Tableware according to Alice
What inspired you to take up cooking?
My grandmother, the best cook I know. My family loves to eat. We love going to the market and eating together. I didn't feel like I was ‘starting out’ in the kitchen - I've always cooked. It was very natural to make it my profession and I've never doubted that vocation.
How do you see your cooking evolving? I feel that my cooking is becoming simpler. I used to love all these innovative techniques. I was passionate about great gastronomic cuisine. The little dots and the little flowers. Now I feel like I'm getting back to basics. I'm simplifying everything: cooking, dressing, seasoning.
How important is colour in your cooking and on your tables?
It's essential. I often think about my dishes in terms of the colour of the ingredients. I love making a plate that's all green or all yellow. It's fun for me. It sets limits to my creativity, which I find interesting. My mother was a painter and she taught us a lot about the importance of colour. I never dress all in black, I'm always in colour. It's a joy for me.
When you set the table, what object makes all the difference?
I attach a lot of importance to napkins, menu paper and tablecloths. That's what my customers' hands will be touching. It's a sense that I often emphasise on a table. It's important to me. The quality of the paper on the menu, the texture of the tablecloth. It can put people at ease, or not. What's your best travel find? A flat mortar, found in Indonesia. A utensil for grinding and mixing at the same time. I found it in a local market on the island of Sumba. It's made of moonstone. So much more practical than a traditional mortar and so much more beautiful.
What is your favourite Table piece?
I love the Flavigny Tablecloth. I really like the different materials combined throughout the table linen range. That's what I do in my kitchen. I combine different elements to try and create a harmonious whole.
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