Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld For Redmilk

Molte grazie to the marvelous Francesca Berti for today's guest post, she graciously offered to translate from Italian to English an interview that Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld granted to Candela Novembre for Redmilk. I hope readers will enjoy learning more about the latest exhibit organized by Vlad, "After Modern Vermin Control," as well as a few of his personal preferences, particularly his feelings for stilettos...

Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld For Redmilk
By Francesca Berti

Candela Novembre incontra per Redmilk Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld. In questa occasione il talentuoso gallerista le ha presentato in anteprima la mostra che ha curato insieme a Nicolò Cardi, "After Modern Vermin Control" dell'artista francese Nicolas Pol in esposizione fino al 15 dicembre presso la Cardi Black Box di Milano.

Qual è la prima cosa che fai quando ti svegli?
Mi lavo i denti.

E l’ultima prima di andare a dormire?
Mi lavo i denti.

Che cosa ti viene in mente se ti dico arte?
Creatività.

Quando capisci che ti trovi di fronte a un capolavoro?
C’è sempre un’emozione quando si vede un quadro e io credo che sia tutta questione di occhio e buon gusto. Quando vedi qualcosa di buono lo sai subito. Non hai bisogno di ricevere tante informazioni dall’artista riguardo quello che stai osservando. Devi solo seguire il tuo istinto quando ti trovi di fronte a un dipinto.

Se tu potessi essere un supereroe, quale sceglieresti?
Zidane.

Un sogno di quando eri bambino?
Diventare un giocatore di calcio.

Hai sogni per il futuro?
Fare il mio lavoro nel migliore dei modi e per più tempo possibile.

Il tuo pasto preferito al mondo?
In casa a Parigi, cenando in cucina con mia madre, mio padre e mia sorella: il miglior posto per una riunione di famiglia.

Vladimir è molto bravo nel…?
Sono molto bravo nell’organizzazione.

E invece cosa ti riesce male?
Nulla.

C’è qualcosa che non indosseresti mai?
Stilettos.

Qual è l’ultima cosa che hai comprato?
Un dipinto di un artista americano.

La tua canzone preferita?
Dipende dal mio stato d’animo, non sono un tipo molto musicale. Posso godere ascoltando la radio o un vecchio mix degli anni ’80… In generale mi piace ascoltare musica che sollevi il mio umore o che mi dia più energia quando corro e faccio esercizio fisico.

Non puoi vivere senza…?
La mia famiglia.

Puoi vivere senza…?
Le persone cattive.

Candela Meets Vladimir
Redmilk, 17 October 2013

Candela Novembre met Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld for Redmilk. On this occasion the talented gallerist showed her a preview of the exhibition he has curated with Nicolò Cardi, entitled "After Modern Vermin Control," by the French artist Nicolas Pol, at the Cardi Black Box in Milan, until 15 December.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
I brush my teeth.

And the last before going to bed?
I brush my teeth.

What occurs to you if I say "art"?
Creativity.

When do you understand that you are in front of a masterpiece?
It’s an emotional reaction when you see a painting and I believe that it’s all about having an eye and trusting in your own taste. When you see something good, you know it immediately. You do not need to receive much information from the artist about what you are observing. You have only to follow your instinct when you stand in front a painting.

If you could be a superhero, which would you choose?
Zidane. 

[Editor's note: In case you have never heard of Zidane, Francesca filled me in: "Zidane is not a real superhero but a French football player. He is famous for his rude/violent character and also for hurting an Italian football player during the World Cup!!"]

Your dream when you were a child?
Becoming a football player.

Do you have a dream for the future?
Do my job in the best way and for as long as possible.

Your favorite meal in the world?
At home in Paris, dining in the kitchen with my mother, my father, and my sister: the best place for a family reunion.

Vladimir is very good at…?
I’m very good at organization.

And you are very bad at…?
Nothing.

Is there something that you would never wear?
Stilettos.

