The kitchen is the heart of the home for cookbook author Mimi Thorisson

Mimi Thorisson has a simple recipe when it comes to hosting a successful festive evening with friends. “I always envision a meal in three gentle acts: an apéritif with something crisp and salty, a generous main course and a dessert that feels like a little celebration,” she tells Konfekt (Monocle’s sister publication) from her home in an elegant 19th-century building in Turin.

As the former Italian capital, the Piedmontese city has a rich cultural offering and a unique culinary heritage. The freshest ingredients are sold at the Antica Tettoia dell’Orologio market, where Thorisson picks up two Bra sausages and stacks of leeks for today’s lunch. On the menu is a quick apéritif with sage syrup, vodka and lime juice, and a creamy chestnut soup, followed by a leek and Bra sausage pasta. For dessert, she has chosen an apple ricotta cake, a recipe from her new cookbook, A Kitchen in Italy.

Thorisson grew up in Hong Kong. After studying in London, working in Hong Kong and living in the French Médoc countryside, the former CNN staffer turned author has now called Turin home for seven years. With her husband, she has produced four cookery books, including A Kitchen in France and French Country Cooking. Today she regularly organises culinary workshops in Venice, Naples and Hong Kong, as well as Turin.

But when she cooks with her children, the author tells Konfekt, it’s never about achieving perfection. Instead, what’s important are their small hands rolling dough and the laughter that finds its way into the soup. “Unless I am travelling, we sit together every night, even if the meal is simple,” she says. “The table is where we share the stories of our day.”

This article is from the journalists at our sister publication, Konfekt. The perfect gift of sharp dressing, drinking, dining, travel and design. Explore gift subscriptions here.