Marguerite Cordelle of Studio Kokumi on Noma
Studio Kokumi is the Paris-based design studio of Marguerite Cordelle, whose most recent project is the development and design of the new Paris restaurant, Coretta. After coming across her work online, we asked Marguerite to share a little more about her experience at Noma, in Copenhagen, where she photographed and conceptualized her Master Thesis. Read her words below:
My inquisitive mind brought me to Copenhagen for a very specific reason: the restaurant Noma, and its masterful chef, René Redzepi. I yearned to discover his cooking philosophy and in particular his method of representing time and space within his dishes.
The experience was a pleasure not just reserved for the stomach, but equally for the eyes and for the soul. Redzepi takes his patrons on a culinary journey through his "snacking," a journey that remains one of my most treasured culinary experiences. The plethora of small dishes Redzepi produces allows his guests to gain a better understanding of the world of Noma; a world constructed of the marriage of sustenance and beauty, seasoned with humor.
The final bite, called the Aebleskiver, was my favorite. I loved the playfulness that was expressed by the small smoked and salted Finnish fish that pierced the sphere as though it was swimming through it. The contrast between the filamentary nature of the fish and the roundness of the foam ball fried lichen makes the look of the fish much less frightening and instead, cheerfully invites you to chew his head off.
The philosophy of René Redzepi is based on the desire to immerse the customer in an environment conducive to the awakening of the senses; from the interior of the restaurant, to the attention and precision shown in the execution of the food, to the casual service expressed through the choice of dish ware. Noma offers a strong sensory experience and it is through this awakening of the senses that our intellect is activated. The dishes at Noma undoubtedly are speaking to not just our stomachs but to our souls as well.
Photos courtesy of Studio Kokumi.