NEW YORK
Our relationship with New York began in 1992, when we travelled over to exhibit at our very first trade show in the United States, introducing our marquetry frames to a new wholesale audience.
We arrived to a full snowstorm - five-foot drifts lining the entrance to the show. Hardly anyone came. We remember looking at one another thinking this might be both our first and last visit to the city.
But New York has a way of rewarding persistence. We returned year after year, building lasting relationships and deep affection for the energy and ambition of the place.
More recently, we celebrated that journey by hosting our first-ever international press event at the iconic The Whitby Hotel in the heart of Manhattan - a setting that now feels woven into our story.
The restaurant is full of character: joyful colour, layered pattern and unmistakable British sensibility, yet entirely New York in its pace and spirit. The food is refined but comforting, beautifully executed without a hint of formality. In the centre of Midtown, it offers that rare balance - calm, elegant interiors with the vibrancy of the city just beyond its doors.
We adore Via Carota for its effortless charm. Nestled in the West Village, the area feels wonderfully residential and quintessentially New York - leafy streets, beautiful brownstones and a relaxed pace.
The food is simple Italian at its very best. Perfectly dressed salads, handmade pastas and seasonal vegetables done with confidence and restraint. It’s unfussy, honest cooking in a room that always hums with warmth.
In Tribeca, we return time and again to Frenchette. The neighbourhood itself feels creative and spacious, with its cast-iron buildings and cobbled streets.
Frenchette delivers classic French cooking with New York vitality - beautifully rich sauces, impeccable seafood and a lively dining room that feels celebratory without being showy. It’s polished, but never precious.
When we come to Paris for our shows, we stay slightly outside of the city, so it is a real treat when we are able to go into the centre to revisit our favourite spots.
There is something wonderfully authentic about À La Renaissance. Situated in the 11th arrondissement, the area feels lived-in and distinctly Parisian - we like to think it’s a hidden gem, not many tourists know about.
The menu is everything one hopes for in a traditional French bistro: excellent steak frites, good wine and straightforward, deeply satisfying cooking. It’s timeless and reassuring.
We always enjoy the warmth of Carboni's. There is a relaxed elegance to both the room and the surrounding neighbourhood - quietly stylish, never overstated.
The food is generous, beautifully balanced Italian cooking, designed for sharing. It feels convivial and atmospheric - the sort of place where evenings gently stretch on.
We have long loved the ease of Le Moulin. Set within a charming Parisian quarter, it captures that quintessential neighbourhood spirit - relaxed, welcoming and quietly romantic.
The food is classic French comfort: beautifully prepared, deeply flavourful and entirely unpretentious. It reminds us why Paris does simple dining so extraordinarily well.
These are the places we return to time and again - restaurants that understand atmosphere as much as they understand food. Beautiful rooms, thoughtful cooking and neighbourhoods with character. For us, that balance is everything.
