The Rurbanist Q&A: Skye McAlpine

Food writer Skye McAlpine on confidence, cake and coming home to Venice

5 Minutes With Skye McAlpine

What’s bringing you joy at the moment? 

It’s peak fig season right now. Fresh figs with prosciutto is one of my favourite things in the whole world. It’s about really eking as much out of summer as possible. 

Advice you’d give to your 15-year-old self? 

Believing you can do something is half the battle. In my teens I wasted a lot of time thinking I couldn’t do things. I feel more confident now to make mistakes and fail, while recognising that you do make progress and achieve things that way. 

What keeps you awake at night?

My to-do list is always in the back of my mind. I’ve been working on the manuscript for a new book, so I’ve put to one side a lot of life admin and friends I need to catch up with or reply to.

Best life hack you can share with us?

Never put tomatoes in the fridge – always keep them out in a bowl in the kitchen. They look pretty, but also they don’t taste good when they’ve been in the fridge. It’s annoying because supermarket tomatoes have already been refrigerated, but I’m convinced that if you can give them a couple of days out of the fridge before you eat them, it makes a difference. 

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Where do you go to escape? 

I come to Venice, which is a home from home for me. I think there’s always a bit of peacefulness about going home, no matter where you’re living in the world or what you’re doing. And it happens to be a very peaceful city, so it’s very quiet. The pace of life here is very slow, and it always feels quite cocooning. It’s a great place to come and write, or just to be quiet and get away from the busyness of life. 

What’s the best way to put a smile on your face? 

Give me cake. I always smile for cake, I have a very sweet tooth.

What does sustainability mean to you?

It’s about buying less, but appreciating it more and owning it for longer. I buy a lot of secondhand, in part because it’s sustainable and I like that about it, but also because it already comes with a story, and stories are what make things special. 

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How can we save the world? 

By doing our best. I have a tendency towards perfectionism, I think a lot of creatives do. But it’s about not letting perfectionism stand in the way of doing something good for the world.  

Your greatest failure? 

My inbox is a genuine tragedy of a train wreck. 

Your greatest triumph? 

My first cookbook. It was a huge milestone for me. My dream was to write a cookbook, so having it published made me incredibly happy. And then being able to go on and do more books feels like an incredible privilege. 

Your epitaph would read…

She never knowingly undercatered. 

Skye McAlpine’s new tableware collection is out now. skyemcalpinetavola.com