What was the last thing you bought?
A painting by an American artist.

What is your favorite song?
Depends on my mood, I’m not a very musical type. I can enjoy listening to the radio or an old mix of 80s. In general I like listening to music that lifts my mood or that gives me more energy when I run or I do exercise.

You cannot live without…?
My family.

You can live without…?
Bad people.

Translation from Italian to English by Francesca Berti

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Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld photos and text © 2013 Redmilk - P.IVA. All Rights Reserved.

Julia Restoin Roitfeld's Lobster Spaghetti With Fresh Tomatoes

Julia Restoin Roitfeld's Lobster Spaghetti With Fresh Tomatoes
By Renee Hernandez

Food and style have always gone together so lure some luxury into your kitchen with Julia Restoin Roitfeld’s lobster spaghetti recipe. I love how Julia brings a little health consciousness to every recipe she develops. In this recipe she uses fresh and naturally nutrient-rich ingredients like ripe tomatoes, basil, and garlic — calling for just enough olive oil to deliver fantastic flavor and richness without overdoing the calories. I was slightly intimidated about selecting and cooking lobster so I opted for frozen lobster meat. It is super easy to cook and still has great flavor.

LOBSTER SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATOES

Ingredients

• ½ cup fruity extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 2 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and very finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 one-pound lobsters, cooked and shelled, or ¾ pound cooked lobster meat
• 3 tablespoons finely slivered fresh basil, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 pound spaghetti alla chitarra or spaghettini
•  Red chili flakes

Directions

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 5 quart sauté pan or a wide saucepan. Add garlic, cook over low heat until it softens, then add tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for spaghetti.
3. Dice lobster meat. Place 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add lobster and cook until just warmed through. Fold in half of the basil. Cover and set aside.
4. When water boils, add pasta and cook until barely al dente. Drain and place in pan with tomatoes. Stir in remaining oil. Cook, stirring gently over low heat, about 5 minutes, until pasta and tomatoes are warmed and well incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper; fold in remaining basil.
5. Transfer to 6 shallow soup plates. Top each portion with lobster, garnish with basil sprigs and serve, with red chili flakes on the side.

In this video I demonstrate the simplicity of Julia’s recipe which is perfect for a romantic dinner. Overall time for preparation and cooking is about 45 minutes and feeds six. So go ahead and cook like a Roitfeld... Bon appétit!

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Julia Restoin Roitfeld's Lobster Spaghetti With Fresh Tomatoes film stills © 2013 Renee Hernandez. All Rights Reserved.

Julia Restoin Roitfeld's Roast Chicken And Quinoa

Julia Restoin Roitfeld's Roast Chicken And Quinoa
By Renee Hernandez

When I think of fashion and models, food doesn’t even register. Think a model’s diet consists of coffee, cigarettes, and air? Wrong. After reading Cesar Casier’s interview I discovered one model who is passionate about food. His cookbook titled Model Kitchen features recipes from Casier and his top-model friends, including Karlie Kloss, Lindsey Wixson, Lily Donaldson, Milla Jovovich, and Julia Restoin Roitfeld. In Model Kitchen you’ll find 75 healthy recipes that are easy and affordable to make. No self-imposed deprivation here. Just a sensible, thoughtful approach to eating. I especially loved Julia Restoin Roitfeld’s Roast Chicken and Quinoa Salad recipe. Her recipe is on the low-calorie side yet tastes like an indulgence and is super easy to make! In this video I show just how easy JRR’s recipe is. Overall time, prepping and cooking, is a little over 30 minutes and happily feeds four.

