Aahana Swrup
Nick Green’s Netflix documentary, ‘Con Mum,’ charts the story of Graham Hornigold, a Pastry Chef who faced an unexpected turn of events after reuniting with his biological mother for the first time in 45 years. In July 2020, the renowned chef, who once served as a Judge on ‘Junior Bake Off,’ received a life-altering email from a woman named Dionne. She claimed to be the chef’s mother and effectively earned his trust after a series of correspondence. As a result, when Hornigold learned of her apparent terminal illness, he was eager to soak up his time with her. Dionne went on to make many other overwhelming claims, including tales of her wealthy ancestry and insistence that she would be leaving her inheritance to her son and his family.
However, once weeks turned into months, and the luxurious hotel bills began to stack up, things took an unpredictable turn for the worse. Dionne’s sudden intrusion in Hornigold’s life changed everything for the chef, but also his family—notably his partner, Heather Kaniuk. As such, an air of intrigue orbits around Kaniuk, her career, and her relationship with Hornigold.
Heather Kaniuk Currently Resides in New Zealand With Her Son
The events of Graham Hornigold’s reunion with his biological mother, known as Dionne Marie Hanna—among other aliases—left a significantly negative impact on the chef’s life. Shortly after Dionne connected with her son and his then-partner, Heather Kaniuk, she lied to them about a terminal illness that left her with only six months to live. Furthermore, she made claims about being the illegitimate child of the royal family from Brunei—a claim that the nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has apparently dismissed. However, at the time, neither Kaniuk nor Hornigold were aware of the woman’s deceit. As such, she was able to dupe them into believing her tall tales.
Dionne also fabricated her own financial situation, insisting on buying expensive cars, including a Land Rover for Hornigold and a BMW for Kaniuk. Yet, eventually, once her son’s partner gave birth to their son, the older woman’s attitude toward her changed drastically. Shortly afterward, Dionne took Hornigold to Switzerland for weeks-long trips over supposed meetings about his inheritance with lawyers and bankers. Although Kaniuk soon grew suspicious of her mother-in-law’s actions, it wasn’t before her partner had already accumulated around 300 thousand dollars in debt. Eventually, Kaniuk and Hornigold’s best friend, Juan Pablo Colubri, were able to pull Hornigold out of his brainwashed haze around Dionne.
Thus, the chef finally discovered his mother’s lies. Nonetheless, the damage had been done. The strain this entire event put on his relationship with Kaniuk. His decision to prioritize Dionne over a planned trip with her partner and newborn son notably had a jarring effect on their partnership. As a result, the new mother decided to stay in New Zealand with her family. The couple have since been separated for around four years. During this time, Kaniuk seems to have stepped away from her and Hornigold’s joint business ventures, including Longboys, a donut and coffee company, and Smart Patisserie, a Hospitality and Patisserie consultancy service. Still, as a co-founder and ex-director of such successful businesses, she likely has some involvement in the industry.
Heather Kaniuk Prefers to Lead a Private Life After the Con Came to Light
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, Heather Kaniuk used to have a bustling presence in the public eye. Her impressive award-winning portfolio, which included experience as an executive pastry chef at Shangri-La at the Shard and Hyde Park’s Mandarin Oriental, earned her a celebrated reputation in the industry. Additionally, her then-recent long donuts endeavor with Graham Hornigold at Longboys invited similar public and professional intrigue. Furthermore, she also maintained a close relationship with her fans through social media, where she often shared her confectionery creations and recipes. Nonetheless, since her son’s birth in September of 2020—and the chaotic conclusion of her romantic relationship with Hornigold—Kaniuk has returned to a more private life.
These days, Kaniuk barely shares many updates of her life with her fans and seems to prefer a blanket of privacy around her family and career. Although her son continues to have a relationship with his father—maintained mostly over video calls—her own dynamic with her fellow pastry chef remains unrevealed to the public. Occasionally, she makes an appearance on her friend’s social media accounts, revealing glimpses into her life. In 2024, she reportedly visited The Remarkables, a mountain range in New Zealand’s Lake Wakatipu, Otago, with her friends. As such, it seems Kaniuk’s life, though hidden behind a privacy screen, continues to be full of new adventures.
