From the perfectly crunchy baguette tradition to a fluffy croissant, good bread is abundant in France, but Alex Croquet pushes the art of baking to a whole other level. Based in the small village of Wattignies in the outskirts of Lille, Alex Croquet has refused proposals to expand from all over the world whether it's in London, Paris or Tokyo. In the style of a true artisan, a shokunin, he wakes early every morning to make bread at his boulangerie in Wattignies village, which also supplies the bread to his Lille bakery.

There is one ingredient that stands out more than any other in our search for the top ingredients in the world. Saffron. The most majestic of all spices has a four thousand-year history that spans numerous cultures, countries, and civilizations and is valuable asgold. Saffron originated from the flower of…

We sit down with Victoria Espinosa, founder and owner of Xocao Chocolate, one of our favourite and stunning products from around the world. The chocolate company has gone from strength to strength, transforming artisanal and bean-to-bar chocolate in the country and showcasing the quality of their native beans. Now, they…

Luxeat talks with Silvia Altare from Elio Altare and Chiara Boschis from Pira & Figli about their favourite wines, influences and how they see the future. Silvia has been fully involved in Elio Altare, her family’s winery since early 2000. She is present at every step from looking after the…

Bruno Cayron has vegetables in his veins. As a young graphic designer in Paris, it was his ecological convictions that saw him return to his birthplace to create one of the most diverse market gardens in France, completely organic and in harmony with the clay-soil and climate of the region…

A small, uneven fungus that packs such an aromatic punch and is considered globally as a prized, luxury ingredient. Ever wondered how truffles grow and where you can find them? Luxeat recently spent some time exploring the north west of Italy and sat down with Ezio Costa, wife Clelia and…

My 10 quick questions to a pioneer of winemaking in Israel, the founder of Domaine du Castel family winery and award-winning wine-maker Eli Ben Zaken. 1. How would you describe your wine in a few words?Restrained. Elegant. Long. Worth ageing. 2. You are a pioneer in Israeli winemaking. Who and…

It’s not often that you get the chance to speak with a chef who has over 70 years experience in cooking. The phenomenal Jacques Pépin is one such man. Born in France, he worked in some of the finest kitchens in Paris (as well as working as the private chef…

A single word holds the key to the magic to so much of what we understand about the world of taste and flavour today – Umami. But what is this famous fifth taste, where do we find it, and why is it that we can’t get enough of it? In…

Throughout this series, we’ve delved into the world of Umami – the indescribable fifth flavour – which was discovered in Japan by Professor Ikeda in 1908. To put it simply, when something is really tasty and delicious, it’s very often the case that it’s got umami in it. Scientifically, these…