Lise Timmer, CEO and founder of Chefs by Lise Timmer, reveals how purpose shapes globally influential culinary experiences worldwide today.
What inspired you to focus on creating exceptional culinary experiences globally?
Initially, my inspiration was never only food, because passionate chefs transformed stories and emotions into vivid visual worlds for me.
Meanwhile, discovering food as a cultural bridge and working across marketing and gastronomy taught me experiences are fundamentally about connection.
How do you define an exceptional culinary experience today?
Essentially, an exceptional culinary experience is intentional, multisensorial and emotional, harmonizing craftsmanship, storytelling, atmosphere and sincere hospitality seamlessly for guests. Ultimately, memorability emerges when ingredients, service, rhythm, narrative and feeling align, making guests feel seen, inspired and deeply understood emotionally.
How are global trends influencing your creative approach?
Notably, global trends inspire reflection without dictating creativity, highlighting authenticity, sustainability, craftsmanship and meaningful storytelling for discerning modern guests worldwide. Consequently, as chefs choose smaller heartfelt paths, I design experiences rooted in identity, locality, sincerity and purposeful multisensorial narratives globally.
What current and future projects define your vision?
Currently, we lead international collaborations uniting gastronomy, brand strategy and cross-marketing to craft refined culinary brand experiences for partners. Looking ahead, collaborations like Amouage connect food and fragrance, creating multisensorial narratives where scent, taste, memory and emotion unite globally.
