now sits in the combined role of Head Chef and co-owner, which places the line between cooking and ownership in the same daily frame. The work at that level is not only about what lands on the plate; it also has to answer to the business behind it, where timing, labour, and cost sit alongside the standards of the dining room.
Today
Wijlens works as Head Chef and Co-Owner at Paris Butter in Auckland. In that role, he carries both the creative and ownership weight of the restaurant, with the kitchen and the business tied together in the same daily pressure. It is a position that asks for more than technique; it asks for steadiness, judgment, and the ability to keep the whole operation moving without losing sight of what makes the food sing. His own description of the moment is blunt: "My focus now is bums on seats and being able to cover the costs." It is a practical sentence, stripped of flourish, and that plainness gives it force. For a chef-owner, the glamour of recognition sits alongside the less romantic realities of occupancy, margins, and making sure the room feels alive night after night. One dish gives the restaurant a clear point of recognition: dry-aged duck breast. Wijlens puts it plainly: "I’m particularly proud of our dry-aged duck breast which has become a bit of a signature at Paris Butter." The dish stands not as an accessory to the story, but as one of its clearest expressions — a plate that has come to mark the restaurant and, in some measure, the chef behind it.
Signature
Zennon's signature dishes include dry-aged duck breast.
In Their Words “I’m particularly proud of our dry-aged duck breast which has become a bit of a signature at Paris Butter.”
Recognition
Zennon's honors include Best Chef 2025 (2025) and Two Knives (2025).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Zennon
What is Zennon Wijlens's current role?
As of 2026, Zennon Wijlens is Head Chef and Co-Owner.
Where did Zennon Wijlens train or study?
Zennon Wijlens trained at Barossa.
What recognition has Zennon Wijlens received?
Best Chef 2025 (2025).
