MOODBOARD Insights and Influences

INSIGHTS AND INFLUENCES

Four chefs share their philosophies towards cuisine and reveal how their creativity has been shaped by their backgrounds, surroundings and relationships.

Text Olivier Reneau

© MARIO ANDREYA

© DR

Childhood

“This is me rolling dumplings–‘madeleines de Proust’–with my aunt. My family comes from Ghana as well as the Swabian part of Germany. Dumplings are eaten everywhere in both places.” RESTAURANT SCHOTE, Essen, Germany

© SACHA PERRONE

CHEF NELSON MÜLLER ORIGINALLY FROM GHANA, BUT HAVING GROWN UP IN GERMANY, CHEF NELSON MÜLLER FUSES THE CUISINE OF RESTAURANT SCHOTE, IN ESSEN, GERMANY, WITH THE DIFFERENT CULINARY CULTURES HE HAS ENCOUNTERED.

Farm-to-table

“Behind all of my dishes is the principle of good quality food. That means I choose local products from suppliers I trust and ingredients that represent the best of the season. I have also started growing my own vegetables.”

Melting pot

“My dishes always have a classic background with a modern twist–it could be French, German, African or Mediterranean influences. That multicultural approach characterizes everything I prepare.”

Ambient

“I’m inspired by nature, industrial culture, art and sustainability. My restaurant is made with durable materials like wood, marble and brass. We have a living wall, like a small forest; it contrasts with high ceilings with visible pipework. I work with a nearby gallery so you will also find large paintings–at the moment by artist David Uessem.”

© RALF SCHULTEISS

© TATE DINING ROOM CHEF VICKY LAU AT THE HELM OF HER RESTAURANT, TATE DINING ROOM IN HONG KONG, CHEF VICKY LAU, NAMED BEST FEMALE CHEF IN ASIA BY THE ASIA 50 BEST RESTAURANTS IN 2015, MIXES EASTERN AND WESTERN CULINARY AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES.

Ceramics

“During my studies in applied arts, I worked with ceramics a lot. It was my favorite studio where I spent a lot of time. I gave it up because I didn’t really see how I could make a living from it. However, I retained a great sensitivity to the material.” TATE DINING ROOM & BAR, Hong Kong

© TATE DINING ROOM © DR

© CHRISTIAN ALDER - UNSPLASH

The story

“My passion for ceramics led me to study its history, especially the Song dynasty, which is very important for this creative practice. It was also during this period that tofu was invented in China. It’s all connected!”

Hong Kong

“This is my birthplace, where my roots are, even though I spent a long time living in the United States. Hong Kong is the perfect place to do business. It is a city rich in contrasts, from pure tradition to hyper-modernity.”

© UNSPLASH © DAN FREEMAN - UNSPLASH

Family

“My daughter, who is 5 years old, is a huge inspiration to me. She loves natural foods and has a very honest taste. She allows me to find the right balance between respect for the raw product and the creative culinary act.”

Seaweed

“All my cooking is guided by umami–the fifth taste after sweetness, sourness, saltiness and bitterness. Seaweed, which brings this flavor, interests me a lot–there are so many varieties, and while it is quite common in Asia, it is still relatively unknown in the west.”

© FBRIAN YURASITS. - UNSPLASH

© PUJOL

Produce

“Quality is at the heart of what we do. Through close relationships with our suppliers, we have learned that every step in the supply chain is important to ensure the finest quality. It starts with the nutrition of the soil–being respectful of the environment.”

© PUJOL

Seasons

“We are fortunate to have got to know our suppliers really well. Besides reducing the distance between farms and consumers, this allows us to have timely information about harvests, what’s available and the quantity, so we can adapt our menu to the seasons as best as possible.”

© PUJOL © MAUREEN M. EVANS

PUJOL, Mexico City, Mexico

CHEF ENRIQUE OLVERA INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED CHEF ENRIQUE OLVERA IS ONE OF THE FIGUREHEADS OF ‘NEW MEXICAN CUISINE’. HE DRAWS ON THE FORMIDABLE CULINARY HERITAGE OF HIS COUNTRY TO CREATE A DISTINCT GASTRONOMIC IDENTITY FOR HIS RESTAURANT IN MEXICO CITY.

Harmony

“Something I really like about restaurants is that it’s not just about food. If you want to give the best possible experience you have to take care of hundreds of details: the architecture, the interior design, the tableware, the music, the aromas of the place and many more. I enjoy these aspects because I like to be aware of local artists doing amazing things that we can bring into our projects.”

Everything on point

“I think this is the common denominator of everything that inspires me. Las cosas bien hechas, as we say in Spanish–doing everything as best we can. This philosophy is crucial and has guided our work for many years already. It covers everything from our work inside the restaurant, to our relationships with suppliers, and other, less visible aspects, like our impact on the environment and energy consumption.”

© PUJOL

Sharing

“This notion is very much linked to my family and my childhood. The table has always been considered as a place of meeting and exchange around food. For me, it is a great joy to welcome my guests and creating moments to share a feeling of conviviality around the table.”

Mother Earth

“Observing nature is a great source of inspiration. We are researching the origins of life in our region with an archaeologist/ anthropologist and an ethnobotanist. Wild plants help us understand the interactions in our local ecosystem. Permaculture and biodynamics are great for raising awareness of living things.”

© MATTEO CARASSALE © UQONIC CHEFS CHEF MAURO COLAGRECO HAS MADE MIRAZUR A MICHELIN THREE-STAR RESTAURANT, AND IT WAS ALSO NAMED NO. 1 IN THE WORLD’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS IN 2019. IT IS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE DINING, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE LOCAL CUISINE IT SERVES AND ITS SOCIAL COMMITMENTS.

© UQONIC CHEFS

Community

“We are always looking to strengthen social ties by investing in local products and producers, such as artisanal fishing. We strive for local self-sufficiency, to ensure our resiliency in the future.”

Commitments

“Every day should contribute to building awareness around the need to change our lifestyles. That is why I decided to work with the Plastic-Free Certification start-up. Encouraging our teams and our community, through concrete projects, allows us to spread awareness about biodiversity and to protect our environments.”

Travel

“Traveling is fundamental to my personal and professional enrichment. Meeting other people feeds my open-mindedness and helps me break down borders. I think that accepting differences challenges us, and drives us to become our best selves.”

© EDUARDO TORRES © MATTEO CARASSALE

MIRAZUR, Menton, France

© STUDIOEMINENCE