FOUR International 04/18

LIFEST YLE • FINE DINING • TR AVEL • PROPERT Y

Women’s edition

New York London Paris Milan Tokyo Seoul Beijing www.akris.ch

Outdoor kitchens that exceeds your excpectations

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Presenting our new catalogue, we offer furniture for any occasion. For inspiration, beautiful photography, and more information, visit us online at www.roshults.com

R NINE ONE Just when the world thought espresso in the home couldn’t get any better, Rocket Espresso release the R NINE ONE. Featuring a fully saturated group, combined with a manual or preset pressure profile system and an oversize stainless steel service boiler, meaning this category of espresso machines just got a whole lot more interesting.

Rocket Espresso R NINE ONE pictured with the Rocket Espresso FAUSTO grinder.

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Welcome to de Bijenkorf, Amsterdam’s finest department store Home to to exclusive exclusive brands brands such such as as Louis Louis Vuitton, Home Vuitton, Hermès, Hermès, Dior, Dior, Gucci, Gucci, Cartier and Tiffany & Co., the department store offers an unrivalled assortment Cartier and Tiffany & Co., the department store offers an unrivalled assortment of fashion, fashion, cosmetics, cosmetics, jewellery, jewellery, leather of leather goods goods and and more. more.

Dam 1, 1, Amsterdam Amsterdam City Dam City Centre Centre For opening hours, more information For opening hours, more information and and other other store store locations: locations: deBijenkorf.nl/international deBijenkorf.nl/international

Amsterdam || Den Den Haag Haag || Rotterdam Rotterdam || Amstelveen Amstelveen || Eindhoven Amsterdam Eindhoven || Maastricht Maastricht || Utrecht Utrecht

CONTENTS

Lifestyle SPECIALS Diary dates and goings on around the globe.

23 LIFESTYLE Lauren Bush Lauren talks about her clothing brand FEED, which donates a percentage to the United Nations World Food Programme.

32 CHEF SAFARI Chef Elena Arzak takes us on a culinary tour of San Sebastian.

17 DRESSING TO IMPRESS FOUR takes a closer look at Swiss fashion house Akris, Albert Kriemler’s world of luxury goods for women.

26 ART FOUR explores the richness of African cultural heritage in the ongoing project from artist, Ingrid Baars.

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Fine Dining CLARE SMYTH Core, London, UK

50 ANA ROŠ Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia

74 PASTRY FOUR looks at the award-winning geometric cake designs from Dinara Kasko.

94 WINE CRUSH Melis Kurtel shares with us the success story of her Turkish winery, Mosaik Wines.

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38 HÉLÈNE DARROZE The Connaught, London, UK

62 CARME RUSCALLEDA Mandarin Oriental and Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

90 CULINARY TOUR FOUR heads to Ljubljana to taste the some of the finest food and wine from Slovenia.

97 COCKTAILS Anna Sebastian explains the idea behind the latest menu Moments, at Artesian Bar at The Langham, London.

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CONTENTS

Travel AMSTERDAM FOUR brings you its top list of to-do’s when spending a luxury weekend in the fabled city.

118 HOTEL JUNKIE Located in the Dominican Republic, Eden Roc is the premier boutique resort in the Cap Cana.

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110 LUXURY LAYOVER FOUR experiences a luxury safari stay at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, South Africa, as well as a taste of paradise at Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives.

126 TRAVEL COLUMN Travel blogger, Michelle Chu shares with us her top choices of island getaways for the summer.

Property DESIGN HOTELS A look at some the world’s most exclusive new properties from Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and Armani Hotels.

136 REAL ESTATE FOUR looks at the expanding profile of luxury residences in Spain and Andorra.

140 INTERIOR DESIGN Interior Design expert, Kelly Hoppen, speaks to FOUR about creating impeccably and bespoke designs for over 40 years.

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132 PROPERTY Three top female realtors from New York, California and Hamburg talk about what it takes to succeed in the property industry.

138 RESTAURANT INTERIORS Design and hospitality go hand in hand, as we look as some of the world’s most well-curated restaurant interiors.

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WELCOME

I

t is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the latest international edition of FOUR magazine, which, for this issue, features an all-female creative line-up for the first time ever. This special summer issue has drawn immense inspiration from the unique female voices and amazing talent that can be found in all areas of art, lifestyle, gastronomy, mixology and viticulture, travel, interior design, and property, to name but a few.

In this edition we shine the spotlight on four pioneering female chefs: Clare Smyth of Core in London, England; Hélène Darroze of Hélène Darroze at The Connaught in London, and Restaurant Hélène Darroze in Paris; Ana Roš of Hiša Franko restaurant in Kobarid, Slovenia; Carme Ruscalleda of the restaurant Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, near Barcelona, Sant Pau de Tòquio in Japan, and restaurant Moments in The Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona.

In our newest gastronomic offering, we will be focusing on the world of patisserie - kicking-off with Ukrainian chef Dinara Kasko and her awardwinning usage of 3D printing in cake baking.

Each chef is unique, with their own story of how they began composing crucial chapters of their nation’s culinary accolades. Read about each chef, their restaurants and what inspires them, from page 38.

This edition also welcomes in summer with a host of must-see and do diary dates from our events calendar, as well a host of seasonal cocktails from the latest menu from Artesian bar at The Langham. Hearing from their bar manager Anna Sebastian, we help you whet your whistle for the hot months ahead.

We also speak exclusively to Kelly Hoppen, one of my favourite interior designers, in this all-female issue. Having worked in the industry for more than 40 years, Kelly has been at the forefront of the British design and is considered one of the most influential females in the country.

Elsewhere, I have also been hugely inspired watching this issue come together; by the unique story of each chef; by the incredible work that Lauren Bush does for FEED, page 26; by the fascinating work of artist Ingrid Baars, page 32; by Michelle Chu’s travels around the globe, page 129; and by the female real estate consultants who continually shine in this competitive industry, page 136.

Enjoy this issue and celebrate the summer with all the inspirational female characters that have helped make this edition happen.

SLOANE INTERNATIONAL DMCC CEO Antioco Piras EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kate Jackson SUB EDITOR Jason Riley CHIEF DESIGNER Pieter Stander CONTRIBUTORS Kelly Hoppen Michelle Chu Noel Berk Sandra Miller Susanne Bonhoeffer OPERATIONS MANAGER Barbora Kojtalova COMMERCIAL DIRECTORS Harry Rao Unit No: 3699, DMCC Business Centre, Level No 1, Dubai, UAE © SLOANE INTERNATIONAL DMCC All rights reserved. All material in FOUR magazine is wholly copyright and reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly forbidden. Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by FOUR magazine of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, FOUR magazine shall not have liability for errors or omissions. www.four-magazine.com

Kate Jackson Editor-in-chief Keep up to date with our website at four-magazine.com

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COVER ‘Artemis’ by Ingrid Baars, limited edition wax coated archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Rag Baryta, 2017. Headpiece by House of Malakai Magazine printed by medialis Offsetdruck GmbH

ORIGINS COMPLE TE

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Specials Get a load of this quarter’s sensory pleasures.

J U LY

Hong Kong Fashion Week Hong Kong is a city of glamour, a hub for trend-setting style and home to the region’s most distinguished fashion scene.

The HKTDC Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2018 from 9th–12th July, will deliver another spectacular showcase of style and timeless elegance.

Featuring over 1,000 international exhibitors and more than 12,000 visitors in 2017, this one-stop platform provides incomparable international exposure for established and emerging labels alike.

Providing a vibrant range of new collections, accessories, fabrics and yarn, merchandising services such as the hktdc.com Small Orders zone and intellectual protection for businesses and more, this event is also a direct gateway to blossoming markets in the Chinese mainland and Asia. m.hktdc.com/fair/hkfashionweekss-en/HKTDC-Hong-Kong-FashionWeek-for-Spring-Summer 17

DIARY

AU G U S T

MAD Symposium, Denmark MAD (taken from the Danish word for “food”) is a nonprofit organization that brings together a global cooking community with a social conscience, a sense of curiosity, and an appetite for change.

Chef René Redzepi began MAD as a two-day symposium in 2011.

Three hundred chefs, restaurateurs, waiters, and writers gathered in a red circus tent in Copenhagen to discuss the future of food.

Today, the MAD Symposium is the cornerstone of a global cooking community encompassing chefs and entrepreneurs, farmers and scholars, students and the general public.

Influential figures from the cooking world and other disciplines gather together with a curious, engaged audience. During a two-day immersive experience, attendees discuss the things that matter most in food, like sustainable agriculture, social entrepreneurship, science, health, and creativity. Audience members, often beginning their careers, stand shoulder to shoulder with luminaries like René Redzepi, Ferran Adrìa, David Chang, Madhur Jaffrey, Diana Kennedy and Vandana Shiva, working together to come up with ways to make food better.

The next symposium, MAD6, will be held on August 26–27, 2018. www.madfeed.co SEPTEMBER

London Design Festival, UK

IMAGES © MARK COCKSEDGE (LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL)

Conceived by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, London Design Festival first took place in 2003. Building on London’s existing design activity, their concept was to create an annual event that would promote the city’s creativity, drawing in the country’s greatest thinkers, practitioners, retailers and educators to a deliver an unmissable celebration of design. The launch of the first Festival took place at Bloomberg on 25 March 2003, with a huge show of support from design, education, government and London organisations.

16 years later, this vision remains ever strong: the vision of London Design Festival is to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world. The 2018 edition of the Festival will take place from 15–23 September 2018. www.londondesignfestival.com

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BAIA

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FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR

FROM KNIGHTHOOD TO ROYALTY

A

shy, but artistically talented 18-year-old Vera Purtscher moves from her small town in the Arlberg region to study architecture at the Technical University in Vienna.

Three years later she gives birth to her son. As a single mother, she continues her studies and professional development, getting her first experiences in the architecture field in the studio of the well-known architect Wilhelm Holzbauer. In addition, she works as an architecture critic for renowned Austrian magazines.

During this time, she discovers her passion for design and decides to dedicate herself to further exploring this sphere. Soon, Vera’s work is included in Alessi’s “memory containers”, as her teapot warmer “Inner Fire” goes into production under the world-famous label. She becomes the only Austrian designer in the Alessi product range, as a sort of a knighthood in the design world.

This success inspires Vera to further work on her designs, focusing on improving the most important and social human

BELOW Vera Purtscher and some of the glassware bases which form part of the new SinStella collection.

interaction: eating. Starting with a particular passion, she aims at finally creating a cutlery of an unequalled functionality in weight-balance and haptics, as well as holding on to an unprecedented aesthetics.

After seven years of prototyping with renowned cutlery manufacturer Berndorf, the time finally came for the first collection to be launched to the public. Due to unwillingness of the big players on the market to bear the tremendous costs of the haptically and ergonomically improved design, she invests her life savings to make the most outstanding cutlery series “MoonLashes” a reality.

The success was obvious: over the years, many starrestaurants and their world famous chefs became Vera’s close partners.

Besides the culinary temple “Tantris” of Eckart Witzigmann and Hans Haas in Munich, the former cult “Cocoon Club” by Mario Lohninger in Frankfurt, VERA PURE designs today complement the dishes of Heinz Reitbauer in his top 10 worldwide ranked “Steirereck” restaurant in Vienna, as well as of Martin Klein in the “Ikarus” in the Red Bull’s Hangar-7 and Gabriel Kreuther in his eponymous restaurant in Manhattan, New York.

Vera’s latest design is an extraordinary glassware collection SinStella, developed with the support and insights from the chef Kreuther, who is exclusively using the glasses for over 2 years now. One of his culinary masterpieces, the marinated sea scallop served in the SinStella glass, was even named the “Dish of the Year” by the New York Post!

The brand new SinStella Champagne flutes were presented at an exclusive event held by the World’s oldest Rolls-Royce members’ club capturing the attention of the illustrious guests.

As a result, VERA PURE designs were chosen as a part of a hand-picked selection of projects to be included in the only official publication of the royal family for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.

VERA PURE creations are nourished by Japanese WabiSabi philosophy, Italian design esprit and Swiss precision.

VERA PURE’s highest priority is the function integrated into the timeless but modern design with a touch of poetry.

This inspiring success story and Vera’s impressive career are certainly due to her truthfulness to her core values and the constant focus on quality and sustainability.

Discover more about Vera on verapu.re 20

IMAGE © FARUK PINJO

Vera Pure is the product of the impressive success story of Vera Purtscher, who turned her passion for design into highly respected tableware used by international chefs and restaurants alike.

‘HUNTER’ BY INGRID BAARS

Lifestyle

FASHION

EMPOWERING WOMEN Founded in Switzerland by creative director Albert Kriemler, international fashion house Akris creates sleek and effortless collections for a discerning global clientele of women.

S

wiss fashion house Akris is renowned for its rarefied and innovative multipurpose designs, for pushing the boundaries of St Gallen guipure embroidery and signature accessories, including the Ai bag made of coveted Mongolian horsehair, and also using pioneering digital photo-printing techniques.

Since 2004, Albert Kriemler has shown his collections at Paris Fashion Week. Akris has subsidiaries in Japan, the US, China and Korea, and operates its own boutiques in major cities around the globe. The collections are also available in more than 300 selected points of distribution worldwide. Âť

FAR LEFT Tile patchwork wool flannel pantsuit and Anouk city bag in python leather.

ABOVE Fruits of Vienna Jacquard pantsuit and coat.

LEFT Reversible lambskin to leather coat and Malachite Print silk crĂŞpe dress with draped sleeves.

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FASHION

LEFT Cashmere double-face coat with belt.

BELOW, LEFT Reversible lamb to leather coat, wool silk plaid pantsuit, cashmere knit scarf and Anouk envelope in lizard lamé.

BELOW, RIGHT Leather jacket and pencil skirt with front wrap effect, silk crêpe blouse, and Aimée small zip bag in cervocalf lamé.

Every season Albert Kriemler plays with proportions, textures and colours to tell a new, fashionable story.

For his F/W 2018 collection, Kriemler was inspired by the patronesses of the arts in Vienna at the dawn of the 20th century, when the Modernist movement was born.

It was a groundbreaking time for women.

Nothing would have happened without the salonières of Vienna. Socialites such as Adele Bloch-Bauer, Alma Mahler and Berta Zuckerkandl hosted salons where the brightest and most creative minds from all walks of life met: they were the engines of Modernism, the first to recognise talent and to patronize artists such as Klimt and Schiele, and the composers Mahler and Schoenberg.

“These women were so ahead of their time, they were like they came from the future”, Kriemler says.

Today, a century later, again in a historic time for women’s empowermen, there is a spirit of freedom, functionalism and self-expression combined with a passion for the most refined materials and strong, sensual colours. The Akris F/W 18 collection encourages women to create their own personal empowering wardrobe, from the businessstatement pantsuit to the off-duty travel shearling coat.

Explore the new collection at Akris Boutiques or online at www.akris.ch

« The Akris collection presents refined and versatile pieces, designed in clear architectural lines with exceptional fabrics, body-conscious tailoring and sophisticated colours.

“The clothes are effortless. You should notice the woman first, and what she is wearing follows. It should never, ever be the other way around,” says Kriemler of his aesthetic design philosophy.

Akris offers a sophisticated sense of modernity with clear architectural lines and a sensual minimalism for exceptional women.

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Fashioning change Flying the flag for a generation of ethical entrepreneurs, Lauren Bush Lauren aims to tackle world hunger and raise awareness of social issues with FEED. Lauren speaks to us about how her line of fashionable bags is just the start of a whole movement towards world change.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

I was born in Denver, Colorado, but spent most of my childhood in Houston, Texas.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR LINE OF WORK?

I was actually still in school when I came up with the idea for FEED. During my sophomore year I became an honorary spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme, and it was during my trips to places like Guatemala and Chad, as well as here in America, that my eyes were opened to the devastating effects of the global hunger problem, which affects millions of people – especially women and children – around the world. I knew I wanted to do something more to help, and that’s when I came up with the idea for FEED. HOW DID THIS EXPERIENCE TURN INTO FEED PROJECTS, AND WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL, IN YOUR OPINION?

I was always interested in fashion and design, having spent time modelling and taking design classes during breaks from school. I created FEED out of a desire to provide a tangible, accessible and shareable way for people to engage with such a massive issue and really make a difference. Each product provides school meals in a way that is completely transparent and easy to understand.

FEED empowers people to do good with the purchases they make. We were one of the first companies with a giveback at its core, and with so many brands now incorporating a social mission into their model, I think it’s really special to have been one of the first.

DO YOU THINK THAT FEED IS ACHIEVING WHAT IT SET OUT TO DO, AND HOW?

Absolutely! It’s always so exciting to reach a new milestone, from making our first sale to hitting the 100 million meals mark this past fall [autumn]. We’re 10 years in, and the FEED community’s dedication to making a difference continues to impress me on a daily basis.

OPPOSITE Lauren Bush Lauren, CEO and founder of FEED. ABOVE The FEED Shop & Cafe in DUMBO, Brooklyn, NYC.

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION COME FROM FOR THE DESIGNS YOU CREATE?

Our first bag, the FEED 1 Bag – still one of our best-sellers – was a burlap tote inspired by the bags the UN World Food Programme uses to deliver food rations around the world. We’ve of course expanded our product offerings since then. Now I work with our incredibly talented inhouse design team to create products that fit the FEED aesthetic, launching 10 to 15 new styles each season to keep the shopping experience fresh for customers.

