Remy Solen.

Good conversation is its own destination.

A table by the window, a story worth hearing, and no need to look at the clock. That is usually a very good beginning.

I collect recipes more enthusiastically than I follow them. Food writing is my excuse to stay curious, although the conversation around a table is often more interesting than what is on it. I have a soft spot for handwritten menus, secondhand records and people who change their minds thoughtfully.

My favourite dinner conversations tend to continue long after the plates are cleared. I like asking what somebody grew up eating, or which song they would rescue from a forgotten record shop. An honest answer is more interesting than a polished one.