Reality on a Plate with Anne & Jérôme from Villa Magnan

COUPLE EDITION

reality on a plate is a new publishing feature series that, in response to member requests, allows individuals to dive deeper into the experiences of others before attending our events, fostering a sense of familiarity and connection.

tell us about your backgrounds — where you each grew up, what food looked like in your homes, and the memories that shaped who you are today

Anne: I grew up in Provence. My mother and grandmother were incredible cooks—natural, spontaneous, and generous. Produce from the vegetable garden, our hens' eggs, milk from the neighboring farm's cows. Everything was homemade. A real luxury!

Jérôme: Born in Paris, a real Parisian. An intellectual and active mother who was discovering sous-vide or frozen ready meals. That didn't stop her three sons from growing into strong, handsome young men.

how and where did the two of you meet, what were you both doing at the time, and what do you remember most about that period of your lives

We met in Paris; I was still at fashion school, and Jérôme was working in audiovisual production. To earn a little money, I used to go to auditions. We met on a shoot. What we remember most about that time is that we were young and beautiful, and we had a lot of fun.

what does your morning routine look like

A totally normal morning: we get up, Jérôme makes the coffee, and we have a super traditional breakfast together in the kitchen—bread, butter, and jam. Super simple.

breakfast at home, at Villa Magnan

In stark contrast to this simplicity, the breakfasts offered at Villa Magnan are like something out of a fairy tale. Setting the table, the cakes, the savory treats, the flowers—it’s a feast for both the palate and the eyes.

a meal that stayed with you for the company as much as the food

In general, we’re both big fans of big tables full of friends. We both love simple, hearty food. Nothing annoys us more than fine-dining restaurants. We love noisy tables piled high with food.

when you cook at home, what’s usually happening in the background

Generally speaking, there are always people around when we’re cooking. No matter what kind of home we have, the kitchen is where we spend the most time—so naturally, everyone passes through it. It’s the liveliest spot in the house. We always have music playing, whether it’s rock 'n' roll, opera, or rap; we listen to a bit of everything and have a large vinyl collection. We also do quite a bit of dancing in our kitchens. It's very lively.

what do you serve when you have people over

It’s always the same story! It has to be a generous spread. I’m not the type to go to great lengths to put on a fancy feast! Hahaha. I also have a real specialty: I love inviting people over, but I ask them to cook the meal themselves. That’s my "princess" side coming out.

if you could return to one table, anywhere and at any point in your lives, who would be sitting around it

Wow, the ideal table—we’d love to meet up there with friends who’ve gone to heaven, just to have a laugh. Invite Federico Fellini, Pedro Almodóvar, and the entire cast of the Beetlejuice dinner scene.

take us back to the first time you saw Villa Magnan

what did each of you see in it

I saw a sort of hidden paradise, and Jérôme saw mountains of work to be done.

who was the first to say, “we’re doing this,” and who needed a little more convincing

I instantly fell head over heels and was convinced I was going to live here. Jérôme, not at all.

what were you doing before Villa Magnan, and when did you realise you could not only build a life together, but build something together

We used to live and work in Paris—Jérôme as a cinematographer and I as an art director. But we’ve always made plans together—starting with the plan to start a family. We’ve always had incredible spaces. I think we’re builders.

how do your roles naturally divide today

what is completely Anne, and what is completely Jérôme

I handle everything that’s visible, and Jérôme handles everything that isn’t. But nothing works unless both of us are there.

what’s the best thing about working together

Ahaha, I think we really enjoy working together. We can say anything to each other—really let each other have it. We sleep together at night, and that sets everything right.

when you disagree about the house, a room, a piece of furniture, food, or a decision — how do you settle it

It rarely happens; it’s a matter of trust and roles. I handle the artistic side, and he handles the finances. So, it’s just a question of knowing what we’re talking about.

Villa Magnan feels much more like entering someone’s world than checking into a hotel. what do you think the house reveals about the two of you

Simply put, we are generous, open, and curious about others—and that is undoubtedly what interests us most, whether it concerns the people we work with or the people we host.

is there one object, room or corner of Villa Magnan that has a particularly personal story for you

For me, it’s my wildly extravagant wardrobe that reminds me of my social life; for Jérôme, without a doubt, it’s his DIY and motorcycle workshop. That is the private space we have left. Private!

what is something about the two of you that hasn’t changed since the beginning

Love.

what is something Anne is exceptionally good at that Jérôme thinks she doesn’t give herself enough credit for — and vice versa

I think we underestimate our respective talents, but that’s what keeps making us better.

what does the other person do that still makes you laugh

I think that from living together for so long, we’ve become a single entity—and it makes us laugh.

what do you eat when nobody is watching — the slightly questionable pleasure

Jérôme keeps candy hidden in the car, and I’m not really the type to sneak around when I want to eat something.

last photo you took on your phones

Our phones are each filled with photos of our grandchildren. We're going completely silly. Since there are four of them now, it takes up a lot of space.

last thing you bought

A pair of nice vintage shoes for me, and Jérôme, a pair of sneakers.

last thing you Googled

Me, a property in Spain, and Jérôme, something for his motorcycle.

what’s something you’ve changed your mind about recently

That happens to me frequently; in France, they say: "Only idiots never change their minds.”

what are you beginners at these days

We are working on a new project in Paris.

if you could keep one thing exactly as it is today forever, what would it be

Our life together!

last question: What If Things Go Well?

Life would be a dream.

Discover more about Anne & Jérôme and their world at Villa Magnan.

Follow @villamagnan on Instagram and explore villamagnan.com.

all images provided by Anne & Jérôme

editor Alinz