We also work with established cooperatives around the world to create beautiful, artisan-made products while helping to provide a sustainable livelihood. It’s such a unique experience collaborating with these artisans to figure out what their traditional craft is and what materials are available to them locally to come up with a design that stays true to the FEED aesthetic. » 27

LIFESTYLE

LEFT Lauren Bush Lauren with the FEED mural and product line at the NYC store.

BELOW A travel duffel bag, cosmetics case and luggage tag from the FEED collection.

“We’re continuing to grow and evolve as a lifestyle brand, finding new, tangible ways for people to engage with the fight against global hunger”

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DESIGNS OF THE FEED PROJECT PRODUCTS FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW ABOUT THEM?

We’ve definitely stayed true to our roots in that all of our designs have a consistent feel – even as we create more elevated silhouettes and now that we’ve incorporated vegetable-tanned leather into our lineup – and a consistent, beautiful, muted colour palette. I’d say that all of our products are incredibly functional, versatile and, of course, impactful without sacrificing style.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR DESIGNS IN GENERAL? DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE?

It’s so hard to choose! My most-carried bag – besides our original FEED 1, which will always be so special to me – is definitely the Market Tote. It’s so versatile – it’s very structured, and the leather handles are beautiful. Plus, I’m always partial to our products with bold FEED branding; it’s such a strong and lovely reminder of our heritage and » 28

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LIFESTYLE

ABOVE FEED works with established cooperatives around the world to create beautiful, artisanmade products.

WHERE AND HOW DID YOU SOURCE THE PRODUCTS, MATERIALS AND ARTISANS FOR THE PROJECTS?

BELOW Lauren Bush Lauren, assisting with lunch prep at a school in Mozambique last year.

Truly all over the globe, and it varies from collection to collection. We do have a few artisan groups that we’ve worked with again and again to create stunning limitededition bags – the last one sold out so quickly I couldn’t even get my hands on one – and longer-term collections, like our Kenya Bag, which is hand-beaded and gives back specifically in Kenya.

WHAT WAS, OR IS, YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

New challenges arise every single day when running a business and growing a brand, but I’m fortunate to have an amazing team that is always willing to go the extra mile and navigate collaboratively through any obstacles that come our way. Each new milestone we hit is a wonderful reminder that our hard work is paying off in terms of both building relationships with our customers and making a difference in the fight against childhood hunger. The biggest challenge comes in knowing and acknowledging how much more work there is still to do to fight hunger and how much more we can all do, and pushing ourselves to do more, think outside the box and always stay true to FEED. WHAT FACTORS DO YOU THINK HAVE BEEN THE MAIN CONTRIBUTIONS TO FEED’S GROWTH?

I don’t feel that it’s any one set of factors, but rather the company as a whole. I think we’ve created a brand ethos and 30

voice that is honest, reliable and attainable. We are reactive to trends in the space and we are branching out to reach new audiences, but we never lose sight of our core values and our heritage style – the things that people equate with FEED. I certainly can’t take credit for all of it – my FEED team embodies all of this, and they are always pushing us forward while keeping us rooted.

WHAT’S NEXT?

So much! We’re continuing to grow and evolve as a lifestyle brand, finding new, tangible ways for people to engage with the fight against global hunger. We can definitely be proud of the fact that we’ve been able to make a difference – thanks to our incredible consumers – but there’s still so much more to be done.

IMAGES © NATHAN KRAXBERGER (FEED SHOP & CAFE); CHRISTINA EMILIE (MOZAMBIQUE)

« always sparks conversations. However, since we just launched our first ever travel collection, I’d have to mention that the Overnighter Bag has been with me constantly so far this summer!

ART

L’AFRIQUE! Artist Ingrid Baars’ l’Afrique! is a fascinating ongoing project inspired by the richness of African cultural heritage in all its diversity, incorporating as it does both the human and the non-human as well as questions about the female gaze.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I’m from the Netherlands and that’s where I grew up.

We moved a couple of times, but always within Holland.

admiring the creative translation of how the human face and body is depicted, and the endless varieties. I decided to combine elements I found in these objects of art with real life African women.

HAD YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BECOME AN ARTIST, OR WAS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU GRADUALLY REALISED? No, but I guess I just always was destined to become an artist. I used to draw a lot as a child. I was good at it, and my parents were very supportive. Also my grandfather, an amateur draughtsman and very active in photography, used to encourage me, telling me how good I was at finding “smart solutions for creative problems”, as he called it.

So they gave me confidence.

It was very obvious that I had to pursue something creative, so it would have been crazy for anyone to try and advise me against this. But it was only after I failed at the dance academy that I chose to go to the Willem de Kooning Academy instead when I was 17.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE WORKS FROM THE SERIES FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T SEEN THEM? Every piece I create depicts a woman of African descent – mostly portraits, but also full body figures. I keep the backgrounds mainly nondescript – black, grey or white – because I’m not really interested in that kind of storytelling, although there are some exceptions to the rule.

Women have always been my subjects and main source of inspiration.

My work is always very personal; there’s a lot of myself to be found in my work: my joy, bliss, fears, anxieties, all complex emotions are involved.

I have to actually ‘feel’ my work when creating. Being a woman myself there’s no way I could do all of that when my subject would be male, for example.

The women I create are always fierce, strong and very sensitive at the same time. Some are a direct result of the fantasies that spin through my brains during the creative process, whereas others are sheer explorations of shape and emotions, searching for the right light and structure. »

CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF YOUR RECENT WORK? I’ve been working on a series inspired by African women and classical African art since 2011. It started with a growing fascination with classical African masks and sculptures

32

ART

FROM WHAT OR WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INITIAL INSPIRATION FOR THIS PROJECT? It’s hard to say what the initial inspiration was except for Classical African art in combination with African women, but so many different things inspire me. I love ancient cultures from Egypt to the Renaissance to Victorian England.

My inspiration and fascination can be totally across the board: archeology – mummies with red hair found deep

PREVIOUS PAGE Bird.

ABOVE LEFT Aurora.

ABOVE RIGHT Blue.

BELOW Athena.

in the desert in China – ancient jewellery, micro-photos of insects, science fiction – UFOs and aliens – fashion, deepsea creatures, the wonderful awkwardness of mushrooms and fungi, and so on.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ACHIEVED WHAT YOU SET OUT TO DO? I’m proud of the body of work that I have created. When the years pass by, there are always some pieces that survive my critical eye but some will fail ‘the test of self-reflection’.

I’m a perfectionist. I’m still growing as an artist, and I have no problem with now rejecting artworks I thought were amazing at the time of creation. I have no problem to ‘kill my darlings’.

I’m curious to see what I will be creating in five or 10 years. I have no idea.

I will always surprise myself. It’s important to keep your mind and soul flexible and receptive, otherwise it’s the end of creativity.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE THAT VIEWERS WILL TAKE WITH THEM AFTER SEEING THE WORKS? It’s different for each viewer what kind of message and meaning they discover in my work, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I’m not one to force a message upon my viewers; my work is layered and therefor open to multiple interpretations.

As an artist I have to be selfish and dig as deep as I can within my own soul and not think of my viewers, otherwise »

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ART

LEFT Dawn.

BELOW Madonna.

what I’m going through emotionally at the time of creation.

I’m putting a lot of effort in the right gaze of my portraits – but it’s my own gaze. I try to be very close to what I’m creating, becoming what I do. It’s very personal.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PIECE THAT MEANS A LOT TO YOU, AND WHY? Not really. But I’m very fond of my Madonna pieces, such as Rose Mary. Everything’s there: all contradictions, both strength as well as vulnerability, tears of pain and bliss, spirituality. There’s history and the protection of ancestors as well as a glimpse of the future. Introspection, growth – like life itself.

WHERE DO YOU GET INSPIRATION FOR THE DESIGNS YOU CREATE? Everywhere. I just keep my senses wide open.

As I said before, I’m inspired by a large variety of things: archeology, history, nature, fashion, but foremost by the human body, especially facial features.

The way a face is build, how the different features are organised to explore the three-dimensionality of it, then reorganise and make it my own.

And music. Always music. It gets me to the zone.

I could never bring myself to that state of mind where I skip between consciousness and unconsciousness without the help of music.

“I’m honoured and deeply touched my work can contribute to celebrating black beauty. I’m so very moved to know my art has the power to truly touch people’s hearts and has the power to empower!”

« I get torn apart. I couldn’t have predicted the positive impact my work would have on black women in particular, but I’m so happy with this response to my work.

I’m honoured and deeply touched that my work can contribute celebrating black beauty. I’m so very moved to know that my art has the power to truly touch people’s hearts and has the power to empower!

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR WORKS IN GENERAL? The women I create are ‘made’ by me. I build them from a lot of separate features from different women… searching for the right combination of lips, eyes, noses, hair… shaping and reshaping, layer after layer, adding all kinds of details found on fabrics, wooden masks, jewellery and so on.

I work with my own photography and shoot everything that seems interesting to me only focusing on the most striking details, bringing all this together and finally make one new creature. A creation is only finished when she looks completely logic to me – as if she always existed. Lately I dive deeper and deeper into the smallest details, getting closer and closer. Everything I make is a direct reflection of 36

DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE DESIGN STYLE THAT IS APPARENT IN ALL OF YOUR WORK? Yes. I developed it by being true to myself for the past 20 years. It didn’t happen overnight. I just kept doing what I do and minding my own art business.

WHAT’S NEXT? I’m not finished with this series yet. Still so much to explore.

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CHEF SAFARI Not only is Elena Arzak the celebrated chef of three-Michelin-starred restaurant Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain, she is also part of the collaborative Ametsa with Arzak Instruction in London – the first Basque restaurant in the city to receive a Michelin star. The chef takes us on an epicurean safari through the Basque Country.

TOPA “Topa is a great addition to San Sebastián. Run by Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz it explores the culinary connections between Basque and Latin American flavours – perfect when you want to shake things up a bit. Plus it’s a blast.

“We usually go for the taco-talos with reineta apples and, of course, guacamole. It’s got a lively vibe with good music and a cool crowd. Great for a night out!” topasukalderia.com ELKANO “Elkano is an institution in the coastal Spanish village of Getaria. It’s family run by Aitor Arregi and his lovely mother María José, and they always make you feel at home.

ABOVE Elena Arzak of restaurants Arzak in Spain, and Ametsa with Arzak Instruction at COMO The Halkin, London.

BELOW Turbot grilled whole charcoal at Elkano.

RIGHT Elkano offers classic Basque Country cooking.

“I am very demanding when it comes to fish, and there is nothing I like better than turbot grilled whole on their charcoal grill. It’s is essence of Basque Country cooking and my perfect Sunday lunch with friends and family.” restauranteelkano.com XARMA “Aizpea Oihaneder and Xabier Díaz are both terrific cooks, and they’ve opted for a total change in style at their new place in the hip Gros neighbourhood in San Sebastián.

“There are lots of fun, flavourful pintxos at the bar and a lively atmosphere around the open kitchen downstairs.” xarmacook.com BOKADO “Bokado overlooks the emblematic bay of La Concha in San Sebastián. We always stop for a quick something on the terrace after a walk around the Paseo Nuevo, but Mikel Santamaria’s market-based cuisine – served in the beautiful dining room, which has one of the best views in town – is perfect for a romantic dinner.” bokadomikelsantamaria.com

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RESTAURANT DIARY

ABOVE Beautiful views of La Concha bay from Bokado’s dining room.

LEFT Traditional pintxos bar Ganbara in San Sebastián.

BELOW The renowned cheesecake at La Viña.

LA VIÑA “Nowadays everyone goes to La Viña in San Sebastián for their cheesecake, which is amazing, but they have fantastic savoury pintxos as well. I love the chorizo en cider and their fried hake – Basque comfort food!” lavinarestaurante.com LA ESPIGA “La Espiga is a classic spot for an aperitif in the centre of San Sebastián. They do great versions of traditional pintxos, but one of my absolute favourites is the plate of warm Getaria-style anchovies. It’s a larger plate – good for sharing. My kids are crazy about their croquettes. Try to grab a table on the terrace for good people-watching as well.” facebook.com/LaEspigaBar

GANBARA “Ganbara is probably my favourite bar in San Sebastián.

It has delicious Basque pintxos and the best seasonal fresh ingredients. It’s also a family run place with a good atmosphere. I always get the crab tartlet!” ganbarajatetxea.com ANTONIO BAR “Antonio is all about exceptional fresh ingredients as well.

You can feel the pride and care of Humberto and his team, who make a lot of the pintxos to order.

“There are a few sought-after tables, but I like to stand at the bar and have a perfectly poured draught beer and one of their house-cured anchovy pintxos. They also have the best fried baby squid.” antoniobar.com 39

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FOUR CHEFS

1

CLARE SMYTH Core, London, UK

2

HÉLÈNE DARROZE The Connaught, London, UK

3

ANA ROŠ

Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia

4

CARME RUSCALLEDA Mandarin Oriental and Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

THE SUM AND SUBSTANCE Having spent years honing in her culinary skills, Clare Smyth went back to basics when she opened up her first solo venture, Core. With her focus firmly set on creating informal luxury, this chef shows how hard work pays off.

P H OTO S CO U RT E S Y O F CO R E BY C L A R E S M Y T H

CLARE SMYTH

BOTTOM Xxx. BOTTOM Xxx.

LEFT The bar and dining room at Core.

I just really wanted to refocus on everything I had learned and done in my career so far, so everything came back to the root – or the core – of everything.

It therefore seemed so right to call the restaurant that, and it really puts the focus back on the core ingredients, which is the team.”

The chef spent eight years at Gordon Ramsay’s threeMichelin-starred flagship in London. A turning point came when she left Ramsay’s restaurant in 2015 to embark upon her first solo project.

“For me it was a natural point to look back on everything I had done and question everything I believed in, so that I could start afresh.”

Two years later Core opened, and it has since gone from strength to strength under the dedicated and humble attitude of Smyth.

“It was absolutely the right time to do it. You establish and build the personality and ethos that you want to channel, and now the restaurant is a year old, it’s really developing its own character.”

During her time at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, Smyth became the first and only female chef to run a three-starred UK restaurant and quickly developed an international name for herself. She worked hard to carve out a successful career, and proves that this is really what pays off in the kitchen.

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“I worked with some brilliant people and focused on working with the chefs that I really admired or wanted to follow. I didn’t really have any issues at all in terms of being a woman – in fact quite the opposite, because I was often the only female in the kitchen and I worked so hard. I often find that is the case when someone works hard and does a good job people want you to be a part of their team – regardless of whether they are male or female” At Core, Clare has stayed true to this ethos and has chosen to focus on what remains close to her heart, as well as the fundamental parts of dining – great-tasting food and a great atmosphere. Therefore, the menu is comprised of organic and seasonal UK produce inspired by her childhood growing up on a farm in County Antrim.

“Growing up on a farm, I was always very close to nature and I’m really inspired by ingredients, the seasons and have a real connection to nature. But I have also spent 15 years of my life working in three-Michelin-starred kitchens, so I am quite technique-driven and very precise.”

With this weighty combination of creativity and meticulous execution, Clare has already created a dedicated audience of returning customers who have supported her journey at Core.

“The good old-fashioned art of hospitality is always something that I think creates a successful venture. This can quite often be forgotten, and chefs can get carried »

AFF- elit magazine.pdf

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Clare Smyth

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CLARE SMYTH « away with what they are cooking, you know – they cook for themselves and not for people, but no one knows more than the customer.”

Aside from a loyal fan base, in less than a year since opening, the restaurant has already received numerous accolades, with Clare herself having been crowned as the World’s Best Female Chef award for 2018 by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

“The award was completely unexpected, but obviously a nice call to receive. I felt very privileged that people had voted for me to win that award.

“I have had lots of achievements in my previous roles, but the thing I have found most humbling has been the support I have received since opening Core. That has been something that has really touched me, and to see that people actually want to come, and that we have regulars, has been the ultimate compliment.”

With quality and integrity being at the heart of Core’s ethos, Clare has found that produce and teamwork are both paramount to the successful running of the restaurant.

Her approach to sourcing the best of British produce has encouraged the championing of heritage ingredients, such as forced rhubarb and a type of spelt grain that has been around for 5,000 years, on the menu.

“This is something essential at Core – to keep that sense of Britishness within the produce, so a lot of our ingredients

PREVIOUS PAGE Clare Smyth plating up a dish.

RIGHT Lamb, braised carrot, sheep’s milk and yoghurt.

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will be from the region. We really try to celebrate what we have on our doorstep. For example, forced rhubarb.

Everyone knows forced rhubarb but they don’t actually really know how cool forced rhubarb is, the history behind it or where it came from.

“It was actually developed [by accident] in the Psychic Garden in Chelsea, so is actually a British thing and takes three years to grow. If you understand the story, it makes eating our rhubarb and custard dish a whole new experience.”

Equally, the team plays an integral part in the quality of a dining experience, and this is something that continues to grow and evolve at Core. “When you open a restaurant, it takes so long to train and work with people so that they want to buy into the DNA. So, the growth of the team has really been the true evolution of Core.

“When you open something it’s all brand-new, whereas I had just come from something that had been open for 18 years and it all ran smoothly, so it was a completely different ballgame.

“You are only as good as your team, so I think it’s probably the most important aspect of the restaurant. A strong team allows you to develop strength and depth, which gives you the consistency and the honesty that is required for it to become a success.”

