There’s a small fine-dining restaurant on a hill in Berkeley, California named Chez Panisse. At a glance, the two-storey wooden cabin looks like a rustic home, but it is in fact the bedrock of a movement – a culinary “unicorn” and the birthplace of “California cuisine”, a style of food that conjures up terms like “organic” and “granola”. But every stereotype has an origin.

Alice Waters, the executive chef and founder of Chez Panisse, is the “farm-to-table” pioneer. Since day one her manifesto has focused on sourcing everything from local producers to cooking with seasonal ingredients – an innovative culinary approach that captured the hearts of foodies long before “foodie” was even a term.

A summer salad at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California has been a popular dish for decades

For Waters, the experience of studying abroad in her twenties was the turning point in her culinary path. “It was about learning how to eat,” she says. “It was really an awakening that began with a baguette and some apricot jam. I travelled and ate oysters on the half shell on the beaches of Brittany. I absorbed the wonderful markets on every corner, and when I came back from France I wanted to live like the French, and that’s what I tried to do.”  

In 1971, a time when the American diet consisted of frozen dinners and loaves of white Wonder Bread, Waters opened the doors of her restaurant. Fast food was standard, easy and instantly gratifying. At the absolute other end of the spectrum was Alice Waters and Chez Panisse.

Waters built an establishment that formed a movement and influenced a nation. In the age of celebrity chefs and franchising, she stayed true to her purpose, which had nothing to do with fame or fortune, and everything to do with fresh food and feeding children. This makes Waters a “chef’s chef”, and according to Time magazine in 2014, one of the world’s 100 Most Influential People. 

Your time in France contributed to the narrative of your career. Are there any other destinations that have influenced you over the years?

Absolutely – without a doubt. I could not have envisioned the concept of Chez Panisse without understanding the hospitality of Turkey and Greece. I was really surprised by the way people take care of you there. They would give gifts and never expect anything in return. They’d invite us into their homes and give their friendship alongside a meal. Subsequently I went to Japan, and it has majorly influenced Chez Panisse, and continues to.

Many of our chefs have spent a lot of time there, and Japan’s orientation to seasonality is something terribly important to us. When I visited the first time, I felt validated by the way the Japanese change almost all of their dishes to match the seasons. It’s quite amazing when you eat food completely in season. The Middle East and the Mediterranean have also played a part. I’m very attracted to North Africa.

The menu at Chez Panisse is 100% seasonal 

The Lebanese and Persians had enormous influence on our Edible School Yard project [Waters’s initiative to help local schools grow food on campus]. They eat lots of fruits and vegetables that are affordable – all of these ideas are so vital to feeding children and they come from the Middle East. I’ve also spent a lot of time in Italy, which aside from France, has been my greatest inspiration. The slow-food movements in Sicily, and particularly the south of Italy, have greatly influenced me and I’ve been the vice president of the movement [Slow Food International] in the past.

I’m always appreciating the biodiversity I find in other countries, and I have to say, I was surprised by what I found in Australia. The cooking is greatly influenced by spices from India and China, and because the country is surrounded by water, it’s interesting to me what type of fusion reveals itself. The way they use spices feels akin to Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. They sprinkle spices and seeds here and there, whether it’s a taste of sesame, sumac or turmeric.

Do you feel the definition of fine dining has evolved since you’ve opened Chez Panisse?

From the very beginning we were always looking for taste, and the most important influence on Chez Panisse is the local organic farmers and ranchers. Because the biodiversity of their gardens has evolved, it has become an amazing culinary experience for anyone dining with us. I think the idea of farm-to-table has absolutely entered the world of fine dining, and people expect it and demand it.

For example, Thomas Keller [The French Laundry, Per Se] has his own farm and is extremely particular about where he sources his food. These days, the experience of travelling and visiting other countries has become about eating the local food, and I think a lot of these small restaurants are doing that – and offering an unforgettable atmosphere.    

Dessert at Chez Panisse

What are some of your favourite destinations?

I love going to the islands around the Mediterranean Sea. Sardinia and Sicily have a rich gastronomic history and so much beauty. I’ve travelled through the interior and it’s those small places, much like Candelaria in Tenerife, where you feel like you can get away from the maddening crowd. This is where I try to visit. 

Can you recall any outstanding luxury experiences you’ve had while travelling?

Luxury for me is authenticity, and when I travel I’m obviously looking for the food in a place to be pure. I’m looking for a place that’s quiet and peaceful, and I’ve been very lucky to have stayed in some incredible destinations. I’ll never forget staying at the American Academy in Rome, which sits atop a hill overlooking the city. Don’t get me wrong: I love an incredible bathtub but now I look for charming little hotels that are located near exquisite parts of a destination, like proximity to nature. The personality of a hotel is what draws me in.