HE’S A MULTI-FACETED MAN: AS AN INTERIOR STYLIST AND GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AT SOHO HOUSE BERLIN, AMERICAN CHRIS GLASS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LENDING A DISTINCTIVE TOUCH TO PREMISES AROUND THE GLOBE – AS AN AMATEUR CHEF AND HOST, HE ENJOYS CREATING UNFORGETTABLE EVENINGS FOR HIS FRIENDS. WE INTERVIEW A HIGHLY CREATIVE SPIRIT.
Interviewer Susanne Gotzek
Chris, you are a designer, interior stylist and amateur chef: how would you describe yourself?
Who am I? And what do I want? Every month I ask myself these questions. I’m a creative spirit – as well as a gay, cosmopolitan person of colour. I don’t fit any mould. I’m unconventional, unique and difficult to describe in a single word or heading. I’m a traveller and a searcher: a work in progress, if you will (laughs). What drives me is my curiosity. The combination of curiosity and empathy is THE great superpower, as far as I’m concerned, capable of preserving our world from a whole host of evils. Let’s be frank: chance is a pretty meaningless concept for me. Nothing in my life is unintentional: I am growing into my higher purpose. And I’m not wasting any time. We have to choose between good and bad in this life and I’m concentrating on the good. I’m very clear about it – and absolutely focussed. I’m always looking for people who can help me to progress and to grow as an individual.
What does cooking mean to you? What sort of cook are you?
For me, cooking means bringing people together to create special, unforgettable evenings. I travel a lot for work and always bring local ingredients back to showcase in a slap-up meal for my friends. It’s all about attention to detail – starting with the ingredients and progressing to the design elements on the table and in the kitchen. When I select the food, music and ambience in my role as host, I’m aiming to create something really exceptional. I love those elements of surprise: the astonishment on my guests’ faces, the magic of that special moment. The best parties wind up in my kitchen.
To what extent does your kitchen reflect your character?
My kitchen at home is where I feel secure. At the same time, like everything else in my apartment, it’s a showroom that showcases the things that matter to me: the art I collect, souvenirs – objects I have grown to love. Having said that, I’ve recently settled on a new type of simplicity, using just a few warm materials, such as bronze, to lend the kitchen its own unique character. But the fact that I feel so at home in my kitchen also has a lot to do with the people in it. The kitchen is the place that binds us together – it’s the heart of every home.
Where do you draw your energy from?
Every day has its special moments. When I wake up in the morning to shafts of sunlight streaming into my bedroom – a relatively rare event here in Berlin – I could cry with happiness. At that moment I’m grateful for every breath. I choose socks with amusing motifs and vibrant colours when dressing. As soon as I leave the apartment, my attention turns to people – regardless of whether I’m designing their homes or inviting them into mine. Welcoming guests is a lifestyle. And it’s one that reveals a lot about me: where I grew up, how I have travelled, what I have experienced in a range of different cultures. I love bringing people together and spending time with them – especially with those I’m truly fond of.
Where does your creativity come from?
Whether as a designer or as a host, my creativity unfolds according to a specific pattern: I find something of exceptional beauty and construct the world around it. It may be an ingredient that I want to showcase properly, or cutlery placed on the table to wow my guests. Or I might go to the market and take inspiration from the colours there: those are the things I base my ideas on. My mother also inspired me. I remember what, and especially how she cooked when I was a child. Watching others cook is like meditation for me. My mother is a born hostess. I grew up in Georgia and childhood visits to local markets taught me what a large and varied world existed beyond my neighbourhood. There were nuts from the Philippines, exotic fruits from countries I had never even heard of. My mother was a big fan of regional cuisine; healthy eating was important to her. But she also cooked with passion and with love. Her language of love was good food – and that has rubbed off on me.
