A Conversation with model and chef Judith Leclerc
We joined our friend Judith Leclerc - a chef, model, and creative spirit, at one of her favourite places in Hill End. Over a delicious ARTEFACT themed lunch, we delved into her culinary philosophy - the rituals that anchor her, and the artefacts, both edible and ephemeral that shape her world of food.
In collaboration with Judith, we crafted a menu inspired by our ARTEFACT collection. Guided by the grape vine, she wove its leaves, fruit, and form through the menu: hand-rolled dolmades, pickled grapes, and a caponata laced with raisins.Judith’s cooking is led by the landscape: wild herbs, seasonal fruit, and ingredients found close to the earth.
Here, Judith reflects on her creative process, the landscapes that inspire her, and the edible artefacts that carry stories of place and memory.
We’d love to know more about your creative process. How do you begin, and what tends to shape the way you cook and create?
It always starts with the product, really — what’s available at the market or outdoors (I do love foraging), what’s in season. I think you can’t go wrong when using fresh, local, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. They’ll always be flavoursome, and that’s the key to any kind of good cuisine. Then I kind of follow my intuition, drawing from my recollection of recipes, reading, travelling, and eating out at restaurants. It all blends together into the dish you’ll end up with.
When I’m cooking for a professional project, having some kind of guidelines from the client helps shape the menu. For example, for the Lucy Folk campaign, it was about celebrating the vines, so I created a menu inspired by the collection. Sometimes even constraints are helpful — they force you to think differently.
What guided your vision when curating the menu for the ARTEFACT campaign shoot?
For Lucy Folk’s ARTEFACT collection, I wanted to create a menu that accompanied the brand’s celebration of the beauty and versatility of the vine, using it in different forms across the dishes. I made dolmades with vine leaves from the very same garden where the collection was shot — Luke Sciberras’ place in Hill End. The leaves had been steeped in brine for over a year, and I was so happy to use them for this special occasion. For the cannellini bean salad, I prepared pickled grapes and added raisins to make a traditional caponata.
Is there a personal artefact - a scent, a keepsake or an object that quietly anchors or inspires you?
The smell of freshly ground coffee — there’s nothing like it! Or maybe the smell of fig trees — it reminds me of my childhood and of Corsica.
How does the idea of an ‘artefact’ — something timeless, treasured, and full of story - resonate with your work in the kitchen?
Artefacts are everywhere in my cooking world. They’re present in my books, in my ceramic plates, in the act of transmission, in the memory of time spent cooking with family and friends.
What rituals do you honour at either beginning or end of the day?
I never really thought about it, but actually, my day both begins and ends with hot beverages. Every morning starts with a cup of coffee (and French radio), and every night I have an herbal tea — I’ve been really into thyme and fresh verbena lately!
Can you recall a meal you’ll never forget?
Ten years ago, while travelling in Cambodia with my best friends, we ended up in a small beach town known for its giant crab statue. We had a feast of crab, wearing serviettes as bibs — it was hilarious and delicious. There was one particular dish — crab with fresh green peppercorns — that I’ll remember forever. Cambodia grows one of the best peppers in the world, called Kampot, and they use it fresh in many dishes. I’ll never forget the delicacy of the crab flesh paired with the fire of those fresh green peppercorns exploding in my mouth.
ARTEFACT inspired bread thanks to our friends at Iggys Bread.
Do you have a favourite restaurant, if so where?
That’s a hard one — I don’t have just one, I have many! There’s Le Rigmarole in Paris, truly one of the best fine dining experiences you could wish for.
I also recommend Ai Due Platani, just outside Parma — I went there in July, and it was exceptional. The best ravioli I’ve ever had. And Aster in Athens, a beautiful little restaurant in the Petralona area — simple, fresh Greek food with a great atmosphere.
You’ve recently launched a gelato truck - what’s the story behind this delicious new adventure? And, of course, what’s your all-time favourite flavour to scoop?
The story behind it is my love for a bush boy named Sam Armstrong. Sam and his family turned a Land Rover into a coffee truck on their property in Mudgee, where they sold coffee and hot cinnamon doughnuts. We wanted to offer something special for summer — and what’s better than delicious Italian gelato?
In August, we were meant to meet my family in Corsica, but we decided to drive through northern Italy first on what we called a “business trip” — a very serious gelato research mission. A couple of months later, Sam found a Cattabriga vertical stick machine from the ’60s in Australia and — voilà! We started the new business in November.
We do two flavours a week — one gelato, one sorbet — always based on what’s in season, using the beautiful fruits available in the Mudgee area.
Some favourites so far? The chocolate and cardamom sorbet (absolutely delicious, though not kid-friendly), a zesty lemon sorbet (a classic, but so good), and an almond granita served affogato-style with a shot of espresso.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“Judith, what is done is done,” said to me by some guy I met at a party in Athens. I often think about him and how true that is — I tend to ruminate on the past, which isn’t helpful. What’s done is done; what’s important is what’s yet to come.
What sounds and stories are currently guiding you? And Why?
The Jukebox CD PARTY MIX 2012! We’ve been driving up and down to Mudgee almost every weekend, and the Bluetooth in the car doesn’t work, so we’ve been digging through old CDs from Sam’s parents’ pub-owner days. It’s both wonderful and horrific.
But if you do have access to streaming, my latest obsession is Operating Theater — "Spring is Coming with a Strawberry in the Mouth."
When you’re not cooking, where does your creativity flow?
I’ve always loved photography and film, so I’ve been learning technical skills — lighting, video editing. Over the past year, Sam and I have been working on a photography and video project about the house we currently live in in Sydney.
I also started ceramics a year ago, which has become a passion — it complements my love for cooking so beautifully. I was lucky to meet Ryan, who’s now both my teacher and my friend. He has the most amazing studio on McKenzie Bay, with the best view and a small barbecue. Every time I go, we experiment and cook up a feast!
What’s taking shape for you right now- any new projects or ideas on the horizon?
I’m currently working on the catering menu for an Australian brand called Commas, which is hosting their showroom in Paris. So I’m spending a lot of time in the test kitchen working on this project — I’m very excited about it!
And finally, what’s currently on your Lucy Folk wish-list?
The Morning Ritual Ring, the cute Flower Bucket Hat, and the Draa Embossed Rectangular Sunglasses.
