The story behind Marie et Marcelle

Bonjour!

My name is Pauline. I am the passionate epicurean behind Marie et Marcelle, with a love of food that blossoms from my French heritage.

Cooking has always been a family affair. My fondest food memories take me back to holidays spent at my grandparents’ farm in Charente, France. 

Each season was rich with happy moments. Winter at the farm was an important time, characterised by the yearly family reunions, spending quality time together by the fireplace in the kitchen. Each person took a role in putting together a feast; a tradition that remains in place to this day.

We celebrated Easter with lamb, slowly cooked over the embers. Summer was my favourite; we roamed the outdoors picking fruits, eating plenty while keeping enough to make delicious jams. My grandmother would show us how to look after and harvest fruits, vegetables and flowers. In autumn we would prepare jars with the many types of nuts and fruits produced on the farm.

During these golden moments I developed a special bond with my grandmother, “Mamie” Marcelle. She was a talented chef, oustanding gardener and the best grandmother a grandkid might wish for. She had inherited her skills and knowledge from her mother Marie. She shared with me her love for food, and the joy found in sharing it with others. It was by her side, carefully watching her movements, that I learned how to cook the ingredients that came from our soil.

 

This spark inspired my journey into the world of food. I started my education in the culinary and hospitality fields with the dream to become a chef and open my own restaurant. I trained in a 2-Michelin star kitchen, worked in luxury hotels and palaces, and ran a catering business with friends. I’ve worked in France, the Caribbean, the United States, and crossed continents before settling down in London. Whilst in the years before starting Marie et Marcelle I worked in a different industry, I came to realise that creativity and gastronomy had always been a personal passion.

Cooking has always been a refuge; where a simple taste or texture can whisk me back to those magical memories of my youth. This new chapter, back in the culinary world, is a tribute to “Mamie” Marcelle and her mother Marie. And it is a shining wish; to share this part of my heritage with you.