On ne voit bien, qu’avec la coeur.
NOËL DUPONT
Age: 30 Gender and pronouns: Male, He/Him Occupation: Head Chef at Mediterra Neighbourhood: Downtown
BIOGRAPHY
Bohemian fantasy met opulent wealth in the Dupont household, where Jean-Luc and Otillie cultivated an artist’s salon in their family home with only the talents of them and their four children. Jean-Luc came from wealth, somehow, in some way, connected to the Gauloises cigarette company. In his youth he was a partier, and it was in this way that he met Otillie, a very talented photographer and artisté based in Paris.
This fateful introduction would prove for a fruitful marriage in both love and in children, their forth and final child named Noël. While all of their children had a taste for the arts, it was young Noël who seemed to have a natural talent for any and all mediums. He loved it all — drawing, painting, photography, music and dance. But more than any of these things, it was apparent Noël’s true passion was cooking. What other six-year-old would ask to be taken to a Michelin star restaurant as his gift?
As the children grew, Otillie received an offer to be featured in a prominent New York gallery, so the rambling band of Dupont’s arrived in the Big Apple, not quite prepared for American life. For Noel, who was now entering his early teens, New York City would prove to be a catalyst for his future career. From the age of fourteen, Noël was working in kitchens, starting with simply bussing tables until he worked his way onto the line with blood, sweat and true grit. He loved the controlled chaos of the kitchen, every component of a dish was a work of art in its own right. One wrong move, the wrong heat, cooked too long or not long enough, and the dish was ruined. But when it was perfect… That was the high Noël chased.
It was not long before New York went from a temporary stay to a permanent one, Otillie serving as an artist-in-residence and teacher, Jean-Luc simply happy to be along for the ride. The older Dupont siblings moved on and moved out, pursuing education in the United States and in Europe. When it came time for Noël to decide what his next step was after secondary school, he chose the prestigious French cooking school Le Cordon Bleu to hone his skills.
When it was clear that Noël had learned all that he could in Paris, he chose Los Angeles as his preferred destination, attracted to the allures of Hollywood and California. It was there he accepted a job as a sous-chef at a five-star restaurant, thriving in the Southern California heat and culture. After a few years, Noël had grown quite close to the owner of the restaurant, Hilarie. Hilarie made promises of new opportunities to come Noël’s way, a new restaurant where he would be the head chef, prestige and wealth and everything in-between. It didn’t take very long for the two to begin an affair, with one interesting twist. Gavin, Hilarie’s husband, was also involved. Noël was happily introduced into the polyamorous lifestyle, welcomed into their home and life, from their friends to their children.
It was a wonderful few years, until it wasn’t. It seemed as though overnight Hilarie and Gavin had decided that Noël’s presence was no longer desired, having found a new partner to add to their life. And so Noël watched his world crumble before his eyes: first his job, then his social circles, until he was out on the streets without a hope of finding employment in Los Angeles again. Gone were the visions of success, of a restaurant of his own where he could call the shots. Now Noël had to restart his life, and the man had no idea where to begin. Without any answers as to what the next day, or days to come would look like, Noël packed up his car and drove north, the Pacific Coast Highway the only form of catharsis that he would find in the wake of his pain and heartache.
It was then that he arrived in Eureka, accepting an opportunity to cook at Prune, finally a kitchen where he could explore gastronomié authentically. He found a home in the bungalow of a local entrepreneur, and at one point in time had even enjoyed the romantic company of his landlord’s sister.
But Noël grew weary of life in Eureka, uncertain that this was the place he could, or should call home. He returned to New York, to the safety of his parent’s embrace and the comfort of their support. Only, a surprise call would have him back in Eureka, a move he hadn’t exactly been expecting.
Life had a way of throwing curveballs, forcing Noël to grow up, and grow up quickly. The kitchen was a chaos he could control, but an unexpected pregnancy wasn’t. It wasn’t that Noël was opposed to the idea of children. As a concept, he thought parenthood was both brave and extremely naïve. He felt fulfilled enough being an uncle to his siblings children, but found that regardless of that simple desire, life had other plans.
NOËL DUPONT has the face claim of LUCAS BRAVO and is played by LIZA