Creating what Clare calls the “enjoyability factor” is what continues to set her apart from a lot of traditional gourmet »

吀䠀䔀 儀唀䤀一吀䔀匀匀䔀一吀䤀䄀䰀 䬀䤀吀䌀䠀䔀一 吀䠀䔀 儀唀䤀一吀䔀匀匀䔀一吀䤀䄀䰀 䬀䤀吀䌀䠀䔀一 吀䠀䔀 儀唀䤀一吀䔀匀匀䔀一吀䤀䄀䰀 䬀䤀吀䌀䠀䔀一

⬀ 刀䄀一䜀䔀匀Ⰰ 䄀倀倀䰀䤀䄀一䌀䔀匀Ⰰ 䌀䄀䈀䤀一䔀吀刀夀 ☀ 䄀䌀䌀䔀匀匀伀刀䤀䔀匀 ⬀ 刀䄀一䜀䔀匀Ⰰ 䄀倀倀䰀䤀䄀一䌀䔀匀Ⰰ 䌀䄀䈀䤀一䔀吀刀夀 ☀ 䄀䌀䌀䔀匀匀伀刀䤀䔀匀 ⬀ 刀䄀一䜀䔀匀Ⰰ 䄀倀倀䰀䤀䄀一䌀䔀匀Ⰰ 䌀䄀䈀䤀一䔀吀刀夀 ☀ 䄀䌀䌀䔀匀匀伀刀䤀䔀匀

伀昀昀椀挀椀渀攀䜀甀氀氀漀⸀挀漀洀 ⴀ 伀昀昀椀挀椀渀攀䜀甀氀氀漀⸀挀漀洀 ⴀ 伀昀昀椀挀椀渀攀䜀甀氀氀漀⸀挀漀洀 ⴀ 㠀 ⸀㜀㠀㄀⸀㜀㄀㈀㔀 㠀 ⸀㜀㠀㄀⸀㜀㄀㈀㔀 㠀 ⸀㜀㠀㄀⸀㜀㄀㈀㔀

CLARE SMYTH

LEFT The chef’s table at Core.

RIGHT Isle of Mull scallop cooked over wood.

« chefs. Clare wants people to have a genuinely great time, avoiding all the pretention of classic haute cuisine.

“I want people to feel like they have had a great time when they leave, so that they want to come back.

“I eat out a lot myself and have done many times over the years, so this is a fundamental idea that I think is important when going to a restaurant. I try to think about all the great experiences I have had in my life and combine these with what I want to create at Core.

“I think it’s the little details that often make a big difference in the dining experience, and often this has nothing to do with how many Michelin stars or accolades you have.

“Enjoyability is the main factor, because we can always go to restaurants that are highly rated in many guides and not have a great time. So, it’s more than the food on the plate and the services: it’s the whole package. You want people to have fun when they go out and feel that they can really relax and enjoy themselves.”

Although cool and calm on the surface, you can feel that Clare is undeniably caring and considered about her work. Her unwavering focus is not just to create a successful venture, but also to grow a family at Core that reflects her as a person.

“I think the way forward in fine dining is this idea of ‘informal luxury’. For me, this is the ultimate form of »

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“It’s so lovely to get the stories about the ingredients and share them with our guests. It just the whole ethos, really – getting back to the core”

CLARE SMYTH « luxury, because if you can be luxurious environment where everything can be the best in terms of food, interiors, silver service and such but maintain a casual atmosphere, then this is what is really enjoyable.

“I think this informal factor has become increasingly popular due to the accumulation of bad experiences that people have had over the years as a result of the pretentiousness that is associated with fine dining.

People have been told what to do, eat and wear while chefs rest on their laurels. I think that if you are spending a lot of money on a good time, you shouldn’t be looked down on or be made to feel intimidated. It’s just disappointing.”

To avoid this, the food has been carefully curated in order to reflect this human element of gastronomy. It speaks volumes about the type of stories she wants to portray, such as the references to her childhood in the seaweed, cooked potato, herring and trout roe dish.

“Potato and Roe is our signature dish, and it’s something that we think has a great story. Not only do the potatoes come from a grower that I have been working with for about 15 years, but also it’s inspired by my childhood.” Clare recalls, “My family has one of the biggest potato farms in Northern Ireland, so I grew up eating potatoes every single day, but it was also by the coast – hence the roe. It is an expression of where I am from.”

RIGHT Lemon parfait with honey yoghurt.

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“We take a product and try to tell the story of that product and this is where the process begins. It’s so lovely to get the stories about the ingredients and share them with our guests.

It just the whole ethos, really – getting back to the core.”

There is no question that Clare’s dedication and hard work have contributed to her success, and that being a chef is no fairy tale, either. She has been fine-tuning her culinary skills since the age of 16, and truly believes that it is a chef ’s responsibility to learn how to do things properly and sustainably.

“It’s really important to learn your craft well, because talent only goes so far. Ultimately, you need to have a good toolbox to help you go the full way.”

Clare continues, “There are a lot more women in the industry now, and at top levels. I really feel that both front and back of house are witnessing a rise in female presence, and that’s very encouraging. But, to be honest, I think that the Best Female Chef award isn’t really about me – it’s about all the females in the industry. It’s a way of using my career to say, ‘Right, let’s make sure that all females are supported in order to break through into the industry’.

“Eventually we won’t need these awards, because it will be commonplace that young women are at the top.

It is happening, but we just need to make sure we keep encouraging women in the industry and push for that final step.”

漀甀爀 眀椀渀攀猀 愀爀攀 挀攀氀攀戀爀愀琀攀搀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀椀爀 甀渀椀焀甀攀 琀攀爀爀漀椀爀 愀渀搀 猀攀渀猀攀 漀昀 瀀氀愀挀攀⸀ 䈀漀爀搀攀愀甀砀 愀琀 椀琀猀 昀椀渀攀猀琀⸀ 眀眀眀⸀挀栀愀琀攀愀甀瀀攀礀昀愀甀爀攀猀⸀挀漀洀

EYES ON THE FUTURE How the working mother of two became one of the most prominent chefs in not one, but two European culinary capitals.

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY B E N J A M I N M C M A H O N ( P O RT R A I T )

HÉLÈNE DARROZE I had one hour this afternoon and I went shopping – I love shopping,” chuckles Hélène Darroze as she settles into a soft chair in the corner of London’s Connaught Bar. Only three days earlier she returned from an extended culinary trip to Mexico, where she combined business and pleasure and took her two girls, Charlotte, 11, and Quiterie, 9, on a Mayan exploration.

But for most of the year, Darroze divides her time between her eponymous restaurants at the two-Michelin-starred Connaught hotel in Mayfair and one-starred restaurant in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris. Trying to figure out how she does it is pretty much fruitless – she just does. But the clue is certainly in her heritage and the choices that seemed to her inevitable at the time.

Hélène Darroze grew up in the south-west of France, the very rural Les Landes, with poultry farms and corn fields as far as the eye could see. And though she comes from a long line of chefs, she wasn’t allowed in the restaurant kitchen as a child. She explains: “My earliest memories are

not from the kitchen of the restaurant, but of my mum and my grandmother cooking around this big AGA oven at home.

I was very small but I remember being in my mother’s arms as she was cooking béchamel sauce, and I was putting my finger in to taste. She was very surprised because my mum is not a chef, she’s a pharmacist. So I was not copying her; I did it instinctively.” Later on, Darroze recalls the hustle and bustle every morning when the fishermen and farmers paid a visit to her father and grandfather’s restaurant to sell milk, eggs, poultry, salmon and ceps.

Was it then that she was inspired to take up the chef ’s whites herself? “I didn’t have the wish to be a chef because it was the 1980s and at least in France, when you are a good student, you have to study and go to university. Furthermore I was a woman, and in the spirit of my father, my brother should have been the chef. And me… I don’t know what. I probably should have worked in the pharmacy like my mum. But it didn’t happen like that,” she laughs. “And thank goodness.”

Darroze went to business school and, after graduating, joined Alain Ducasse’s prestigious Louis XV restaurant in »

LEFT Interior of Helene Hélène at The Connaught, London.

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IS THIS THE NEW GOLD STANDARD IN PROVENCE? Maison Saint Aix, the brainchild behind AIX Rosé, works hard to produce the best possible rosé from Provence. This region, in the south of France, close to the cities of Cannes and Saint Tropez, is renowned for making the most delicate rosé wines in the world for 2600 years.

THE EXPRESSION OF PROVENCE AIX Rosé has its roots in the historical city of Aix-en-Provence, the capital of Provence. The region is specialized in making the most elegant rosé wines in the world. Maison Saint Aix strives for greatness which it achieves through passion, dedication, and one single promise: to favour quality above anything else. While tasting AIX Rosé, you will experience a tremendously vibrant and summery taste, the ultimate expression of Provence. The hypnotizing salmon pink colour reveals the fruity freshness of top quality Provence rosé.

The nose is fresh and fragrant, delicate yet youthful. Its generous refreshing, crispy taste makes it a perfect aperitif.

With its mouth-filling roundness, its harmonious structure and long finish, it also looks like a perfect wine on the dining table and a great match with a lobster and truffle risotto.

ABOVE The elegant, subtle and tasty AIX Rosé.

BELOW Maison Saint Aix is one of the largest domains in the famous AOP Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence.

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HÉLÈNE DARROZE

LEFT Le Poulet du Dimanche (Hélène’s take on the classic Sunday roast chicken).

RIGHT Interior of Hélène Darroze at The Connaught.

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HÉLÈNE DARROZE

RIGHT Black truffle, Jerusalem artichoke, noir de bigorre ham, parmigiana reggiano.

« Monaco, mainly working in the back office. But her passion for cooking shone through and at every opportunity she jumped at the chance of working in the kitchen, learning from the great master. Being in a three-Michelin-starred kitchen was a dream come true, and gradually it all made sense: “At one stage you are mature enough to say, ‘I have a passion and I won’t let it go.’ I loved cooking. So that’s what I did. I was 24, which was a bit late. But in the end, perhaps that was good.

I definitely missed some techniques in the beginning, but because of that I used to cook with a lot of intuition – a lot of emotion – in order to balance out the lack of technique.”

She decided to leave and not return to the office, and instead join her father at the family restaurant. After a year together, her father handed her the keys and gave her free reign. However, soon the restaurant needed refurbishment, and an opportunity arose for Darroze to go to Paris. Driven not only by her urge to create but also because she was in love with somebody in Paris, she left the restaurant of her father and grandfather and jumped at the opportunity of opening her own restaurant.

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Darroze’s food philosophy is based on several pillars.

Her first rule is to choose the best products – surely nothing new for chefs of her calibre, but for Darroze, it’s personal.

She was born in the French countryside, and producers and their products play a major role in her approach. Her second rule is similarly rooted in her background: connecting with a story, her family and everything she learned. “My cooking is speaking about my life, my emotion in life, something that comes from within me. There is a lot of emotion and a lot of myself in every dish.” And the third rule is to never forget giving happiness to her guests. “I’m not cooking to demonstrate something; I don’t want people to try and understand something when they eat. I just want them to have pleasure and happiness – to have tasty food, that’s what I want.”

One such dish combining all of these elements has become one of Darroze’s signature dishes: Retour d’Hanoi.

It translates as “coming back from Hanoi” and stems from the time she went to Vietnam 11 years ago to adopt her first daughter. Throughout this time, Darroze ate Vietnamese pho every day, which inspired her version of a consommé »

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HÉLÈNE DARROZE « flavoured with fragrant spices and herbs, a pho made not with chicken, but shellfish, and containing lobster or scallops. Vibrant and colourful, the dish is telling the story of her emotions inspired by the happiness she experienced in Vietnam. Not only is it a feast for the eyes, with all of its floral abundance, but also for the palate, hitting different notes with every spoonful and keeping the taste buds excited with a multitude of textures.

Developing her ideas, Darroze finds inspiration according to the season and the produce at markets.

Generally she works on new dishes alone at home on a piece of paper, writing down ideas and making drawings.

Back in her kitchen in either Paris or London, she and her team will get to work and transform the ideas until they reach the desired tasting balance.

After opening her restaurant in Paris 20 years ago, Darroze thinks it’s now time to reassess her vision for the place. “Back then I was 30, and to be honest, at the time I didn’t have a real vision. I knew that I wanted to do fine dining and go with my philosophy using the products from »

“It’s time to come back to my roots and say ‘This is my heritage from my family, my country, my life’”

LEFT Solitaire menu board.

RIGHT Selection of Petit Fours.

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HÉLÈNE DARROZE

RIGHT Chocolate crémeux with lime parfait.

« the south-west of France and that’s it. But over the last few years I grew up and became more mature. I think during the last 20 years I wanted to step out from my origins and from my family a little bit. And now it’s time to come back to that and say ‘This is what I have inherited, that’s my heritage from my family, my country, my life’. The next 10 years will really be what I have taken from everywhere and particularly from my roots.” To that end, Darroze has made a big investment and is refurbishing her Paris restaurant from scratch. “Everything will be different, everything,” she says steadfastly.

The restaurant on Rue d’Assas will close at the end of July and reopen in January 2019. With only 30 covers, it promises to be an exclusive and singular experience for her guests. “I would like them to feel at home and I would like them to be more connected with the kitchen than it is at the moment.

I also want there to be more emphasis on the storytelling.”

If a complete overhaul wasn’t enough, Darroze is also opening a new casual dining restaurant in Rue des Jeuneurs in the second district before the fine dining restaurant closes.

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And in London this year she is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening at The Connaught in Mayfair.

Is there even time for anything else in her life? Plenty, it turns out. “I love travelling and I started to take more time for it, discovering new countries and cultures, and of course new ways of cooking. I also love writing and reading. And I love spending time with my girls; that’s very important to me.”

Not to forget the charitable organisation she co-founded, La Bonne Etoile, which aims to help Vietnamese children and orphans, and of course taking part in cooking events around the world.

Darroze is leading a life and career as complex and varied as one can only imagine and her achievements have been recognised by Michelin, Veuve Clicquot (as World’s Best Female Chef 2015) and by France, becoming a chevalier (knight)in the French Legion of Honour in 2012. Yet what she loves most about her job is just “giving happiness to guests.

It’s a pleasure to make them happy”. And with that she returns to the kitchen, the place where her memories and emotions are transformed into unforgettable dining experiences.

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11/06/18 15:35

SLOVENIA’S CULINARY DIPLOMAT Awarded the World’s Best Female Chef title in 2017, Ana Roš has been flying the flag for Slovenian gastronomy and has firmly placed her restaurant, Hiša Franko, in the international gastronomic spotlight.

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY S U Z A N G A B R I J A N

ANA ROŠ

LEFT The grounds surrounding the site of Hiša Franko.

S

tories have it that over the last century, the site of Hiša Franko has changed many hands and has played many different roles. From roadside inn and village mill to a big country estate, and even a hospital during the First World War in which Ernest Hemingway was said to have recuperated and wrote his novel A Farewell to Arms after he was injured on the Isonzo front in Italy.

So perhaps it was just destiny that led Ana Roš to take over the site, as she, like the esteemed writer, hasn’t always followed one clear-cut path in life. Having first trained as an Alpine skier in the Yugoslavian youth national team, she then went on to study diplomacy in Gorizia. It was, in fact, by accident that she became a chef after agreeing to take over the family restaurant of her husband on the site of Hiša Franko when her father-in-law retired.

“The crucial moment came when Valter’s father decided to retire, and it was obvious that Valter was going to take over Hiša Franko. “We had travelled a lot, went to restaurants, winemakers, explored the world. This type of life and

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exploration appealed to me a lot. So I decided to risk all and work as a chef there. At that moment, I also had the opportunity to work in diplomacy in Brussels. But I turned it down for Valter and for our relationship. Having discovered new countries, new places, I realised that living by the rules can feel very restrictive. It’s freedom that defines you.”

From here they embarked on the beginning of their rocky road to success at Hiša Franko, where for the most part , at that time, it was trial and error due to Ana’s lack of culinary training.

“In the kitchen I knew how to make pasta, but that didn’t mean I knew how to cook. I taught everything they teach students in culinary school by talking to people who had the knowledge, by questioning what I do and myself. That’s how everything started.”

Inquisitive travellers coming to the area to visit the beautiful Soča valley could stop along the way at Hiša Franko to sample traditional Slovenian food and wine executed in a contemporary gourmet style, making the house and country estate a must-see destination when in »

Enjoy finest porcelain objects and tableware, handmade in Germany.

WWW.SCHOEMIG-PORZELLAN.DE

ANA ROŠ « the area. By taking inspiration from the places that they had travelled to, the restaurants that they had visited and the surrounding landscape, they gradually forged a stable team and an innovative menu that soon piqued interest in the culinary world.

“The first years were hard but we pushed a lot, working and developing ourselves. Fifteen years later, I received an award for best female chef, which obviously means that we did things right. Success doesn’t come fast or cheap.

“The main idea is to keep the tradition alive at Hiša Franko. Our dishes are closely connected to Slovenian terroir and what our ancestors used to make. Being aware of these two things – and continuously exploring them – is the basis that I create from and use modern-day techniques in that process. I am supported by beautiful nature that surrounds me and people that take care of it.”

It could be said that it was after appearing in Netflix documentary series Chef ’s Table in early 2017 that Ana’s cuisine at Hiša Franko really started gaining the attention that would propel her to culinary stardom, as before

PREVIOUS PAGE Wild duck in a summer garden.

