Chloe Martin

I would love to know a little more about you! Let's start with the basics— where are you from / where do you live, what do you do etc.?

So I was born in Santa Barbara, California, and my family and I moved around a lot throughout my childhood in and around California, and when I was 11 we moved to the south of France until I went to uni in the UK. I now live in Brighton, UK and have been for the last few years. My Mom is from Iceland and my Dad is Irish which growing up weaved its way into family meals. I’ve worked mainly in hospitality and have always had a love for cooking which allowed me to gravitate towards chef roles.‍

I think watching him have such a positive relationship with what he did made me not only want to explore it, but instilled confidence in me to work hard at something I love.

What part of your local food culture influences or is important to you?

I think working and cooking with seasonal produce where you live is important and can push you to be creative with ways of bending it and incorporating it into dishes you’ve tried or want to try. I'm grateful that I work in a kitchen where that is a main focus and acts as key component in menu creation.

‍When did your love of food begin and what is your earliest food memory?

My Dad has always been an amazing chef and had a restaurant before I was born in California and he carried his love for food and entertaining throughout my life. I think watching him have such a positive relationship with what he did made me not only want to explore it, but instilled confidence in me to work hard at something I love. I don’t have one specific memory in mind but my parents would always throw parties and gatherings when I was younger, making it look so effortless.

‍What made you start documenting your food? I love all of your gorgeous plates!

Thank you! I owe that to French brocantes and flea markets when I visit my parents in France. I think during lockdown I was cooking more creatively, and getting inspired from other chefs not only on their ingredients but their attention to detail when plating. ‍

Having been vegetarian for almost a decade, and only started eating meat in the last couple years, Ive grown interested in exploring meat and fish-based dishes.

What are some of your main influences? It doesn’t have to just be food.

I’m influenced by a lot, whether that be something I’ve seen online that I want to tweak, or having a memorable meal out and looking to recreate something I’ve tasted. Having been vegetarian for almost a decade, and only started eating meat in the last couple years, Ive grown interested in exploring meat and fish-based dishes.

‍Do you like hosting? And if so, what are some of your go-to dinner party recipes?

I do! It's something I’ve loved doing in the recent years, whether its one person coming over or cooking for 8 people. This also circles back to watching my parents host parties for hundreds of people at our house and pulling it off with great food and wine on the table.

I think if you’re catering to different dietary restrictions/vegetarian options it's beneficial to make it work with the rest of the menu, rather than making one veggie option that doesn’t pair well with what everyone else is having. I tend to do a bigger plate that the menu is orientated around and smaller plates that work with everything and also stand out on their own. Also, having a good amount of wine on the table or getting people to bring a bottle always helps.‍

I work roughly 9-10 hours in a kitchen a day and almost always feel like by the time I get home my energy has been put in to cooking all day so getting a takeaway is a real treat.

How about your comfort food, what comes to mind? Are you cooking something or ordering in or both?

I think it's a good balance of both. It really depends what I’m craving that day, which more often than not is something with rice. Having a rice cooker where you can just put it on in the morning and come back in the evening and have perfect rice with a kimchi stew has been a recent go-to as it's been so cold here. Also you can’t go wrong with pasta or risotto.

I work roughly 9-10 hours in a kitchen a day and almost always feel like by the time I get home my energy has been put in to cooking all day so getting a takeaway is a real treat. ‍

Tell us a little more about your process, how do you plan out your ideas when recipe developing?

I think it depends on the dish, some recipes require marinating over night, or going to a specific store for ingredients etc. If I’m throwing a dinner party I tend to plan a few days in advance. The prep process is something I love so so much. If I can just spend a day doing prep that can afford to be done the day before it’s a real meditation moment for me.

Up until a few years ago I didn’t see myself working in a kitchen as cooking felt like something I loved doing at home but felt intimidated by in a professional kitchen

What does the online ‘home cook’ community mean to you? Who are some of your favorite home cooks?

‍I think it’s a very important resource to stumble upon, especially for people wanting to get into cooking or learn about various methods. I think it can seem daunting looking at professional chefs talk about what their process is, as almost no one I know has a completely decked out kitchen with every gadget or space for that matter to try intricate recipes. I think what you and other home cooks are doing is special and provides a welcoming platform for people to cook in their home using what they have. Some of the many chefs I draw inspiration from are Samin Nosrat - in the beginning of lockdown I would listen to her HOME COOKING podcast. Also Carla Lalli Music, and Matty Matheson.

How and when did you make the transition from home cook into a professional setting?

Up until a few years ago I didn’t see myself working in a kitchen as cooking felt like something I loved doing at home but felt intimidated by in a professional kitchen. I can happily say that’s changed due to practice and working your ass off. I think that if you truly love cooking and exploring food in general, you’ll always be looking for what’s next.