ROAST CHICKEN

For the roast chicken you will need:

• 2 lbs. (900 g) chicken (whatever you prefer; breast, legs, or wings)
• 3 tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons of thyme
• 3 cloves of garlic
• olive oil
• coarse sea salt
• pepper

Preheat oven to 200˚C/400˚F. Place in ovenproof dish, together with tomatoes, garlic, and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper and salt. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

QUINOA SALAD

For the quinoa salad you will need:

• 11 oz. (300 g) quinoa
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 4 oz. (110 g) cubed feta cheese
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 3 spring onions, cut into thin rings 
• handful of basil, minced
• handful of mint, minced
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
• paprika powder
• salt and pepper

Cook quinoa and allow to cool in a large bowl. For one cup of quinoa, you’ll need 2 cups of water. Then reduce the temperature of the oven to 150˚C/325˚F. Cook the chicken for 10 more minutes. Add all the vegetables and herbs to the quinoa and pour the olive oil and lemon juice over the mixture. Also add the cubed feta. Carefully fold the ingredients together and season with paprika powder, salt, and pepper. The paprika powder is the finishing touch and gives the dish a pretty color and spicy taste!

Now you can cook like a Roitfeld... Bon appétit!

Order your copy of Model Kitchen on NET-A-PORTER today

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Julia Restoin Roitfeld's Roast Chicken and Quinoa film stills © 2013 Renee Hernandez. All Rights Reserved.

IWTB Interview: Cesar Casier

Cesar Casier is the total package — a strikingly handsome model, he is also hardworking, upbeat, gracious, multilingual, and he can cook! Monsieur Casier recently published a cookbook titled MODEL KITCHEN which takes as its subject the beautiful people in the fashion world and the food they eat. Yes — models eat! Here is the proof! Several of the recipes are contributed by models including a recipe for roasted chicken and quinoa prepared by Julia Restoin-Roitfeld which appears below. Cesar has also worked with Carine Roitfeld, making his auspicious Vogue Paris debut in the awe-inspiring 90th anniversary issue in the editorial "Les péchés," accompanied by models Lara Stone and Christopher Michault as shot by Steven Klein. I am delighted that Cesar, or "Ceesie" as he is affectionately known, kindly agreed to this exclusive interview to tell us more about his new book MODEL KITCHEN and the charming man behind it.

Congratulations on the publication of your intriguing book, MODEL KITCHEN! What inspired the book, what was your "a-ha!" moment, when you knew you must make your idea a reality? What are some of the challenges and rewards of publishing a book? When do you anticipate releasing the book in the US? In addition to recipes, I have read that MODEL KITCHEN includes your favorite restaurants, can you tell us more about that?

The inspiration came from my personal bucket list. I always wanted to publish a book and when I posted the idea on my blog, thecesarsalad.blogspot.com, a Belgian publisher contacted me and the rest is history.

My a-ha moment came right after I signed my contract! I suddenly realized that this book needed to be PERFECT! Not only the recipes but also the layout, the food pictures, the atmosphere pics, the cover, the models who I wanted to get a recipe from, the writing… I knew this was going to be my baby and it still is and always will be. I'm so happy, proud, and thankful that I accomplished this beautiful book at such a young age.

The biggest challenge for me was to make the book not an ordinary cookbook but something more special. For me MODEL KITCHEN is almost a coffee table book cause it's just so pretty and the layout is very nicely done by my close friend Lisbeth van Helleputte.

The challenge is to make it as good as possible and to make sure that a lot of people will like it and of course buy the book. The biggest reward is that the book is a success and that all the people that I know LOVE it. As for now I only had positive reactions so that is a good thing! ;-)

We are are still looking for the right US publisher, but we are already in contact with a few so it's just a matter of time. The Dutch version is already sold out, we will reprint probably very soon and the English version is now on sale at select stores. Colette in Paris and Net-a-porter are selling it already and we are in contact with more exclusive stores such as Selfridges, Corso Como, Rizzoli… Fingers crossed that those amazing stores will pick up MODEL KITCHEN asap.

I've also put in my favorite hot spots of the fashion cities Paris, London, Milan, and New York. I collected all the restaurants cards all over the years and I made my personal selection of the ones frequented by me and my other model friends. So it's not only food you can find in MODEL KITCHEN but also a little bit of a restaurant guide.