RIGHT Lamb, crab, topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke) and crab mayonnaise.

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that few people associated Slovenia with gourmet food.

In fact, the Michelin guide doesn’t cover the country and the closest venue to have achieved the coveted rating is La Subida, the only award-winning Slovenian restaurant, which is actually located on the Italian side of the border.

“The cuisine at La Subida really inspired and opened my eyes. That’s when I started experimenting at Hiša Franko, which brought me where I am today. Plus, after Netflix, people were curious to visit the area as they knew the food was going to be good. This spurred on my confidence, which in turn allowed me to have even greater creative freedom in the kitchen.

“The food at Hiša Franko is everything but boring. You can love it or hate it, but it will never be boring. I try to explore the edges and move boundaries by using local ingredients.

Mind you, Slovenia was one part of a Communist country where creativity – also in gastronomy – was not that much supported as in the West. We are now building a New Slovenian cuisine here.” »

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135 rooms all with mountain views and terrace or balcony · Junior Suite Deluxe de 42 m² · Junior Suite Premium de 53 m² · Suite Hermitage de 66 m²

An exclusive mountain chalet with 5 floor · 4 Residences of 120 m² · 2 Residences of 180 m² · 2 Residences of 250 m² · 1 Penthouse of 120 m² Most of the Residences with views to the mountains.

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Besides, a unique Spa of 5,000 m2, author gastronomy by Nandu Jubany and Hideki Matsuhisa, and at the foot of the highest 9 holes golf court of Europe.

ANA ROŠ

LEFT The interior of Hiša Franko.

RIGHT Blood orange, black tea, granola, carrot ice-cream and saltedalmond mousse.

“The first years were hard but we pushed a lot, working and developing ourselves. Fifteen years later, I received an award for best female chef, which obviously means that we did things right. Success doesn’t come fast or cheap”

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« Ana’s cooking style features innovative remaking of traditional recipes from the upper Soča valley region, prepared with local ingredients including wild herbs, wild trout from the creek at Hiša Franko, flowers, apples, chestnuts, nuts and all kinds of mushrooms collected only in their best period.

“I am constantly exploring new ways of integrating Slovenia’s terroir into my cuisine. That’s how I communicate with the world. And I also feel this is how my country communicates with the world. That’s what this job’s about!”

Hiša Franko is continuously trying to develop a unique way of how the countryside restaurant should look and wants to leave a lasting impression on all those who visiting the restaurant and area from far and wide.

“It is an amazing country; very green, quite unspoiled. It is very biodiverse. There aren’t big developments. Ljubljana, the capital, is quite small and charming, but with lots of life and soul. It’s very pure and clean. Slovenia is biodiverse – from high Alps, some of the most beautiful in Europe, »

ANA ROŠ « where one can ski or hike beautifully, all the way to the Adriatic Sea. There are loads of things to do in nature around Hiša Franko – visiting the turquoise-green Soča river, climbing the Triglav National Park mountains and such.

There’s also a lot of culture – arts, music and gastronomy.”

With an obvious passion for what she does, Ana is a determined chef who continues to set her goals higher and is always looking for a fresh challenge for herself and the restaurant.

“I am an ambitious person, I always find another motive, a goal to reach. I live in a pretty unknown part of the world and there is so much to be done, also in terms of gastronomy.

It’s challenging, but in which working environment is it not challenging today? The fact that Hiša Franko is our home helps, as our children are here with us at all times, sometimes also with me in the kitchen. The fact that Valter works side by side with me also helps, as we have common visions and support each other.

“It is a slow process to find balance, but we need to go over the first teenage romantic perception of running a

RIGHT Bread and milk interpretation of Jan Cvitkovič’s film Kruh in Mleko – Smoked milk, tuile of apple core, cumin English cream and caramelised bread.

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restaurant. There are no wars or clubs between the two genders. We all share the same love.”

“In fact, I do not think it helps a lot to the emancipation of women in the kitchen if we emphasise too much the difference in gender, because at the end of the evening we are all equal in front of the client.”

Her attitude speaks volumes about her diplomatic skills, and is perhaps the reason that she has carved such a strong foundation at Hiša Franko from the ground up.

It’s taken 20 years to earn such a highly respected reputation, but time doesn’t seem to bother Ana as she understands the importance of the journey rather than the destination.

“The best advice I could give to someone starting out would be to have courage and question what you do. Learn from talking to people. Never fall asleep. Travel. There is a world out there to discover and all visions, of food and otherwise, you encounter while travelling, even only around the corner, make you think in a different way and make you a different, better person – and chef.”

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NATIONAL TREASURE Self-taught chef Carme Ruscalleda is one of only four women in the world currently holding the highly coveted three Michelin stars.

Having paved the way for a whole generation, this powerful chef continues to shape the culinary landscape of Catalonia.

P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y O F M A N DA R I N O R I E N TA L , B A R C E LO N A

CARME RUSCALLEDA

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massing a total of seven Michelin stars is certainly no easy feat. Yet for Carme Ruscalleda this is something that has occurred very organically, and without the help of any formal culinary training.

Having spent most of her childhood growing up on a farm, her earliest memories were linked to the ‘farm to table’ style of cooking, in which she speaks nostalgically of the positive impact it had on her culinary awareness. “All we had was food from the orchard, the vineyard and from my parents’ store. Our most important activity was the production of sausages made with pigs raised by us. It was all very natural and connected with the land around us” She went on to study charcuterie techniques, as well as commerce, but it was after marrying a grocery owner, Toni Balam, in 1975 that the couple decided to embark upon opening a restaurant.

“When I married my husband, Toni, he joined the store, and together we introduced a new concept of takeaway

dishes. This was really the beginning of our partnership as entrepreneurs, and a taster of how we could create a restaurant together.”

Sant Pau, close to Barcelona in Spain, was officially opened in 1988, and Carme planted her feet into the Catalan soil to create a space that would allow her to truly express her culinary philosophy.

“I am deeply inspired by the Mediterranean culture, and our geographic location in Maresme has been essential to the development of our food – the strong marine focus, the democratic approach to taste and so forth. I am convinced that being linked to a region is essential to the originality of a restaurant’s offerings.”

With the restaurant turning 30 this summer, Carme has come a long way from being a local grocery-store owner.

With Sant Pau having maintained the highest distinction in the Michelin guide since 2006, followed by Sant Pau in Tokyo (two stars) and Moments at the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona (also two stars), Carme is firmly established as »

LEFT Interior of the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona.

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CARME RUSCALLEDA

PREVIOUS PAGE Artichoke, cep, cauliflower and black olive crumbs.

RIGHT An elegantly displayed dessert from restaurant Moments.

“I am convinced that being linked to a region is the essential to the originality of a restaurant’s offerings”

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« an international powerhouse that has created an empire of well-respected, award-winning culinary venues.

“It was quite a natural expansion. Toni and I never felt the need to open new establishments, but we received several proposals to collaborate and create new restaurants. So we’ve been able to be picky, only accepting partnerships where we have had an aligned thinking and felt united with the quality professional empathy.”

The collaboration between Mandarin Oriental and Carme Ruscalleda has brought an exciting development to Barcelona’s culinary scene, which is fast-becoming known as one of the most inspired in the world.

“The Iberian Peninsula is a very varied and interesting cultural crucible that adds originality and appeal to the eyes of the world. Not only has the kitchen of the Basque Country or Catalonia evolved, but also each one of the different points of the Spanish geography has developed an individual way of working. It’s great to showcase all these elements at the Mandarin Oriental.” »

FOUR PROMOTION

FROM ALSACE TO GREENWICH

“A Place for All Re “A for All Re “A “A “APlace Place Place forfor All All R RR

Set within three acres of garden and lawn of the beautiful 19th-century Italianate manor house, Thomas Henkelmann at the Homestead Inn, offers a taste of the Alsace in the stately Belle Haven section of Greenwich.

like a fine Swiss watch. Both the restaurant and hotel have enjoyed an impressive loyal following from food aficionados, close by New Yorkers and global guests who love the opportunity to reside within the nurturing confines of the property and its mature gardens.

Her authentic passion for people and genuine curiosity ensure that all guests will be graciously taken care of while in residence and made to feel welcomed and sincerely thanked for their patronage.

In those rare times when she is not taking care of guests and her business, Theresa is traveling to visit her children and grandchildren in far corners of the globe or enjoying cultural pursuits in nearby Manhattan.

Recent years have found her involved in the Greenwich’s civic community, acting as ambassador to international visiting dignitaries who are making an impact on the town’s current and future legacy.

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cquiring an historic hotel in the coastal town of Greenwich 21 years ago, Theresa Carroll and her co-partner Thomas Henkelmann brought their artistry to all facets of their European inspired property and signature Contemporary French restaurant – Thomas Henkelmann. As a proud member of Relais & Chateaux and recognized as a New York Times 4* Restaurant as well as #1 in Connecticut, rest assured a visit will be memorable and surely exceed expectations.

With a strong design background and an educated eye for detail, Theresa created a distinctive atmosphere in each of the 18 individually designed accommodations as well as restaurant, bar and public areas. She brought a unique, fresh approach to the hotel industry, utilizing bold colors, rich fabrics, original artwork and decor normally found in private residences.

Staying true to the high standards of Les Grandes Tables du Monde, Chef Henkelmann provides an impeccable guest experience in the stunning dining room and is the perfect venue to showcase his exquisite cuisine, awardwinning wine list and a team of seasoned professionals who orchestrate each step of the service.

While her exquisite taste is on display for all to enjoy, behind the scenes the business component is also run

RIGHT Manor House, Restaurant.

BELOW Theresa Carroll, Co-Proprietor.

HOMESTEAD INN—THOMAS HENKELMANN 420 Field Point Road | Greenwich, CT. 06830 (203) 869-7500 homesteadinn.com | thomashenkelmann.com

HOMESTEAD HOMESTEAD HOMESTEADINN—THOMAS INN—THOMAS INN—THOMASHENKELMANN HENKELMANN HENKELMANN 420 420 420Field Field FieldPoint Point PointRoad Road Road| | |Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich,CT. CT. CT.06830 06830 06830 HOMESTEAD HOMESTEAD HOMESTEAD INN—THOMAS INN—THOMAS INN—THOMAS HENKELMANN HENKELMA HENKE (203) (203) (203)869-7500 869-7500 869-7500

420 420 FieldField Point 420 Point Road Field |thomashenkelmann.com Point Greenwich, | Greenwich, Road | CT. Greenwich, CT. 06830 06830 CT. 06830 homesteadinn.com homesteadinn.com homesteadinn.com ||Road |thomashenkelmann.com thomashenkelmann.com (203)(203) 869-7500 869-7500 (203) 869-7500 www.homesteadinn.com | www.thomashenkelmann.com homesteadinn.com homesteadinn.com homesteadinn.com thomashenkelmann.com | thomashenkelmann.com | thomashenkelmann.c

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CARME RUSCALLEDA « Carme’s role at the hotel is to oversee the food and beverage offerings as gastronomic consultant while ensuring the bespoke creations are fun and channel her culinary philosophy. Moments has both the distinct personality of head chef Raül Balam, as well as Carme’s Japan-inspired artistic presentation of delicate cuisine.

There are also elements of the city’s Catalan culture and the local Maresme region, which appeals to both the gourmet-savvy and well-dined locals as well as the visiting tourists.

The service not only at Moments, but at all of Carme’s elegant restaurants, is also second to none, and aptly reflects her attention to detail and keen sense of hospitality.

“We have considered each and every detail of the whole experience very carefully, from the dining room to the kitchen. The beauty of the room, the furniture and part of Moments tableware is an exclusive creation by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola.

“From the beginning, we have opted for Maresme-

region products, as it is a region with very high quality and varied products. We also try measure the value of ingredients equally, such as vegetables getting the same starring role as fish, seafood or meat. Three dishes that I am particularly fond of on our current Ecosystems menu would be Marsh, Desert or Forest.”

But when asked whether this international recognition has affected her unique culinary style in any way over the years, she firmly states: “Restaurants naturally evolve in the hands of its creators. Although, the philosophy we have had from the very first day – being inspired by respect for natural products – has not changed. Today we serve thematic menus, which means that we can express a culinary discourse in our menus of concepts outside the kitchen. At first, I thought that my cuisine could be described as Catalan and contemporary, but I now think that the cuisine we offer can be described as natural, free and exciting.

“I feel a personal feeling of nonconformity; I would not have become a chef to make ‘serialised’ cuisine. »

LEFT The dining room of Moments at the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona.

RIGHT Scallop, wakame, caramelised onions, dashi pear.

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CARME RUSCALLEDA

RIGHT Black Forest 2.0.

« I like to explore new creative challenges and culinary formulas.”

With this in mind, Carme has become a strong figure for females in the restaurant industry and sends a powerful message to all aspiring young chefs who have decided to follow this professional path.

She has steered clear from inciting gender-based accolades, and simply prefers to focus on creating a harmonious industry that supports and encourages all that reside within the community that it creates.

“I think that a woman should not give up any, not one, of her female talents. On the contrary, those should lead them to the utmost expression. What a woman should do to work in a profession that deserves a lot of hours of dedication, such as gastronomic work, must be able to organise her domestic and emotional world as men do.”

“Equally important is the insistence of working with fresh products and of course this is delivered through a team that shows passion, dedication and honesty. I am lucky to

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work with a large and well-trained team that adds quality every day.”

And it’s this emphasis on respect for natural products, natural ecosystems of the planet and opting for high-quality goods from the local region that really defines Carme. She enforces a continuous standard for the fine-dining industry and doesn’t shy away from new dishes and new concepts.

On the contrary, her passion for protecting the cultural legacy of each country, as well as to protect the environment, promote healthy eating and domestic pedagogy is all part of how she views the next step in the fine-dining evolution.

“In high cuisine, creativity is ever-evolving. We continue to discover new establishments and seducing more gourmets as well. I love watching how the new generations of chefs also focus on nature and original products of their environment.

This helps develop a completely individual way of working, understanding and gastronomic offering while preserving defending the culture of each place, authentic produce and the chef ’s creativity.”

www.sharjahcollec on.ae/kingďŹ sher-lodge +971 58 886 0320

DINARA KASKO

THE ICING ON THE CAKE Hungary-born pastry chef Dinara Kasko talks to FOUR about her unique cake designs that are recognised the world over for their fun, architectural qualities and intricate details.

About six years ago, I was looking for macaron recipes and I ran into a very interesting pastry blog. People who posted these recipes and pictures really inspired me, so I started learning lots of different recipes and just found myself hooked. From there I went to Paris where I tried amazing pastries, as well buying a lot of beautiful books on pastry, and started devoting more time to baking.

“I never thought that I would become a pastry chef.

I thought I would be an architect or a designer, as I was fond of drawing. When I started baking, it was a difficult choice to quit my job and start what I’m doing now, but I’ve made this choice and I am happy that I did. I also try to include these skills and create not just cakes, but objects of design that would perhaps not appear to look like cakes at first glance. It’s the minimalist style that I’m fond of, and this is how I interpret the cakes that I create. » 90

ABOVE Dinara Kasko is known for her unique use of 3D printing in cake-baking.

RIGHT Dinara uses geometric shapes and an architectural design style within her work.

OPPOSITE Geo 6 cake.

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DINARA KASKO

“I like working with the shape the most, so this is something intrinsic and specific to my creations. I try to create objects that are pieces of design in themselves and don’t need any additional decor”

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ABOVE The intricate process behind making the ‘cloud cake’.

BELOW A look inside Dinara’s strawberrycoconut cake.

“But, of course, the way forward for patisserie is its development and improvement. Pastry has become very popular, and being a chef is not only interesting, it’s also a kind of trend.

“The most important thing is that you should like what you do: self-develop, self-improve, keep learning and meet new people. If you would like to be successful you should keep up with new tendencies and try to understand what people like at this very moment. Keep an eye on contents, competitions, on new equipment and recipes that are appearing. You need it in order to move with the times.

IMAGES © DINARA KASKO

« “For me, the whole process begins with having some simple ideas of what I want to create. The ideas may come from working with a specific ingredient or with a specific mold, or just inspiration from the things around me – for example, I’m into origami and work a lot with paper, so this can act as a great source of inspiration. Step by step, I create a kind of plan how to create a cake – and of course I do a lot of testing, but everything depends on my mood!

Today, I might want a chocolate cake; tomorrow, a berry one; and the day after tomorrow, a cheesecake, and so on, but I will always like nuts and caramel.

“The cake should look beautiful and taste delicious as it’s associated with holidays, special occasions or a treat.

We don’t eat it so often; that’s why from time to time we can pamper ourselves with quality and delicious pastry.

“For me personally, I like working with the shape the most, so this is something intrinsic and specific to my creations. I try to create objects that are pieces of design in themselves and don’t need any additional decor.

“Currently, I’m creating my own silicone molds, and I would like to position myself as a designer. Of course, when people buy my molds, they can make cakes of different colours and add some additional decor according to their own tastes and creativity. I like that people from all over the world buy my molds and use them, and it’s interesting to watch how people can present their cakes so differently, yet all from the same base shape.

“We are always experimenting with colours, glazes and such. and new ingredients are appearing all the time.

Nowadays it’s possible to buy any food, any equipment you would like, so I can’t predict anything in terms of trends.

For example, in France certain types of cakes have become traditional, but in my country, Hungary, they have only recently started appearing: 95% of population have not even tried it yet.

