Issue 10, Plus Connect

Charlotte Sitbon

Making of a Moment

Words SUBIN ANDERSON

Photography LUDOVIC BALAY

What happens when imagination begins to build across a table, a room, an entire evening? Charlotte Sitbon, founder of Balbosté, together with co-founder Jonatan Espinasse, works across gastronomy, design, and scenography.

When their new Paris atelier opened in late 2025, this philosophy found a permanent home. Here, ideas develop through conversation, sketches, and experimentation. At Balbosté, every detail matters. The curve of a plate, the height of a glass, even the way light settles across a table can work to rewrite the story of a dish. In the kitchen, Head Chef and Food Director Jun Yeo leads a team of ten chefs, translating this vision into dishes that balance imagination with precision.
Welcoming us into the space, Sitbon reflects on how curiosity, intuition, and openness continue to shape Balbosté’s approach to food, experience, and the possibilities that remain unexplored.

SUBIN ANDERSON Before you began your journey at Balbosté, did you feel something was missing in the way gastronomy and experience were being approached?

CHARLOTTE SITBON I didn’t start with a formal background in gastronomy. I was simply someone who loved food, the discovery of ingredients, and the joy of a beautiful meal. There wasn’t a grand strategy to fill a specific market gap; Balbosté actually evolved quite organically.

The real clarity came through the work itself. While hosting small catering events, I began to see a bridge forming between design and food, allowing me to create experiences that felt distinct from the usual patterns. It became clear that many people were tired of seeing the same repetitive formats at every dinner. Our first immersive dinner was the true turning point. Approaching a meal as a 360-degree environment shifted my entire perspective and made me realize that what we are doing today is likely only a tiny fraction of what’s possible in the world of culinary experience.

SA When you talk about creating a 360-degree environment around a dinner, I start thinking about the table. Plates, cutlery, surfaces, and crafted elements interact with the food itself. In your experience, how can these choices shift the mood or tone of a dish?

CS This is a very interesting question, and one I’m often asked. The choice of tableware is absolutely essential. Whether the budget is large or small, everything begins with what is placed on the table. The materials, shapes, and dialogue between the object and the food are extremely important. The way a dish is perceived can change depending on the form of a glass, whether it is tall or short, or the shape of a plate, wide, deep, or with a particular rim. These elements highlight the dish while supporting the story we want to tell at the table. At the same time, they must respect the chef’s intention behind it. There needs to be a real dialogue between the tableware and the culinary narrative. For example, if a concept is about transparency, it doesn’t necessarily mean the glasses or plates must literally be transparent. Transparency can be expressed in different ways, through textures, reflections, materials, or composition. In the end, the atmosphere and perception of a dish are shaped by these details.

SA Working across different scales, how do imagination and experimentation translate between these levels?

CS Scale doesn’t fundamentally change the creative process. I approach each project in the same way, whether it’s something very small or very large, and I think that’s where a certain kind of magic comes from.

I can bring the same creative energy to designing a small pastry as to creating a monumental installation. The process almost always begins with drawing. Sketching is an essential step in our work. It’s how we begin shaping ideas and translating imagination into something tangible.

Our universe is also nourished by many cultural references. Art, cinema, exhibitions, and memories all feed into the process. Inspiration can come from anywhere. It might be a film I watched as a child or an exhibition I saw the day before. The most important thing is not to place limitations on the imagination from the beginning. In the end, scale is driven by creativity and boldness.

SA Do you think of Balbosté’s events as a form of performance?

CS Yes, in many ways, they are a form of performance. Each project becomes a performance of ideas, pushing us to take creativity further and find new ways to surprise people. Clients have high expectations, so we are constantly trying to invent something new while still working within realistic budgets. The visual dimension plays a huge role. I’m deeply inspired by cinema and stage design. Filmmakers like Michel Gondry, as well as stage designers such as Leslie Travers, have influenced me a lot, along with theatrical productions that have very strong visual identities.

What moves me most, though, is the presence of the human hand in the creation of events. Today, this dimension can sometimes be overshadowed by technical production, but I believe craftsmanship still has a very important place. The narrative of an event also develops through dialogue with the client. We usually begin with an initial idea, but it evolves through conversation, almost like a creative ping-pong.

One of the first questions I always ask is: What is the “big picture” of the event? What is the image that will stay in people’s minds? A dinner might be experienced by 100 guests, but the image of that table can travel far beyond them. Imagining that final image often becomes the guiding vision for the entire project.

SA And personally, what makes a good meal? Is there a dish that carries a personal memory or sense of comfort?

CS A good meal is about being together with people you love. But it can also be something very personal.
As I get older, I’ve started to enjoy eating alone more often. When I was younger, I hated going to restaurants alone or eating by myself. Now I actually find it quite meaningful.
It’s about experiencing food with full attention. Being calm and present with what you are eating is very important. Of course, a dish can also be like a “madeleine de Proust,” something that triggers memories. It doesn’t necessarily have to be visually spectacular. When a dish is both beautiful and delicious, that’s wonderful, but what truly matters is the emotional dimension. Smoked salmon, for instance, reminds me of moments with my grandfather. I also think about a spinach and bean soup that my grandmother used to cook. She was of Jewish origin, and it was a kind of stew that might not have looked very appealing visually, but it carries powerful memories of family gatherings and celebrations.

SA With such a strong visual dimension in Balbosté’s work, what guides your team’s approach to ingredients?

CS For a long time, people assumed our work was mainly aesthetic, largely because our approach to food is so visual, and my background is in art direction. In the beginning, many wondered whether the food was as good as it looked. Over the past few years, we have placed a strong emphasis on sourcing and product quality. Our chefs come from strong gastronomic backgrounds, and we have built close relationships with producers and suppliers. Everything begins with a good raw ingredient. The goal is to elevate it while respecting its nature. I’m not particularly interested in using obscure or exotic ingredients simply to impress people. It is often more powerful to surprise someone with an ingredient they already know. When someone tastes something and thinks, “I never imagined you could do this with an artichoke,” their perception of that ingredient shifts. That moment of discovery is important to me.