What was it like to work with Julia Restoin-Roitfeld on your project? Have you prepared her recipe yourself? How does it rate on the five-star scale?

I know Julia already a few years now. My best friend is very close with her so that's how I got to know her.

I spoke about my idea of making a cookbook while we were all having dinner and Julia loved it. She also has a big love for food and loves to cook. When I asked her for a recipe she didn't really know which one to give me, her amazing roasted chicken or her delicious quinoa salad. So we mixed the two recipes into one amazing dish.

I made her recipe already two times for my friends and I have to say I always get great compliments when I make it. Thanks Julia ;-)

On a scale of 5 I would give it a 4! It's super easy to make, very healthy, low in calories, and very tasty. I like to put some extra veggies with it. A perfect recipe for a model.

You had a memorable debut in Vogue Paris, appearing in the iconic 90th anniversary issue with Lara Stone and Christopher Michault as styled by Carine Roitfeld and photographed by Steven Klein. What can you share with us from that experience?

That shoot ["Les péchés"] is probably the most memorable and most amazing job I've ever done so far. It was a dream come true to be shot for Vogue. Not only was Vogue Paris my favorite magazine (when Carine was the editor-in-chief) but also to work with three of the most famous and best fashion people in the industry. Carine is for me one of the best stylists ever, Lara is one of my favorite models, and Steven is a MUST, for a male model, to work with in your career. The shoot was very funny and very over the top, as I was most of the time dressed as a women. But the pictures came out stunning and I'm even in Carine's Irreverent book, which makes it even more special!

You often mention your love of sports and your workouts on your blog, what are a few of your favorite ways to exercise? What keeps you motivated? What do you listen to while working out?

I try to workout at least 4 to 5 times a week. I love to swim and to run but lately I'm obsessed with spinning classes.

My motivation is probably my work. As a model your body is your work instrument, so you need to keep it healthy and in shape at all times. You never know what your next job might be.

Good music is a total must! I like to listen to pop songs, RnB, and hip hop when I workout, definitely something upbeat that gives me energy and where I can sing along with.

Languages are a passion of mine… you were born in Belgium which has three official languages, Dutch, French, and German, and you are obviously fluent in English, the primary language of your amazing blog, You Know You Can't Rome Without Cesar. How many languages do you speak? Are there others you wish to learn?

I speak about three languages: Flemish, English, and French. I also understand a bit of German as it's kind of similar to Dutch and we had to study it in high school (which was a total disaster).

I would love to learn Spanish and Italian, but not sure if I'll ever get to that point. Maybe when I move to Spain or Italy, who knows?

If you were styling yourself for a shoot, who would be the photographer? What would you wear?

I would probably wear a mix of Givenchy, Dries van Noten, and Acne (My three favorite brands). The photographers would probably be Mert & Marcus, I worked with them once before and I had a great time on set with them.

Or of course Mister Steven Meisel, he is THE photographer of the century!

The quality of the food you eat is obviously a priority in your life, what are the staples of your diet? What is your comfort food? Which recipe from MODEL KITCHEN have you prepared most frequently? Which recipe would you suggest a reader try first? (Right after making Julia's chicken, of course!)

All the things I eat to stay in shape can you find back in my cookbook MODEL KITCHEN, but I don't really follow a diet. I try to eat healthy, fresh and low in calories.

My comfort food must probably be caramel popcorn, wine gums, or scones! I can't resist them, especially not when I have a hangover.

I make guacamole and hummus almost once a week, I love to eat it with celery sticks and baby carrots. When I have friends over I like to make my lemon roasted chicken, a recipe my lovely cousin gave to me, with brussels sprouts or with roasted pumpkin. And for dessert I like to make banana bread, another guilty pleasure of mine.

I think they should try every recipe! They are all very easy to cook, healthy, and very yummy! But if I had to take one I would say: the lentil salad with avocado and smoked mackerel or my dad's pasta vongolé, it's so easy to make but SO delicious!