GOURMET FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA In November 2018, Ljubljana will host a second edition of culinary festival, gathering the most important Slovenian chefs, culinary experts and caterers from Ljubljana’s world of gastronomy.

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ver the last years, gastronomy has become a distinctive motive for guests to visit Ljubljana.

Therefore, Tourism Ljubljana introduced a new trademark, Gourmet Ljubljana, in 2017 which coincides with the development of cultural tourism at the strategic level to achieve the key objectives of extending the average period of stay and boosting consumption.

This year, November Gourmet Festival Ljubljana will be organised under the new trademark for the second time.

With the new trademark, organisers want to take advantage of the extensive culinary potential of Ljubljana and place it amongst Europe’s premier culinary destinations. At the same time, the festival helps to connect all stakeholders 94

CULINARY TOUR

in the field of gastronomy: the caterers in Ljubljana who create dishes under the Tastes of Ljubljana Trademark, and familiarise Ljubljana’s residents with its culinary tourism, enabling them to become its ambassadors: this way, tourists will follow, too.

The festival will be held in November; and will enrich the offer of this particular month that is in general a good time to visit Ljubljana. Following the success of last year’s festival, it’s hoped that it will become a traditional and recognisable event abroad and give guests a reason to return every year.

THE FOUR KEY EVENTS OF UPCOMING NOVEMBER GOURMET FESTIVAL 2018 WILL BE: • Two editions of Ljubljana Wine Routes (3rd and 10th November) will bring winemakers from all wine-growing districts of Slovenia with their excellent wines in the centre of Ljubljana. Wine stalls will be placed in the City Center of Ljubljana (on Mestni squre, Stritarjeva street, Cankarjevo nabrežje, Prešeren sqaure). The event will be open to the public, guest will be able to taste or buy wine by purchasing official wine glass at the info stand. Along Slovenia’s best wines also some culinary delights will be served, accompanied by cultural program.

• Wine and Culinary Festival (16th and 17th November), traditionally hosted by Hotel Slon and Hotel Union, the Festival offers something for everyone who has passion for wine or is eager for knowledge about wine.

The Festival is for everyone amateurs and professionals who see wine as a business.

• A unique event simply called November Gourmet Finale to round off the month. The Finale where the winner of the contest New Taste of Ljubljana (the purpose of which is to invite every person that is keen on cooking to participate and create an original recipe from a selection of tradionala Ljubljana ingredients) will be announced will be held on Friday 23rd November, 2017, in the City of Design, Dunajska 123, Ljubljana. This event will be a celebration of culinary, open to public, with music and some food stalls with excellent food and beverage in a very particular setting.

OPPOSITE Gourmet Festival Ljubljana fills the streets of the city centre.

ABOVE Sample wines from the Slovenian wine regions, and taste the best of what the city has to offer, as well as enjoy traditional entertainment.

BELOW The Gourmet Festival offers a taste of contemporary urban bistros, traditional gostilna-style restaurants and gourmet restaurants from the area.

A wide content choice is organised for the month, including the culinary experience of Ljubljana Tourism, cooking classes, show cooking, educational events and debates where first class chefs will join us. In the same month, various caterers will prepare their menus, and selected hotels will prepare a range of packages.

Moreover, every cooking enthusiast will also have the opportunity to present his or her own dishes. The end of October will also see the launch of the “New Taste of Ljubljana” contest, which aims to attract the broadest general audience to the November Gourmet Festival Ljubljana event, and reach out to those attracted by the world of cuisine. The three dishes that get the most votes in competition will be prepared by the competitors themselves at the closing event, a jury will select the best one, and this will become a new dish in the Tastes of Ljubljana range for one year, until next year’s festival. The recipe will be made available to everyone and caterers in Ljubljana will be encouraged to include this dish in their menus. Finally, a wide range of Ljubljana restaurants will be offering special menus during the month of November based on traditional Ljubljana recipes, local and seasonal ingredients.

gourmet-lj.si

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WINE CRUSH

PIECING TOGETHER THE MOSAIC Co-founder of Mozaik Winery Melis Kurtel recounts the story of the rising success of the Turkish vineyard.

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y husband and I have always been admirers of wine. But it was during our honeymoon in Italy that we realised that we wanted to produce wine. Before we knew it, we had resigned from our jobs and moved to my hometown, Izmir, Turkey, after finding the perfect piece of land to work on. At first, we thought we would produce something special and unique and keep it to ourselves, but as we dived into details and found a perfect team, we decided to share our passion with the rest of the world.

Mozaik is the culmination of my husband’s and my passion for wine, our family’s history, the history of wine and Urla (ancient Klazomenai) and, of course the end product—the wine itself! The pieces of the mosaic have come together to realise our dream project.

Together with our Italian oenologist, we highlight the taste of Urla and its history within our unique wines.

We want to show the world that exquisite wines can be

ABOVE Melis Kurtel, founder of Mosaik wines in Turkey.

made in Turkey, and that with a little passion and care for what you love, you can turn history and innovation into a bottled marvel.

Urla, and especially our site, has exceptional soil, because there has been little cultivation over the past few decades. Our plot is bordered by a rich pine forest, and is close to the Aegean Sea, so we have all the richness of the forest in the soil and the beautiful minerals from the sea that are carried through the vineyard with the sea breeze.

You can taste this richness in every bottle of our wines.

As we don’t have an irrigation system in the vineyard and the climate is much hotter than what is usually experienced in wine-producing countries in Europe, the grapes that we grow and the wines that we produce are dark in colour and have very concentrated flavours. This leads to the wines becoming more suitable to age in the bottle. Our first harvest was in 2010 and produced wine that had finally reached maturity last year, four years » 97

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ÂŤ after production. Our wines have minerality, strength and beautiful tannins, which only improves over time.

Aiming to produce something unprecedented, we blend the historical tradition of winegrowing in our region with new varietals. The new varietals that we planted in our vineyard almost 10 years ago have now reached a perfect balance in their new home, and are bringing very good results. One of these grapes is ekigaĂŻna, a hybrid of cabernet sauvignon and tannat, and has recently won a silver award at International Wine Challenge. Another is rebo, a hybrid between merlot and teroldego, which is a type of rare grape that can be seen in northern Italy, which has matured well in Urla. Blending it with petit verdot has won it a gold medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and two bronze medals at the International Wine Challenge.

Another new varietal we have is the increasingly popular marselan, which is a hybrid between cabernet sauvignon and grenache. It deserves all the praise it receives, and has found a fantastic balance in Urla.

At Mozaik, our utmost goal is to bring out the grape and the terroir from within the wine, so we aim to manipulate it as little as possible. We do use modern technology inside the winery, but we aim to keep it simple. Rather than blends for every wine, we like to produce mono-cepage wines

BELOW, LEFT The vineyards at Mosaik are surrounded by nutrient rich forests.

RIGHT The region of Urla offers exceptional soil, because there has been little cultivation over the past few decades.

BELOW, RIGHT Melis and her husband combine new varietals with traditional viticulture, to create unique Turkish wines.

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because we want to expose the bold and fine characters of our wines. Each year we produce a limited amount of tannat, and we bottle it at 100 per cent because it deserves to present itself alone.

As well as our doors being open six days a week for visitors to enjoy tours and private tasting events, we also have a stud farm that goes hand-in-hand with our winemaking project. With paddocks of thoroughbred and Arabian foals that sit on what was one of the ancient Ionian cities, Klazomenai, Mozaik is living history. And soon, guests will have the opportunity to indulge in all of Mozaik’s activities from newly-built luxurious suites, nestled in the romantic landscape of our farm.

www.mozaiksarapcilik.com

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This old house A unique and unforgettable dining experience in an equally outstanding setting: dinner at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel’s Chesa Veglia is a St. Moritz must. The 17th-century farmhouse (its name means »old house« in Romansh) is a gem of Engadin architecture and was transformed in 1936 into a meeting place for gourmets and VIPs. Ever since, the rustic atmosphere has attracted Hollywood icons and European aristocracy, and today the intimate spot hosts three exclusive restaurants, one breath-taking terrace and two bars, boasting 15 Gaut Millau points.

Pizzeria Heuboden Comfortable – and always busy. The atmosphere is as it must be in a pizzeria. Relaxed. If there is no table available, the guest is placed in the Carigiet Bar for an aperitif. For all newcomers the truffle pizza is an absolute »must«.

Patrizier Stuben The Chesa Veglia cannot deny its origin as a farmhouse. It is still rustic today. But just so popular.

Numerous celebrities return because they love its cozyness. The Restaurant »Patrizier Stuben« conveys the soothing atmosphere of a chalet. Matched by Swiss specialties on offer – and much more.

Grill Chadafö The Grill Chadafö is considered the noblest of the three restaurants of the Chesa Veglia – and nothing for vegetarians. Those who come nevertheless, listen to the pianist. Or enjoy the rustic atmosphere. When entering the restaurant, you will pass the original stone oven, which is still in use for preparation of grilled specialties. So fine.

Chesa Veglia, Via Veglia 2, 7500 St. Moritz, information & table reservation: +41 (0)81 837 28 00, chesaveglia@badruttspalace.com

LONDON DRY GIN | TANGERINE

Distillery Krauss GmbH | Aigen 52, 8543 - St. Martin im Sulmtal | www.distillery-krauss.com

A moment in time The dynamic team at Artesian bar at The Langham, London has come up with an emotive new menu called Moments, based on the flavours and smells we associate with key times in our life. FOUR talks to bar manager Anna Sebastian about her own milestones and what inspired the flavours in these latest offerings.

I think what inspired me the most growing up was the fusion of different cultures that came together – not just in my family home when my parents had people round, but also the people that I encountered and places I visited. Travelling was a big thing: trying new foods and learning about the history of places gave me a thirst for trying new things and exploring.

“I also like entertaining people. When we were younger my parents’ house became a place for us all to meet, get ready and go out, and I remember the first cocktail I made was a mojito for my friends. As soon as I legally could, I got a job in a really rough pub in east London and then worked in a cocktail bar nearby in Angel. I think the turning point, however, was in a club in Soho, and this guy walked in. He had this way of controlling the room; everything he touched just became right – the level of the music, the lighting, crowd and so on. I became fascinated with how he had done this, and saw it as so much more than just making a drink in a glass.

“I have carried this feeling with me, and now we are in a really exciting time not only at Artesian, but in the world of cocktails and hospitality in general. At Artesian, what

ABOVE Anna Sebastian (bottom row, forth from left) and the bar team at Artesian at The Langham, London.

we want to create is something that is special, memorable and fun. We are a vibrant and passionate team and we want our guests to experience that as well. Essentially we want Artesian to be a place where you can go for any occasion, have a good time and enjoy the drinks and food. The bar at the Artesian has always been a special place for me, and it continues to be so each day.

“We have just launched our new menu, which is really exciting and has been a big project for us. It’s based around the idea of drinks being inspired by life-defining moments such as falling in love for the first time or going travelling, but supported by statistics. It’s been really interesting for us as we asked a huge pool of people what flavours reminded them of these moments. You could say the drinks were already there; we just had to ask.

“In terms of future plans for the beverage menu, I see highballs as the way forward, especially ones with whiskey or tequila. I think there is a need for simplicity, using interesting, but accessible ingredients in drinks. You want a drink that everyone can enjoy and not feel intimidated by, as they don’t know what it is. This is exactly what we try to do at Artesian.” » 101

MIZUWARI INGREDIENTS

60ml Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera 10ml mineral syrup 45ml neutral water METHOD

To make the syrup, take maple water, birch water and some Vichy Catalan naturally sparkling water. Distil all three to concentrate the rich minerals that give so much flavour. Then add sugar to make it into a syrup, and add a touch of charcoal salt.

TO S E R V E

Spray with Glennfiddich and serve in a highball with a long ice cube.

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FALLING IN LOVE INGREDIENTS

30ml Michter’s Sour Mash 1.25ml Van Wees Rose Without Thorns Liqueur 3 dashes Champagne acid solution 3 dashes isolated Chilli Peychaud’s Bitters METHOD

Make a pomegranate soda using white tea, clarified pomegranate juice and dried rosebuds, so that you get the feel of a Champagne cocktail without using champagne.

TO S E R V E

Serve in a tall coupette with a clear ice ball, placing the grapefruit zest on top.

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TURNING 30 INGREDIENTS

30ml Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera 30ml Château Delmond` Sauternes 10ml Essensia orange muscat wine 7 drops of isolated tannins 2.5ml sugar syrup METHOD

Serve in a wine glass filled with three clear ice blocks and three thin grape slices as a garnish. The only homemade ingredient here is the isolated tannins, which is distilled tannic wine, when we use what would usually be discarded from the distillation. Just a few drops will dry out any drink while carrying the other flavours, giving the drink a long and complex profile.

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FOUR PROMOTION

FROM BOTANICALS TO BOTTLE When Barb Grossenbacher began her thesis project for the WSET diploma, she set out to forage Swiss botanicals, distill and bottle them, and produce a gin representative of the Unesco Biosphere of the area – the result was Edelwhite Gin.

F

rom Botanicals to the Bottle was the name of what began as a final thesis project for Barb Grossenbacher’s Wine and Spirit Educational Trust (WSET) Diploma wine course in Rust, Austria. It turned into a full-fledged endeavor to produce a regional, artisanal craft gin that is now more than just a project – more than just another gin.

Edelwhite Gin was produced with the intention to mirror the well-thought-out combination of botanicals originating in Entlebuch, Switzerland: the idyllic Unesco Biosphere part of the world. The gin’s flavours and aromas of local and imported organic botanicals, as well as their alchemistic characteristics were constantly taken into consideration.

Edelwhite Gin is packed full of local alpine and garden botanicals with a complex, fresh and concentrated flavour profile. Hand crafted and copper pot distilled, the gin is a real tribute to small batch spirit production.

Edelwhite Gin remains faithful to this artisanal method of production by using 14 of the 27 available botanicals of the local area. The botanicals are sourced from either resident Aromatherapist Sandra Limachers’ garden, freshly picked in neighbouring forests and meadows, or carefully selected at a local organisation (Kräuteranbaugenossenschaft) that plants, grows, and harvests herbs in the local farmer’s fields.

This ensures that Edelwhite fulfills its promise of local ingredients, and guarantees both freshness and quality.

edelwhitegin.com

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TRAVELLING INGREDIENTS

45ml Santa Teresa 1796 rum 10ml Cardamom Curação 5ml Merlet Lune d’Abricot apricot brandy 20ml Noni cordial 20ml water METHOD

The drink itself is very simple. Noni juice aka Cheese Fruit and add sugar to make a syrup. Then by infusing green cardamon pods into Pierre Ferrand Curação, we create a flavour profile that is unique to the drink. The ripe, fresh and savoury notes of the syrup are cut through with cardamom’s unique flavour, all the while bringing the rum’s character to the forefront.

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Norway has perfect living conditions For shellfish Ice-cold clear waters give the Norwegian shellfish the purest taste from the sea. Superior quality will always be our trademark.

That’s why we are the Official Seafood Partner for World´s 50 Best Restaurants Awards.

FOUR PROMOTION

NATURAL LUXURY With the protection of nature and sociocultural engagement being key to preserving the world for future generations, FOUR looks at the wide range of conscious vacations – showing how to spend sustainable yet luxurious vacation on the Maldives.

No news, no shoes” is the motto of the barefoot resort Gili Lankanfushi on the Maldives. No shoes is the symbol to leave daily routine at home and focus on enjoying the pure white sand rinsing between the toes. With its pristine beaches, crystal clear lagoon and the turquoise water, it is the best place to relax and reconnect to the inner self. As much as the Green Pearls® member Gili Lankanfushi cares for the well being of its guests, it cares for the unique environment showing that luxury and the support of the environment can easily go hand in hand. For the guests at Gili Lankanfushi this means vacation without regrets.

ABOVE Exterior view of Gili Lankanfushi Private Reserve.

BELOW Gili Lankanfushi’s own organic garden.

While diving adventures in the colorful underwater world or long walks at the beach foster to overcome stress, the perfect place for deep relaxation is Gili’s spa area, offering Ayurveda treatment, steam and sauna rooms and an open-air relaxation area with breathtaking views.

Relax, retreat and rejuvenate are the three essentials of Gili Well-Being Journeys at Meera Spa: holistic and healing treats for mind, body and soul combining stretching, local massage techniques and holistic therapy. The wide range of yoga courses at the seaside does the rest for achieving inner peace and balance.

The newly launched restaurant Kashiveli indulges guests with a diverse range of signature dishes celebrating the heritage and talent of Gili Lankanfushi’s culinary team, reaching from Sardinia, to Madagascar and of course to the Maldives. With the Gili Culinary Journey, a rotating selection of these international dishes, guests enjoy a global tasting tour without stepping foot off the spectacular beaches of the North male Atoll.

The resort’s own organic garden will provide an abundance of fresh produce like salad, fruits and herbs for Kashiveli while fish, meat and additional vegetables will be bought sustainably through local Maldivian suppliers, fishermen and farmers.

www.gili-lankanfushi.com www.greenpearls.com

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IMAGE © MICHELLE CHU OF @MICHUTRAVEL

Travel & Property

A weekend in Amsterdam If you’re looking for a luxurious city break, consider Amsterdam.

Not only has Holland’s capital shrugged off its old stereotypes, but thanks to a surge in luxury accommodations, dining options and trend-setting stores, the city is thriving in a new age of decadence.

