MY PERFECT DAY
Food writer and long-time Marylebone resident Sybil Kapoor describes her perfect day
Words: Clare Finney
Breakfast
For me, breakfast starts at home. I make my own muesli, using a mix of ingredients from Waitrose, and my favourite coffee: a Brazilian blend from La Fromagerie, which I grind myself. I like to take my time over breakfast and catch up with my husband before the day begins.
A spot of fresh air
Part of the rhythm of writing, especially when I am working on a book, is my daily walk. It allows me to think. One of the benefits of living in Marylebone is that the streets have retained their 18th century layout: the small streets are perfect for pedestrians who like to stop and talk. I’ve lived here for 20 years, and it’s almost impossible for me to wander around without bumping into someone I know.
A new outfit
It would have to be Bella Freud. I love her jumpers, they’ve got real personality. You have to be prepared for people to comment on what you’re wearing, but they’re also both flattering and comfortable. Luckily (from a financial perspective), I’m not a regular shopper: I tend to fall in love with what I’ve bought and then wear it until it falls apart.
Mid-morning break
If I’m peckish I will head to Pierre Marcolini. I just love the eclairs there: I always buy them for birthdays and dinner parties. I can’t decide which is my favourite, I usually have to buy a selection—for myself and for my mother, who loves them as much as I do.
Culture
I love RIBA. Whatever is available there, I do—the permanent collections, the bookshops, the cafe—and I also love Asia House. We don’t go often enough, but I enjoy it when we do.
Shopping
Every aspect of cooking should be a pleasure, and David Mellor makes it that. His things are so beautiful, and yet so simple. I love my Pride range of cutlery: I am trying to get better at posting photos of my food on social media, and I’ll be using their cooking equipment and cutlery when I do.
Pre-dinner drinks
We actually make cocktails at home. My husband has The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David A Embury, an excellent cocktail book. We buy our calvados and brandy from Le Vieux Comptoir, our whisky from the brilliant Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop on Chiltern Street, and everything else from Waitrose. I do fancy Blandford Comptoir for a drink, though, sometimes. They’ve a lovely wine list.
Eating out
I love Locanda Locatelli. If it is a special occasion, I go there—and if I had a small request it would be that he re-did his pizza pop-up at Carousel, another favourite place of ours. For more casual meals we tend to go to Fischer’s with friends. I always have the same thing, because I know it’s going to be good: veal escalope, and the apple strudel for dessert.
Eating in
Because I am a food writer I am often recipe testing, which requires going to certain specialist shops. One of them is Green Valley on Upper Berkeley Street: you can buy proper spices, mooli, quality daal—things that are quite hard to get elsewhere. I also love the farmers’ market, where I find my wild herbs and seasonal greens, and La Fromagerie, where I get my cheese, eggs and cream. I buy my bread there, too, if I don’t have time to bake my own.
Anything else?
One of the things I love about Marylebone is wandering about. I’ll have a destination in mind, and then choose the route that goes past the shops I like gazing into. One of my favourites is Bulthaup on Wigmore Street—they always have the dreamiest kitchens in the window, so I love going past there and imagining what they would be like to cook in.