You write a fun blog, You Know You Can't Rome Without Cesar. You have a positive outlook and a wry sense of humor and I love that Ceesie speaks about himself in the third person, c'est fabuleux. How did you begin your blog?

I began my blog almost four years ago, wow time flies!

It all started just for fun and to keep my friends and family back in Belgium informed about my traveling and adventures.

When I started the blog I didn't expect to get so popular at all. I still love it as much as when I started it. I try to write twice a week and it's most of the time about myself and about things I like or hate. (food, traveling, fashion, music…)

You lead an adventurous life, traveling frequently for both business and pleasure. Share with us a few of your favorites…

Best food: My dad's food!
Best shopping: Barneys NYC
Best beach: BONDI Australia
Best looking natives: In style I think the Scandinavians and when it comes to the look I would go for someone from the south (Brazilian, North African, Italian…) I like a girl/guy with a tan.
Best party: Julia's 30th Birthday party at Indochine NYC, a night I will never forget in my life!

On your blog you mention that your interest in the fashion world first began in your mother's shop in Ghent. Tell us more about her work and how it has inspired you.

That's very true!

Since I was a kid my mom took me with her to see the best fashion shows in Paris and Milan and on Saturdays I was always helping her out in the store, which sometimes still happens when I'm back home in Belgium.

OONA is without a doubt the best shop in Ghent. Sadly enough it's only women's.

She sells Givenchy, Missoni, Costume National, Alexander Wang, and Helmut Lang. It's a very chic store with a touch of Rock 'n' Roll.

My mom has always been an inspiration to me when it comes to fashion. I think she has the best style and the best taste, not only in clothes but also in architecture and lots of other stuff.

Even when I'm in NYC I sometimes ask her for advice when I'm not sure about a piece of clothing I see in a store.

For me my mom is the definition of CHIC and FUN!

Do you have plans for future books? Or will another project on your bucket list be consuming your attention, time, and energy? I would especially like to know more about your life as a DJ… Where can readers hear you spinning?

Future books? People keep on asking me that question. And I think I'll have to pass on that, at least for now. The book was amazing to do and I still love working on it, like doing interviews and TV appearances, but it took a lot of energy and time. Now my priority is to sell MODEL KITCHEN all over the world.

In Belgium and Holland the Dutch version already sold out and I hope that will happen in all the other countries where MODEL KITCHEN will be sold.

I try to focus now on modeling, as that is still my main job. But there are still many things I want to accomplish before I die. I would love to make a club hit, go to Rio de Janeiro, design a collection for a brand, bungee jump… Time will tell but you ain't seen nothing yet of Ceesie! ;-)

Oh, please don't call me a DJ. I DJ-ed on my book launch in Belgium and I had the best time doing it! After that I got contacted to DJ at one of Belgium's biggest clubs and I had a blast too, but I just play my favorite songs after each other with my iPod and I ask a friend to help me mix it together! ha ha! So i'm not really a DJ.

But who ever wants me to DJ at their party, please contact me and I'm more then happy to mix you the best party hits together!

Here is the complete list of recipes contributed by models for the book MODEL KITCHEN by Cesar Casier:

Milla Jovovich: Baked salmon with green asparagus
Mirte Maas: Shrimp salad
Bette Franke: Grilled egplant with feta and mint
Frida Gustavsson: Oven roasted salmon with zesty salad
Karlie Kloss: Mango salsa
Jac: Fresh pepper and basil soup
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld: Roasted chicken and quinoa
Lily Donaldson: Kale salad
Suvi Koponen: Casserole with whole grain pasta
Lindsey Wixson: Chocolate chip cookies
Anais Pouliot: Fruit and parsley juice
Elise Crombez: Stuffed pepper with corn

Order your copy of Model Kitchen on NET-A-PORTER today

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Photographs courtesy of Cesar Casier and Fashion Spot.