TRAVEL

BOTTOM Xxx. BOTTOM Xxx.

PREVIOUS PAGE The stunning geometrical façade of the 19th-century Rijksmuseum.

LEFT The majestic exterior of the Waldorf Astoria, located on the ‘Gentleman’s Canal’.

BELOW Modern-day luxury at the Waldorf Astoria.

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ess than an hour’s flight from London and a popular stop-off destination for long-haul travellers, Amsterdam is a truly fabled city that manages to balance a peaceful authenticity with a buzzing contemporary scene.

STAY HERE

Whether you are looking for classic opulence or a more personal, boutique-style luxury stay, Amsterdam offers the best of both worlds. From authentic charm, to hipster cool this is city that offers European charm for a fraction of the cost of many better-known luxury destinations like Paris and London.

Waldorf Astoria Set in the designer-postcode neighbourhood of Herengracht (known as the ‘Gentlemen Canal’), the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam is made up of six 17th- and 18th-century townhouses, which mask a rich history, and 93 rooms. The restoration of the townhouses has preserved the past while complementing it with a neutral palette and timeless style, with reminders of the buildings’ history subtly threaded throughout. Rooms are named after former owner-inhabitants, such as the Backer Suite, which is named after the eponymous family who commissioned building number 548 (now the main entrance to the hotel) and were responsible for the 17-century signature painted ceiling in the living room. » 112

At Discover Truenorth, we believe that nothing is impossible

We create unique tailored experiences for unique individuals.

Those of us that crave something truly original, something out of this world. Our intimate knowledge of Iceland’s hauntingly beautiful landscape provides a narrative on your journey of discovery.

DiscoverTruenorth.is

TRAVEL

« Arriving at the plush hotel, it’s easy to see just what makes it stand apart from the rest. As it turns out, the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam has many luxury facets that make it unique, not just from other hotels, but from its sister properties, too. waldorfastoria3.hilton.com The Conservatorium In the heart of Amsterdam’s museum district, and next to luxury shopping street the PC Hooftstraat, lies the magnificent neo-gothic Conservatorium, standing on the former site of the Sweelinck Conservatorium.

The building was originally built at the end of the 19th century, specifically 1884, but in 2011, The Set hotel group transformed it into the contemporary luxury-lifestyle hotel that it is today.

The Conservatorium welcomes hotel guests and Amsterdam locals alike to its popular restaurants, lounges and wellness spaces, including the buzzy lobby-level Brasserie & Lounge, the contemporary Asian culinary gem Taiko, speciality cocktail destination Tunes Bar and state-of-the-art Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre.

The Conservatorium redefines the concept of the luxury hotel for sophisticated, design-literate travellers in the 21st century. With its roots firmly planted within the history and culture of its location, the boutique hotel also meets all the contemporary needs and desires of its guests. conservatoriumhotel.com

ABOVE, LEFT The outdoor terrace at The Conservatorium hotel.

ABOVE, RIGHT Van Gogh’s self-portrait, from 1887.

BELOW Prized works of art at the Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum.

panelling and complimentary coffee and cake on board, passengers are kept thoroughly entertained during the 20-minute journey by Nico’s stories of his famous guests (Jay-Z and Beyoncé included) while drinking in the passing scenery. classicboatdinners.nl Museumplein Arriving at the Museumplein, a good first stop is always the Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum, which re-opened to the public in April 2013 following a 10-year restorative hiatus. The Rijksmuseum demonstrates the country’s influence on the world of art like no other.

Baroque, Romanticism, Rococo, Impressionist and Art Nouveau works are housed together, featuring masterpieces including the Night Watch, Van Gough’s self-portrait and The Milkmaid. Covering several floors and periods, the thing with the Rijksmuseum is, no matter how many times you visit, there is always something new to see.

The Hermitage Amsterdam, a branch of the Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg in Russia, is another good option, as well as The Van Gogh Museum, Moco Museum and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the city’s modern-art museum (the latter two of these also reopened in 2013 after major refurbishments), among many others. »

DO THIS

Classic Boat Dinners If you want to explore Amsterdam in true style, get on board Nico Bax’s (of Classic Boat Dinners Amsterdam) beautifully restored classic canal boat, headed for the city’s Museumsplein. Complete with dreamy vintage-wood 114

© ERIK SMITS

A classic suggestion for what to do first in the picturepostcard city of Amsterdam is to simply walk around the town, taking in the maze of canals and the breathtaking beauty that the city has to offer.

FOUR PROMOTION

WELCOME TO CROATIA! Croats are proud people living in a gorgeous country. Take a moment to get to know us.

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mazing food, ranging from tuna and truffles to virgin olive oil, is what shapes our extraordinary culinary palates.

It is no wonder we have 3 Michelin star restaurants.

Living all this, how could we choose anything less than first grade, colour sorted juniper berries to give Five Corners that fresh citrus taste? For a true mouthwatering effect, Five Corners gin reveals Cherimoya, best described by its consumers as world’s tastiest fruit, with a sweet taste that resembles a combination of banana, strawberry, pineapple and papaya.

Adriatic Sea offers clear blue waters that will make you want to dive right in. It is the same blue you will find mesmerizing when pouring Five Corners gin and probably the best blue you have ever tasted. Butterfly pea flower is the plant that makes all the difference in Five Corners gin.

Its black tea flavour compliments sharp gin taste perfectly but most importantly, it gives Five Corners its organic blue colour.

Croats are ingenious. Just think of Tesla. As if Five Corners wasn’t good enough already, we had to make it wondrous. Again Butterfly pea

flower comes to the scene with its colour-changing abilities from blue to pink with the addition of acidic element, mostly tonic. Meaning, while you enjoy your gin blue, she can have her pink drink too.

Beautiful women are the true gem of the Adriatic. They are the passion that drives Croats to be ingenious. We can not make the world fall at your feet yet, but we have infused your right to choose when it comes to gin. Yes ladies, you can have Five Corners in pink, if you please.

Now that you know more about us, you have to come for a visit.

Croatia is just around the Corner.

W W W . DA L M AT I N O . CO M

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TRAVEL baba ghanoush and croquettes (bar staff also make a wickedly good gin and tonic). The restaurant’s menu changes regularly and is filled with fresh and seasonal deliciousness, such as the aubergine carpaccio with organic pecorino, charmoula, pine nuts and flatbread. caferestaurantdeplantage.nl/en

De Bijenkorf For those with a penchant for shopping, you might be surprised to learn that the reatil options in Amsterdam are really quite interesting. Aside from lots of local boutiques and thrift shops, there is also De Bijenkorf, considered Amsterdam’s finest department store. Promising a truly memorable shopping experience, De Bijenkorf is home to six floors and 21,000 square metres of fashion, accessories, beauty products, homewares, toys and culinary delights.

With exclusive brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Dior, Gucci, Cartier and Tiffany & Co, the department store offers an unrivalled assortment of fashion, jewellery, leather goods and more. The Tax Refund Lounge at De Bijenkorf Amsterdam is the only Global Blue instant tax-refund service point in the Netherlands, with multilingual hosts who will be happy to assist you.

Also located in de Bijenkorf Amsterdam is an exclusive personal-shopping lounge, providing a discrete and intimate service for both men and women. Sit back and experience the hospitality and expert eye of their personal shoppers or book a luxurious beauty treatment in one of the treatment rooms. Choose from various facials with products from top beauty brands such as La Mer, Dermalogica, Estée Lauder and Lancôme. Need a break from shopping? Enjoy a variety of international dishes at their restaurant, including Asian and Italian specialities, deluxe sandwiches and perfectly grilled steaks prepared à la minute. debijenkorf.nl/international EAT HERE

Café-Restaurant de Plantage Taking in Amsterdam’s museums can really build up an appetite, so head to Café-Restaurant de Plantage by the Hortus Botanicus – the city’s botanical gardens – for lunch.

Here you can pick at a selection of small plates over a glass of wine, take a seat at the long, marbled bar and try some of the Middle Eastern tapas-style dishes, such as hummus, 116

212 When it comes to evening dining in Amsterdam, the recent rise in award-winning venues and Michelin star chefs means that you are spoilt for choice.

Restaurant 212 is the latest venture from Richard van Oostenbrugge, who famously started his career at the five star luxury hotel De L’Europe in Amsterdam, and overlooks two starred Michelin Bord’Eau Restaurant.

Praised for his mastery of the French cooking techniques, 212 prides itself on having “fewer rules and more adventure”. During lunch and dinner, former Michelin chef Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot rid highend food of all avoidable etiquettes. Creating a gastronomic spectacle and their dream restaurant. Amsterdam’s first no-table-restaurant.

212.amsterdam ABOVE De Bijenkorf offers six floors of unbeatable shopping, plus an exclusive personal-shopping lounge for men and women.

BELOW Enjoy contemporary fine dining at Ciel Bleu at The Okura Hotel.

Ciel Bleu Collectively across its five restaurants, The Okura Hotel holds four Michelin stars. On the 23rd floor, Ciel Bleu Restaurant (two Michelin stars) offers international cuisine from chef Onno Kokmeijer and some incredible views of the Amsterdam cityscape.

With some of the finest culinary creations that the city has to offer, Ciel Bleu is leading the way in progressive Dutch cooking. Try the signature dish that features king crab, caviar and gold leaf for a true taste of contemporary fine dining. okura.nl

Tosca Collection by Monica Armani

Living the good life outside.

Love it, live it, share it. www.tribu.com

TRIBU_ADV_FOURinternational_GB_220x300_TOSCAwenge.indd 1

20/06/18 14:57

Barefoot living With 45 villas in the heart of the untouched Noonu Atoll in Maldives, Cheval Blanc Randheli offers an unforgettable luxury island escape.

LUXURY LAYOVER

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n an atoll surrounded by white-sand beaches and coral reefs, this luxe resort is accessed by seaplane from Malé making it one of the most exclusive destinations in the world. Often, places, situations and properties never typically live up to the hype you have created in your mind, especially when you have been building internal castles about how good it would actually be. But, as a location that easily makes most people’s top-five bucket-list places to visit, the Cheval Blanc Randheli certainly doesn’t disappoint.

In fact, it actually exceeds this by completely blowing all expectations out of the water. This is probably one of the most beautiful places on the planet. If you actually base your ideas of how a property should look from its Instagram or website, you would more often than not be so far from the reality of what the place is actually like. Not so here - this property looks exactly like the pictures.

Nestled in lush tropical vegetation, the 45 villas all come equipped with their own infinity pools and stunning décor.

Whether you opt for the classic Maldivian over-water villa or an island villa with garden space, renowned architect, JeanMichel Gathy, has designed the properties to the highest specification resulting in a truly exceptional resort.

The property is elegant, refined and designed for stylish barefoot island living. Cheval Blanc Randheli has paid great attention to the privacy of guests and ensuring a feeling of space. This is particularly reflected in the elegant design of each villa: lofty, cathedral-style ceilings are framed by seven-metre-high handcrafted doors that create a strong

OPPOSITE One of the many private sandbanks around the Maldivian Atolls.

ABOVE Situated on Noonu atoll surrounded by white-sand beaches and coral reefs, this luxe resort is accessed by seaplane from Malé.

BELOW Access to the Cheval Blanc Randheli by seaplane.

sense of openness, or can be closed to give a warm and cosy atmosphere. The villa is basically divided into three sections, which are all absolutely huge; in most cosmopolitan European cities, that space would be a comfortable threebed house at a cost of around €2m. Can you visualise that kind of space? Yes, that big. And add the fact that you have dense island vegetation on one side and stunning blue waters on the other.

The flow of the resort is very residential, with an abundance of settings designed for guests to use as per their disposition. The villas are furnished with materials from the »

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ABOVE The main pool at the Cheval Blanc Randheli.

BELOW Island Villa.

Named after Château Cheval Blanc’s most sought-after Grand Cru, here executive chef Sébastien Le Gall revisits French culinary know-how with local inspiration in a ninecourse tasting menu that evolves on a weekly basis and is a truly unexpected gastronomic revelation for the Maldives.

The adjoining 1947 Evening Bar, with its live piano entertainment, has views over the glass-enclosed wine cellar stocked with rare vintages that can be discovered in the tastings organised in the cellar’s comfortable setting. The nearby cigar lounge, with its cosy atmosphere, completes this fine-dining experience for connoisseurs.

IMAGES © DAN KULLBERG; CHEVAL BLANC RANDHELI

« Indian Ocean: teak, rattan, bamboo, thatch and coconut shell. This is in turn enhanced by a stylish palette of white, taupe and oyster grey with splashes of pop yellow and green, as well as bespoke design elements and a residential-style medley of artwork throughout. A collection of 46 sculptural colour ‘spots’ by artist Vincent Beaurin also makes each villa truly individual.

Relaxing and soaking up the sun could be all that you really want or are looking for, but for any one property, it is important there are a variety of experiences and a wide selection of on- and off-island activities. During a stay at Cheval Blanc Randheli, it’s possible to experience a personal dinner with a chef cooking on a barbecue in front of the villa – obviously a must with you and your loved one. Equally recommendable experiences include the spa, which is located on its own island and easily entices you to spend the whole day there, invigorating your body and mind. A little tip: a 7am personal yoga lesson overlooking the water while listening to the gentle lap of the waves is perfection. Another great activity is a private tennis lesson with a former ATP pro from Jim Courier Tennis. Like the spa, the tennis courts are set on their own private island.

Food is an art form at Cheval Blanc Randheli, with exciting culinary experiences that are entertaining, surprising and deliciously varied. The island’s experiences range from fine dining to relaxed al fresco in five restaurants, plus three bars that complete the Carte Blanche menu and tailored offers.

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HIGHTECH MADE IN GERMANY

T H E N E W G E N E R AT I O N O F E L E C T R I C S U R F B O A R D S .

P O W E R , S P E E D A N D S TA B I L I T Y F O R E V E R Y R I D E R .

SPEED up to 58kph

BATTERY up to 45 minutes

ENGINE 14 horsepower

CHARGING 120 minutes

LAMP UGA.DE

WEIGHT approx. 40 kg

ELECTRIC emission free

Wilds of Africa FOUR heads into the untamed African bush to experience five-star luxury at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge.

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ome people make criticise the fact that staying in a luxury five-star lodge is not the way to experience a safari. However, others would totally disagree and this is where Lion Sands Ivory Lodge comes in. Lion Sands has found a perfect balance to immerse their clients into wild and practically untouched nature yet surrounding them with absolute luxury, design and true hospitality. The nine villas at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge are built from the earth using natural materials that enhance the surrounding bush environment. The decor of the lavish 145 square-metre villas are designed to perfection, with African yet contemporary touches throughout. The use of metal, stone, and wood inside flows perfectly outwards to the viewing deck with private dip pool. At any point you decide to relax in the pool or have tea on the deck, you are met by curious impalas grazing on the shrubs.

I was pleasantly surprised by the high standard of food served at the property. The menu is creative and always perfectly cooked and presented; probably the best food I have been served in any hotel in Africa. You will be awakened before sunset with fresh juice and snacks placed in your kitchen through a pass, in order to not invade your privacy, before the first daily safari excursion.

Lion Sands is the only private game reserve rooted in both the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kruger National Park. Lion Sands Kruger National Park is one of only seven private park concessions, and protects 5,000 hectares of pristine wilderness, as well as sites of cultural and historical significance.

ABOVE The entrance to the main lodge at Lion Sands.

BELOW Private views of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kruger National park from the private lodgings.

Lion Sands is family owned and operated by the fourthgeneration More family. During the safari, you are driven with a spotter that sits on the front of the open-top Land Rover and are driven by a guide. One thing you will notice is that almost everyone at the lodge or reserve has grown up in that area, absolutely loves the land and will do anything to protect it. Until you are there you don’t realise the lengths they go through not to ruin Mother Nature, to the extent of not driving off already established roads after the rain, as it may the cause erosion at a later stage. The people of Lion Sands are truly special, simple, kind and always smiling.

During my three days stay on the reserve, I managed to see four of the Big Five, with exception of the rhino. I would Âť

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« highly recommend being there at least for three full days in order to view as many animals as possible. On my last, third morning, I saw one of the most beautiful sights: a herd of 12 or so elephants making their way down to the river to drink, with the baby elephants playing joyfully and spraying each other in the water.

On our last night, just before sunset, we were driven to what was our most overwhelming experience during the stay. Cross a small drawbridge, set amid the pure and untouched wilderness, and you will be surrounded by African bush and uninhibited wildlife at their best. The Kingston Treehouse is constructed entirely from wood and glass, with contemporary decor in understated hues of greys, white and browns. You are met with a gourmet basket of food, champagne and lanterns to set the tone.

The staff explain how everything works, and then leave you by lifting the drawbridge to be absolutely alone for 12 hours, with nothing but pure nature, the African sky and

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ABOVE Lion Sands offers 5,000 hectares of private game reserve with pristine wilderness and daily excursions.

BELOW The Kingston Treehouse is the perfect romantic getaway, constructed entirely from wood and glass allowing for complete 360C views of the bush.

RIGHT One of the Big Five being viewed from a safari excursion.

a million stars around you. Besides the monkeys playing on the roof of the treehouse and a few scary sounds, you will fall into a beautiful sleep, only to be woken up by an amazing sunrise.

