Coming from a big family, Sunday lunches were always a thing. My mum would prepare a big meal, always keeping seasonality in mind. In summer, we would gorge on asparagus, and in winter, a huge pot of ratatouille. Gathering around the table was something really special and something that I think is more important than ever in today’s digital day and age.

I travel a lot and I try to pay attention to the small moments that serve as inspiration. Once in Paris, near Notre Dame, I saw a houseboat. Though the boat itself was unremarkable (unlike the neighbouring houseboats, full of plants and very appealing living accents, it was bare) but it had a small table with a white tablecloth, those giant fancy wine glasses, a bottle of red, and a cheese or two with a baguette. Two women were sitting having a chat and enjoying a casual aperitif. A small moment, marked by its simplicity, engraved in my head.

It was just over a year ago that I embarked on this journey of following my passion: food and design. Before, I juggled design and marketing in a corporate field where I realised I wasn’t the happiest but I was doing well. 

A thought came to me: if I can succeed in a field I’m not the fondest about, what could I achieve by following my passions in a professional capacity? I quit my job, enrolled in the Diplome de Cuisine at Le Cordon Blue and haven’t looked back since. 

Since then I worked in a bunch of great restaurants, but realised that working in a commercial kitchen is too restrictive for me. Now, I’m connecting my past experiences and knowledge with food and design to create amazing experiences for people. 

In a way, gemstones remind me of fresh produce. Each one is totally unique in its colour and shape. The work that goes into extracting the uncut gemstone to polishing them into a beautiful cut gem is extremely complex. It’s a process that we might not consider when buying our jewellery, but it is one of amazing value and story. 

Working on this collaboration with Molten Store is a great opportunity to - using food - showcase the greater story behind gemstones so people can appreciate the journey a gemstone goes through to become a stunning final piece. 

For me, there is a symmetry here with fresh produce. People often don’t think about where their tomatoes come from, but there is a rich backstory to every natural wonder, whether a tomato or a gemstone. 

Every piece of jewellery I own has been gifted to me by people I love. Each piece holds great value, from the diamond pieces from my partner, to the family heirlooms passed on to me from my 101 year-old great grandmother Zosia, who I was named after. 

When I was little, I always played with my grandmother's jewels and listened to stories of each and every one of them. I remember this very fondly. With time, more and more of these pieces are passed on to me, and aside from their aesthetic beauty, the stories they hold are of the greatest value.