When Chef Lina Moretti isn’t orchestrating Sensoria House dinners, she’s sketching ideas in notebooks, experimenting with soundscapes, or tasting sauces in near silence. We sat down with her to discuss how intuition fuels her cooking practice.
Listening before acting
Q: You often describe yourself as an intuitive cook. What does that look like day-to-day?
Lina: It starts with listening. I listen to ingredients, to the team, to the space. If the kitchen is buzzing, I’ll lean into that energy with dishes that feel exuberant. If it’s quiet, I might reach for comfort. Intuition is responding honestly to the present moment.
Improvisation as craft
Q: How do you balance improvisation with structure?
Lina: I sketch a framework—a flavor arc, a few anchor ingredients, a mood. Within that structure, I invite improvisation. During service, if a guest shares a memory, we might tweak a garnish on the fly to echo their story. It keeps the experience alive.
“Intuition isn’t guesswork. It’s the sum of every meal cooked, every smell remembered, every landscape internalized.”
Trusting the team
Q: How does intuition play out in collaborative settings?
Lina: Everyone brings their own sensibility. Marc-André senses when a ferment is ready by sound—a faint crackle. Asha knows when a spice blend is balanced through touch. We trust each other’s instincts. That collective intuition shapes the final plate.
Creative flow
Q: What practices nurture your creative flow?
Lina: I keep a field recording device handy. I capture the hum of a market, the crunch of snow, the rhythm of a train. These sounds later influence plating or pacing. I also write morning pages—freeform notes that often reveal hidden ideas.
“When guests cook with us, we encourage them to make one bold, intuitive choice,” Lina says as the interview concludes. “It could be adding an unexpected herb or reimagining a garnish. Intuition grows when you give it space to move.”