During my stay, I wanted to visit the amazing “Get Your Hands Dirty” initiative by the More family and More Community Trust. More Community Trust’s purpose is to empower people in the local communities in which the family operate. They do this by providing access to basic education and childcare, skills development through community-based development initiatives and access to fresh water.

Over the years, the Community Trust has built close relationships with our local communities, and guests are encouraged to visit and roll up their sleeves to help out with development programmes in place. This gives them the opportunity to experience a different and humbling way of living while connecting with local people and positively impacting on their lives.

FOUR PROMOTION

EXPLORING TANZANIA Set high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the rugged landscape of Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania, and dotted generously with iconic baobabs, Jabali Ridge is a sophisticated and elegant safari lodge in this mostly untouched and exclusive wildlife reserve.

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he exceptional beauty of Ruaha lies not only in the landscape and its diversity of flora and fauna, or in the impressive wildlife numbers, but in the feeling of having this wilderness all to yourself. With only a handful of visitors at any one time in an area the size of New Jersey, this is an unparalleled safari experience.

The exceptional wilderness of Ruaha can be explored on game drives, night drives and walking safaris with trained and knowledgeable guides. Ruaha’s abundant wildlife includes leopard, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and a variety of antelope, to name but a few. Home to over 10% of the world’s lion population, the park is well known for its especially large prides of these big cats.

Jabali Ridge’s eight stylish suites lie amongst giant rocky boulders that cocoon the property. An infinity pool, spa, library and various other places to laze ensure that time in camp is as memorable as time out in the bush.

ABOVE, TOP Jabali Ridge infinity pool, overlooking the sprawling landscapes and baobab forest.

ABOVE, BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT Exceptional sightings of the area’s plentiful wildlife; Relax in your hammock on your private deck, high above Ruaha National Park; Ghost, one of the resident leopards in the area surrounding Jabali Ridge.

With views over Ruaha from every corner of the room, the guest suites are designed to maximise the stunning landscape beyond. Louvered shutters can be opened completely, blurring the lines between indoors and out, or closed to offer more privacy. King-sized beds are the perfect place for an afternoon siesta, or simply relax outside on your private deck.

In addition to the main camp, Jabali Private House is an exclusive-use villa with a dedicated team to cater to families and small groups travelling together.

Asilia Africa T: +27 21 418 0468 / E: reservations@asiliaafrica.com W: www.asiliaafrica.com

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HOTEL JUNKIE

A GATEWAY TO PARADISE Swaying palm trees, sugary white sand, crystal clear water and endless sunshine – there really is such a thing as paradise in the Dominican Republic’s Cap Cana. The exclusive community on the island’s easternmost tip has become well-known for beachfront beauty and some of the most desirable resort experiences in the Caribbean today – none more so than Relais & Châteaux’s Eden Roc at Cap Cana.

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urrounded by lush greenery, awe-inspiring panoramas, verdant gardens and lagoon-style pools, Eden Roc at Cap Cana blends European glamour with a Caribbean twist throughout each of its sixty luxurious suites. If guests can tear themselves away from their private pool or beach front suites, the hotel’s exclusive Beach Club with infinity pool and the world-class Solaya Spa, they can discover an array of exciting, stand-out activities and experiences right on their doorstep.

Whether they’re teeing off against a backdrop of beaches, cliffs and waterfalls on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Punta Espada golf course (recently named the best in the Caribbean and Mexico), plunging into an 100-foot, deep blue, natural cenote Hoyo Azul or riding a horse in nearby Los Establos Cap Cana, a state-of-the-art equestrian center complete with two world- class polo fields, multiple warming tracks and two jumping tracks, there’s an activity that satisfies every taste.

Guests are also steps from a stunning marina where they can begin excursions to scenic Saona Island; you can sail in a yacht to a private beach where a chef will cook you a lobster lunch. History aficionados will love visiting the walled and cobblestoned historic city of Santo Domingo, where they can admire buildings from the 1500s such as the Alcázar de Colón built by Christopher Columbus’ son.

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ABOVE, LEFT The infinity pool at Eden Roc Beach Club.

ABOVE, RIGHT The private pool in the Golden Shell Suite.

BELOW Sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea from Punta Espada golf course.

And the explorers will naturally get off beaten tracks and discover new ways to get the most of this region by flying over paradise in a private jet direction pristine beaches, tropical rain forests and cascades or ride on a speedboat through the mangroves, caves and natural reserves of Los Haitises National Park.

It’s your time to unwind the Eden Roc way.

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ISLANDS IN THE SUN Travel and lifestyle blogger Michelle Chu of @michutravel shares with us some of her favourite island destinations to welcome in summer.

I am a travel and lifestyle photographer with a graphic design background. After graduating from University of California, Los Angeles and working as a designer for several years, my thirst to explore and to see the world took me on a different path in life.

I started @michutravel on Instagram in early 2016 with the intention of sharing beautiful images that I have captured on my past journeys. Little did I know how social media would become the world’s largest online platform to share and to inspire. With summer 2018 in full swing, I would like to share a few of my favourite island destinations with you.

BELOW With hotels perched on the steep cliffs, Santorini is one of the most picturesque of the Greek islands.

RIGHT The trademark white buildings and blue domes of Santorini.

SANTORINI A volcanic eruption that took place in around 1500 BC gave birth to a stunning landscape: a submerged volcano, the caldera, a vast lagoon and steep cliffs. The Island has one of the most unique geographica; structures of the Greek islands.

One of the reasons why I love coming back to this beautiful island has to do with the picturesque villages overlooking the Aegean Sea. With mostly white houses and blue domes – the colours of the Greek flag – there is a certain characteristic and charm to this architecture. Oia, a settlement located at the northern end of the island, is considered one of the most romantic places in the world, and is also one of the best places in the world to watch the sun set. Many luxury hotels and beautiful boutique guesthouses are built along the coastline of the caldera, offering the perfect getaway for couples.

If you’re someone who likes seafood and Greek food, this is definitely the place to be! Some of my favourite restaurants here are Avocado Restaurant in Imerovigli, Sunset Ammoudi Taverna (also one of the best spots for the sunset) and Ovac restaurant at Cavo Tagoo Santorini.

THE MALDIVES I’ve been in love with this country ever since I first set foot on its powdery white sand in 2004. As of now, I’ve been to the Maldives seven times and visited more than 20 island resorts, and every time I became more addicted.

The Maldives is my definition of paradise, with the softest white-sand beaches, the best lagoons with crystal-clear turquoise water (they make you feel like you’re in a bathtub), lots of marine life around the reefs surrounding the islands, and also one of the best places on Earth for you to snorkel and dive with manta rays and whale sharks. » 129

TRAVEL

My personal favourites are the resorts that are located on the southern edge of the island, also the best place to watch the sun set.

« This country consists of thousands of islands separated into many atolls, and my favorite is the Baa Atoll, the only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. At the moment, there are approximately more than 120 resorts in this country, and each one of them is built on its own private island. If you are into luxury vacations, the Maldives is known for having some of the best, most expensive luxury resorts in the world.

When visiting this beautiful country, it’s impossible not to feel disconnected from the outside world. To me, this island paradise is a place to refresh, to relax and to recharge.

KOH SAMUI, THAILAND Just a few hours by flight from Bangkok, Koh Samui, the capital of Thailand, offers the perfect combo of natural and man-made attractions.

Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, a collection of 42 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, is where you can find lots of incredible natural attractions: limestone mountains, the locally renowned ‘grandma and grandpa’ rocks (Hin Ta & Hin Yai), thick tropical jungle, luxuriant mangroves, waterfalls and hidden coves. One of the most popular sightseeing spots in Koh Samui is the Big Buddha Temple, locally known as Wat Phra Yai, was built in 1972 on the coast of Koh Samui. The 12-metre-high Big Buddha can be seen from a distance of several miles, and is often the first landmark that people see when arriving to Samui by air.

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ABOVE, LEFT The Maldives is quintessentially tropical, with whitesand beaches and clear turquoise lagoons.

ABOVE, RIGHT Escape the hedonism of Koh Samui and explore its thick tropical jungle, luxuriant mangroves, waterfalls and hidden coves.

BELOW Untouched parts of the Seychelles remain home to a host of rare and indigenous wildlife.

THE SEYCHELLES Another beautiful island nation in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles, is located in the north-eastern part of Madagascar, approximately 1,000 miles east of Kenya.

The Seychelles is made up of 115 islands, and it’s famous for its natural formation. Unlike the Maldives where the islands are made of sand, the Seychelles is known for its giant rock formations. Some of the more well-known islands include Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette Island and the most famous, La Digue.

Apart from the pristine beaches and incredible ocean blues, what I love most about the Seychelles is that most of the islands are still uninhabited. These untouched natural reserves host many different animals, including seabirds that are endemic to the Seychelles, and my favorite Aldabra giant tortoise, one of the largest tortoise species in the world.

Ancient Norse mythology tells magical tales of the Nine Worlds – the realms of all living creatures, unified by the great world tree of Yggdrasill.

Come with us, we want to show you these magical worlds. The core of Nine Worlds is the tailor-made experience where we offer completely customised luxury with personal services available twenty-four hours a day.

YOUR WISH IS OUR COMMAND INFO@NINEWORLDS.IS WWW.NINEWORLDS.IS

DESIGN HOTELS

PERFECTLY PARISIAN Opening in 2020, Bulgari Hotels and Resorts will welcome the latest hotel to the collection in Paris’ exclusive “Triangle d’Or”.

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ollowing recent editions to the Bulgari Hotels and Resorts collection in Beijing and Dubai in 2017, Shanghai in 2018 and Moscow in 2020, the new Paris hotel will bring total eight properties in the portfolio, including Milan, London and Bali.

The hotel will be located at 30 Avenue George V. This avenue forms with the Champs Elysees and the Avenue Montaigne the famous “Triangle d’Or”, one of Paris’ most exclusive and distinctive areas offering a wealth of luxury shopping, entertainment and cultural attractions.

Jean Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari commented as follows: “We are particularly proud to have secured such an extraordinary location for the new Bulgari Hotel in Paris. The Paris Hotel, to be opened in 2020, will add the City of Lights to our Collection and we are convinced that this new addition will represent an irresistible Roman 132

ABOVE Experience timeless glamour at the new Bulgari Hotel Paris.

jeweller hospitality experience in the Parisian upscale hotel market.”

The hotel will offer 76 rooms, most of them suites, and a full range of luxury facilities including a spa with a 25 meters pool and a Bulgari restaurant and bar opening to a charming courtyard garden.

The Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel is designing the Bulgari Hotel Paris, along with the renowned Parisian architects Valode & Pistre. The restyling of the building has been conceived as a transition to modernity: while both the use of the typical Parisian limestone and the respect of the ‘alignment’ criteria recall the 19th century Haussmanian urban patterns, the completely renewed façade evokes a rationalistic style that is an expression of the most contemporary architectural design.

Visualisation: bloomimages; energy certificate: Requirement specification 39 kWh/m²a, energy source: district heating, year of construction: 2018, energy efficiency class: A.

Photo: Maxim Schulz; energy certificate: Requirement specification / energy requirement 90 kWh/m²a, energy source: district heating, year of construction: 2017, energy efficiency class: C.

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Where the river meets the sky – exclusive penthouses in the ELBPHILHARMONIE and the STRANDHAUS by Richard Meier in Hamburg, Germany Hamburg Property Marketing · E+V Hamburg Immobilien GmbH Licence Partner of Engel & Völkers Residential GmbH Phone +49 (0)40 36 09 96 90 · Fax: +49-(0)40-36 09 96 92 9 hamburg.projekte@engelvoelkers.com · Real Estate Agent www.elbphilharmonieresidences.com · www.strandhaus.hamburg/en

DESIGN HOTELS

21ST-CENTURY LUXURY Watch over this magnetic city from the luxury of ARMANI/SPA, high above Armani Hotel Milano.

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he second hotel to open within the Armani brand, Armani Hotel Milano is entirely unique.

The location gives a hint to the prestige of what lies inside. Located at Manzoni 31, the hotel is anchored in the heart of the fashion district known as Quadrilatero della Moda.

The outside world is mere steps away, but the Armani Hotel Milano offers an inner sanctuary for those looking to be embraced by 21st-century luxury. At the top of this impressive hotel is the Armani/SPA — 1,000 square metres of pampering space overlooking the city, featuring a glass roof and walls, six treatment rooms, personal fitness space, a couple’s suite, steam and sauna rooms and a deeply indulgent relaxation pool.

Spa experts tailor treatments to you. The idea is that you create a sequence of treatments to suit your needs and the time you have available. Treatments can then be interwoven into 1.5 hours, 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours.

Treatments include MU, LIBERTÀ and FLUIDITÀ brands, ranging from facials and massages, to other body treatments — such as scrubs and wraps — to manicures and pedicures. New for summer, Armani/SPA will also be offering its ‘Summer Vibes’ treatment, a new warm-weather treatment to nourish the skin.

It all begins with a personalized analysis to determine the most beneficial sea salt scrub for your skin type, and an indulgent micro-tissue massage to reactivate and encourage microcirculation. Purifying seawater subsequently cleanses away any salty residues, while its nourishing trace elements 134

ABOVE Stylish glass roof and walls decorate the pampering space of Armani/SPA. BELOW The relaxation pool offers a panoramic view of Milan’s city centre.

are easily absorbed into the epidermis, the perfect treatment for summer skin.

As one would expect, the spa is sleek. There’s a modern design throughout, that manages to bridge the contemporary with a relaxing feel. Dark materials make for a moody ambiance and the relaxation area is perfect for simply lying back with a book or catching up on sleep!

There’s a real sense of calm in the space. The aqua therapy facilities are not to be underestimated, with the dimly lit pool the perfect place to gaze out over the city.

Whether you’re here to workout, receive a speciallytailored treatment or lie back and take in that view from one of the custom-built loungers — ARMANI/SPA is Milan’s most indulgent spa.

REAL-ESTATE LEADERS FOUR speaks to some of the leading female representatives of Engel & Völkers Private Office to find out what makes a successful property agent and their predictions for future investments.

customers, my job is to support these clients with everything they need during their purchasing process.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT TAKES TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL REALTOR? NB (NYC) The ability to gain the trust of your customers – their needs must always come first, and you must always know the current market statistics and conditions.

SM (Santa Monica, California) Engel & Völkers offers a bespoke level of service that’s unparalleled in our industry, and is always offering a consistent experience wherever you are in the world.

SB (Hamburg) Endurance and passion! The successful realtor knows his or her clients, their desires and requirements.

He or she is willing to offer the best services.

WHAT LED YOU INTO THE REAL-ESTATE INDUSTRY? Noel Berk (New York City) My love of architecture, politics and finance. All of these determine how land is developed.

ABOVE New York City Condominium; size: 3,478 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms.

Price: $25,495,000.

Sandra Miller (Santa Monica, California) I have always found pleasure in putting together deals, and real estate offers the ultimate deal-making on a very high level.

BELOW Single family home in Santa Monica, California; size: 9,288 sq ft (house); 22,881 sq ft (lot); Price: US $16,5m.

Susanne Bonhoeffer (Hamburg) Inspired by my father’s passion for the real-estate industry, I already knew at a young age where I was about to go.

WHAT AREAS DO YOU SPECIALIZE IN? NB (NYC) I specialise in luxury residences in Manhattan.

My masters in Business Administration gives me a broad outlook on the financial aspects of buying high-end apartments and financial opportunities for the buyer.

SM (Santa Monica, California) I specialise in luxury homes in Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and Malibu. My ability to listen to my clients’ needs, find the home they want and then negotiate a great price and terms in our competitive market are vital skills.

SB (Hamburg) I specialise in professional consulting for luxury residential project sales in Hamburg, Germany.

By focusing on the small circle of very delicate high-class 136

ARE THERE ANY TRENDS YOU HAVE NOTICED WITH PROPERTY BUYING IN THE LAST 5 YEARS? NB (NYC) I find my clients look at real estate as more of an investment to diversify their entire financial portfolio, and also as a long-term investment to building income through leasing to others and having their tenants pay for their equity.

SM (Santa Monica, California) I am seeing an uptick in the ultra-luxury market. Each year, the number of $10m-plus home sales has gone up. We now have developers targeting the $20m-plus category and the homes are selling. In 2018, there have already been 52 sales over $10m in Los Angeles.

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SB (Hamburg) A concierge service has become mandatory to these high-class clients. Privacy and discretion are also even more demanded than before. There is only little scope for concessions, so therefore highly recommended to involve Engel & Völkers at an early stage in the project planning and development phase for upcoming sales of a new property development.

DO YOU SEE MORE WOMEN BECOMING PART OF THE WEALTHY BUYING ELITE? NB (NYC) Definitely. Their priorities or motivations may sometimes be different than those of their male counterparts, but women are buying luxury properties.

SM (Santa Monica, California) Absolutely. In the same vein as there are more women than ever on the Forbes list, we are seeing more women purchasing at every price level.

WHAT DO THEY TYPICALLY LOOK FOR IN A PROPERTY? NB (NYC) If women are making the decision to buy and they have children, proximity to schools and safe neighbourhoods come first. If that is not a priority, ability to walk to shopping, entertainment and restaurants is important. Women are also interested in the architecture and design elements of properties.

ABOVE Single family home in Santa Monica, California. Size: 9,288 sq ft (house); 22,881 sq ft (lot).

Price: US $16,5m.

BELOW Elbphilharmonie Residences, HafenCity development, Hamburg, Germany. Size: 45 breathtaking units; Price: up to €11,000 per square foot.

SM (Santa Monica, California) Privacy, views, great entertaining spaces, master bedroom retreats and, of course, amazing closets seem to be the major hot buttons in my area.

SB (Hamburg) In addition to the criteria I have listed before, the infrastructure must serve the women needs. There must be kindergardens, schools, doctors, sports clubs, and other places of social interest nearby. They typically look for state-of-the-art communication and security technology, thoughtfully created floor plans, a lift, an underground car park, magnificent views and first-class fittings.

In Hamburg especially the harbour’s new development area HafenCity and the neighbourhood around the Alster Lakes are the prime hot-spots to live in.

ANY TIPS OR PREDICTIONS FOR AREAS SET TO BECOME INVESTMENT HOT SPOTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE? NB (NYC) Downtown New York is becoming more popular, as is the far west side near the Hudson River. Over the past 10 years, the Upper East Side has lost some of its popularity. With midtown commercial zoning increasing and new train lines, I believe there will be more new luxury housing built there. Also Midtown West near the water is becoming popular. Outside Manhattan, I see opportunity in Queens and Brooklyn.

SM (Santa Monica California) The market on the Westside of Los Angeles (Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu) is still relatively inexpensive when compared with other gateway cities around the world. The average luxury home is trading at $1,800 per square foot versus $3,000-plus per square foot in New York or London.

SB (Hamburg) Currently, the spotlight is mainly on old industrial and commercial areas close to Hamburg’s city centre, which are being developed and changed to residential areas.

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PROPERTY

UPGRADING REAL ESTATE Engel & Völkers Private Office, the international real estate network has extended it’s superior local knowledge within Spain and Andorra.

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ngel & Völkers has expanded its network of high standing services in Spain and Andorra by including the first residential market among the services of its Private Office division. The German company has selected some real estate agents from the Market Centres of Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, which due to their success and network of contacts, have become part of this division. With this implementation the company reinforces its premium service which already existed in Iberian top locations like Mallorca, Marbella, Ibiza and Andorra. The entire presentation took place at the business centre that the company has in the capital of Spain through a work seminar that ended with a culinary experience at the prestigious Coque Restaurant in Madrid.

APPOSITE Barcelona.

E&V ID: W-028YKD and W-028YK7.

ABOVE, LEFT Madrid. E&V ID: W-02AB76.

ABOVE, RIGHT Valencia.

E&V ID: W-028V6W. BELOW Group picture of the culinary experience at Coque.

RIGHT Madrid. E&V ID: W-02AB76.

Every estate agent who works for Engel & Völkers has access to all the necessary tools and technological platforms to guarantee their success. Among them, they have a wide workspace in which the network of real estate advisers works by geographically distribution.

The Private Office division of Engel & Völkers offers its most exclusive clients a service based on exceptional quality and absolute discretion. This high-standing service includes the portfolio and know-how of its entire international network of property shops, as well as all the agents who have extensive experience in the local market. The range of services goes beyond residential intermediation to include other commercial real estate assets, yachts and airplanes.

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Tasteful by design Eva-Luise Schwarz explores how a clear vision in interior design can help create unforgettable dining experiences.

RESTAURANT DESIGN

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nterior design is not often something that the average diner concern themself with in great detail; surely food, service and good company play a much bigger role when it comes to dining. And yet it cannot be overstated how important design aspects are for the atmosphere and, subsequently, the enjoyment of a culinary experience. Because no other aspect than the design is responsible for you hearing the fellow diner you’re having a conversation with, or for being able to see the vibrant colours on your plate, or even for having enough space for your food on the table. You might not remember the colour of the leather you sat on, or even the tabletop, but it’s the overall experience that benefits hugely from the right decisions that the interior designers have made during the restaurant’s conception.

For many restaurant designers, it all starts with the food.

Creative director at London’s David Collins Studio, Simon Rawlings, puts it like this: “You have to understand the food, first and foremost. The environment has to suit the food.

But that doesn’t mean if you serve French food you have to have a really fancy French room. If there’s exquisite detail in the food then there should be exquisite detail in the way the room is put together.”

Therefore, before ideas are put forward by the designers, it certainly helps to completely understand the food concept and the vision of the chef or operator of the restaurant.

Rawlings explains thus: “When we designed Nobu, for example, because a lot of the plates are for sharing, it is very important that the tables are rectangular with the narrow side facing the customer, so there’s a larger space in the middle and all the plates that you’re sharing have room in the centre of the table.” It’s the clarity of vision in these early stages that makes some restaurants more successful than others, in the long run.

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PREVIOUS PAGE Subsix, an underwater nightclub at Per Aquum Niyama in the Maldives.

ABOVE Tables at London’s Nobu restaurant, designed by the David Collins Studio, were conceptualised for sharing plates.

BELOW Exsud’s take on technique, product and emotion at bistro SAN in Brussels, Belgium.

For his new Brussels bistro SAN, two-Michelin-star chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre describes the three most important ingredients of his cooking as “technique, product and emotion”. Exsud, a Polish-based interior design firm, used these elements as inspiration for its design. Guests are greeted in a simple reception area clad in wood with a large number of stools reminiscent of pastel-coloured pearls. The walls are washed with a changing hue of light blue, developing from aquamarine to turquoise. Particularly striking is the path of russet metal leaves, almost forming an arch, which runs across the ceiling and illuminates it with rose opal hangings.

The next step for a restaurant designer is to understand the most important aspects of the day-to-day running: the functionality of the room and what kind of feeling or experience the customers are having. If these aspects are dealt with, everything else should just fall into place.

At this point Rawlings, as the creative director, will come up with what he calls the “big idea”—a vision that »

ARCHITECTURE · INTERIOR

DESIGN IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE. Architecture comes to perfection when interior feels like home.

MANG MAURITZ DESIGN GMBH MUNICH | GERMANY · INFO@MANGMAURITZ.COM MANGMAURITZ.COM

RESTAURANT DESIGN After a three-year design process and five years of construction, some important aesthetic aspects even turned out to be free of charge. The nature surrounding the building is spectacular. The restaurant, located at the western side of the hotel, has an unobscured view of the sun as it sets directly over the ocean. Equally, guests can watch whales jumping just 45 metres from their tables.

Thinking about the food and decoration aspect, Saunders explains that Newfoundland’s food has similarities to Scandinavian food in that it is clean and simple. He has therefore kept the decorations in a very simple palette of materials with no artworks on the walls. Indeed, the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows could just as well hang on the walls of any museum of contemporary art—being a picture in itself.

For Rawlings, the ideal timeframe to design a restaurant interior from the first conversation to the first customer is realistically one year. Many projects take longer, some less, but there is a lot to think about.

Ed Poole of Poole Associates, who redesigned Subsix, an underwater nightclub at Per Aquum Niyama in the Maldives, into a restaurant area, says the acoustics were central to his design. “The floor needed to stay timber as it’s still used as a club on some nights. Thus we padded the walls and added sound-batting material over the ceiling to stop any »

« he then communicates to the chef or the operator and his own team of in-house designers. “This big idea doesn’t mean that things should be themed, just that they should have a clarity and a point of view. Inspiration for colour and texture comes from travel and I like to design restaurants that have a sense of place within that city. We would start with colour; it might come from vintage fashion shows or from beautiful ceramics.”

For Todd Saunders of Norway-based Saunders Architecture, having an original idea for his most famous hotel and restaurant design came rather naturally. Because Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland, Canada, was the first hotel and restaurant he’s ever done, “the most difficult aspect was me”, admits Saunders. “I was really young and in my thirties when I did the project. But that was actually a blessing in disguise because I took it very seriously and I had nothing to copy, so we were coming up with original ideas all the time.”

Fogo Island Inn was to be a cultural and economic engine for the island, one of Canada’s oldest settlements. The inn is owned by a charitable foundation and is now operated for the benefit of the community, people who by virtue of their centuries of geographic isolation have become masters of making things by hand, recycling and devising local solutions to all manner of challenges.

Saunders and his team worked on the designs of the restaurant’s tables and chairs with London-based designers Glass Hill, and Tjep, an industrial design studio that created the lamps. Saunders continues: “The women from the island, the craftspeople, they made the lamps. And the men from the island, the boat builders, they made the tables and chairs.

Everything in that room was actually built on the island by the people of Fogo Island. It’s one of the only pieces of handmade modern architecture in the last 100 years ever done.”

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Photo: Krisztina.Kerekes

A DECLARATION OF LOVE MADE OUT OF GEMS, PEARLS AND GOLD. Each jewel bouquet is unique, designed and handcrafted in our small goldsmith studio in Vienna – according to the wishes of our customers.

THE JEWEL FLOWERS VIENNA www.thejewelflowers.com Contact and sale: Goldsmith studio ”Der grosse Baer“ Tuchlauben 17 im Hof, 1010 Vienna, Austria Phone +43 1 532 12 32, www.dergrossebaer.com

RESTAURANT DESIGN

« reverberation. The room needed to have no reflected sound to keep it intimate. Capiz shells mask the acoustic board.”

In terms of design ideas for Subsix, Poole was aware that the already-existing space needed to have a memorable aspect without overpowering the incredible underwater views. Thus he kept the seating black, with a sea-urchin concept, and the tables white with dark flooring. Poole has a strong view about his preference for a total renovation of existing spaces: “We rarely ever touch the work of other designers. Once a space is a clean slate, we can see what we have to work with.”

Piet Boon, on the other hand, who has worked with chefs Sergio Herman and Nick Bril on converting the chapel of a former military hospital in Antwerp into what is now The Jane restaurant, restored only the highly necessary in the chapel and preserved the rest. For him, the original ceiling, for example, conveys the pure, understated and respectful environment that serves as the authentic host for the ultimate fine-dining experience. The original altar gave way to the kitchen that is embraced by glass like a modern shrine. The shared passion of Herman, Bril and Boon to 146

PREVIOUS PAGE The floorto-ceiling windows at Fogo Island Inn, designed by Tedd Saunders; Capiz shells hang from the ceiling at Ed Poole’s redesigned Subsix at Per Aquum Niyama in the Maldives.

ABOVE Simon Rawlings’s vision of green tiles and invisible lighting elements realised at The Continental in Hong Kong; Sergio Herman’s Michelinstarred restaurant The Jane, a former chapel redesigned by Piet Boon.

work with pure, rich materials is expressed in the natural stone, leather and oak wood that are used for the interior.

But the Piet Boon studio also collaborated with a number of leading creative partners to shape the fine dining meets rock ‘n’ roll character of the overall experience. Studio Job, for example, designed the windows consisting of 500 unique panels. Archetypes from various worlds each tell stories of good and evil, rich and poor and life and death as well as good food and religion.

It’s often the details that make a restaurant interior remarkable. In one of Simon Rawlings’s latest projects, The Continental in Hong Kong, green is the main colour, inspired by a tile he found in Milan. He explains: “When you choose a colour you think it looks great in daylight, but then the sun comes in and the colour changes. At night the colour changes again and green turns black. It’s trial and error to get the colour that transcends these different times of day.” He also explains his dislike of light fixtures that are switched off during the day. So he designed fixtures that look like sculptures during the day containing an invisible light source making them twinkle at night. Looking closer, Rawlings created certain perforations that follow through in a lot of the details, if subtly. “I don’t want people to go away and remember this kind of detail, but when you’re in there you really feel that someone has cared about what they’re doing, as much as the chefs take care when they present the plates. It’s the little things.” Revealing one of these little things, Rawlings says: “If you go into one of the restaurants that we designed, always touch the underside of the table.

I always line them with felt. It costs maybe 20 pence per table, but it’s those little details that make the difference.”

Rawlings is currently developing a new dining experience in London together with Nuno Mendes of Chiltern Firehouse fame: the reopening of Viajante at a unique riverside location in Wapping, creating a new destination dining spot in London.

An invitation to mix and match PLAYGROUND is a broad palette of inspirations to set the stage for your cuisine in uniquely different and exciting ways. Enjoy!

Designed exclusively for PLAYGROUND

Amuse Tower – a true impostor. Vertical food presentation.

Enchant your guests with a glamorous presentation: gourmet bowl oak with marble lid and glass cloche.

Visited fantastic places. Saw fantastic things.

Loved the fantastic food.

Today guests have more experience with the world’s culinary arts than ever before. When it comes to today’s food presentation, they often seek for refreshing accents, surprising eye-catchers and amazing stages, for completely new ways of present­ing­fine­foods.­

This in mind, PLAYGROUND offers a festival of delights exclusively designed or collected from every corner of the world. A great show, performed on stages at different heights. Fine food terraces or food towers made of fascinating materials.

The chef becomes a magician who enchants his guests. He presents his eccentric ideas provocatively, puris tically or simply glamorously.

BHS TABLETOP AG · INFO@PLAYGROUND.DE · WWW.PLAYGROUND.DE

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15.06.18 11:00

Smile all the stay.

Welcome to the new LUX* Grand Gaube, a totally reimagined retro-chic tropical retreat in Mauritius.

What’s Next?

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INTERIOR DESIGN

DESIGN TALK WITH KELLY HOPPEN With 40 years of experience at the forefront of the design industry, Kelly Hoppen is one of the most celebrated and sought-after interiors experts in the world. FOUR speaks to the designer to find out how she guarantees impeccable taste and bespoke style every time.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR LINE OF WORK? I got into my line of work at quite an early age – I was only 16-and-a-half! I’ve always adored design and interiors for as long, and I think I always knew it was what I was going to do for a living. My first job was to design the kitchen of a family friend. I definitely jumped in at the deep end and it didn’t exactly go to plan, but I did it! If it wasn’t for that kitchen, I might not be where I am today.

WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR DESIGN IDOL, AND WHY? I don’t have a specific interior design idol; I am probably more influenced by architects such as Zaha Hadid and Richard Rogers; fashion designers like Chanel, Azzedine Alaïa, Givenchy and others. In terms of furniture design, I am a huge fan of Charles and Ray Eames; their pieces are just iconic and will never go out of style.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY? My design philosophy has always been East meets West with a contemporary twist. I love the Eastern philosophy, the sense of tranquillity, harmony, way of life, and the way this is reflected in these interiors.

DO YOU USUALLY HAVE A DESIGN BRIEF FOR YOUR PROJECTS, OR A CARTE BLANCHE ATTITUDE? There is always a brief but I am given a lot of free reign.

People come to me for my style nowadays, and I will always

LEFT Family Living Room, LUX* Grand Gaube.

ABOVE Interior design expert Kelly Hoppen.

make suggestions if I feel something could work better – that’s what they hire me for! Getting to know the client first is crucial for any project. Each project is completely different – designing a yacht differs from designing something residential, therefore a different approach will be taken. With international projects they are always bespoke, respecting the culture, architecture and the people.

WHERE DO YOU GET INSPIRATION FOR THE DESIGNS YOU CREATE? Inspiration, for me, comes mainly from all the different countries I have visited – that and music. When I was a child, my parents loved taking me travelling with them to lots of different parts of the world. I still love to travel, » 149

INTERIOR DESIGN

LEFT Inti restaurant, LUX* Grand Gaube.

RIGHT Miro Etagere subtle blend of modern and vintage for SONDER Living.

BELOW Kelly Hoppen for SONDER Living.

purist. I like to use runners, as well a contrast of colours and textures in my designs, such as using dark and pale colours together and blending contemporary and vintage, while layering gorgeous textures together to create sensuality and depth – and it’s quite well known that my favourite colour is taupe!

« I wish I could do more – discovering different cultures, surroundings and music definitely sparks my creativity and influences my designs.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR DESIGNS IN GENERAL? Every project I have worked on has its own special qualities and differs from the another. However, a very unique project that I recently worked on was designing the Celebrity Edge Cruise ship. It was a challenge but I was so happy with the results. I can’t wait for it to set sail later this year! I also absolutely adored designing my retrospective collection For Sondee Living – it was such a milestone for me, and a wonderful way to mark 40 years in the industry.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF YOUR MOST RECENT PROJECT? Most recently I designed the LUX* resort Grand Gaube in Mauritius. It’s the second resort I’ve designed for LUX* on the island, and I’ll never tire of visiting there – it’s such a special place. The surrounding area of the resort reminded me of Africa, where I was born, so I drew inspiration and influence from that. I aimed for the LUX* Grand Gaube in Mauritius to feel isolated, as if the guests were secluded on their own beautiful island.

DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE DESIGN STYLE? Yes, you can always tell a Kelly Hoppen interior when you see one! Each design is unique, but I always stick to my core design principles; clean lines, balance and symmetry. I’m a 150

WHAT ARE YOUR DESIGN TREND PREDICTIONS FOR 2018?

A big trend for 2018 is the ceiling; people are only just realising how adding elements to the ceiling of a room can transform a space. Personally, I think that ceilings are an extremely important part of a building and can add so much beauty and richness to a room. I recently designed a space in Asia that featured panelled metals; wallpaper and grid line strips of wood on the ceiling, which created a spectacular effect that just amplified the beauty of the room.

WHAT’S NEXT? I’m working on a very exciting project launching at the end of this year, which I can’t wait to share with everyone. As I mentioned, I designed the interiors of the Celebrity Edge cruise ship, which is setting sail at the end of this year – it’s like no cruise liner you’ve ever seen and has created quite a buzz in the travel industry. I’ll also be continuing my ambassadorial roles. I’ve recently become an ambassador for Cool Earth and hope to get involved with other charities close to my heart.