At home with Justine Schofield

THE dining table was always the heart of Justine Schofield’s home when she was growing up.

At Home with Justone Schofield

THE dining table was always the heart of Justine Schofield’s home when she was growing up.

It was a place to eat, play cards and for the family to come together and chat. So when the former MasterChef contestant bought her first home, she made sure the dining table was the central feature in her home.

Who

Cook and TV presenter Justine Schofield

Where

Sydney's eastern suburbs

Favourite thing

I love what this fruit bowl represents. I always have it on my dining table with seasonal produce. At the moment it's beautifully ripe tomatoes

Inspiration

I like light and airy spaces that are simple but with pops of colour

Home is

A place I can come home to after a long work day or months away and be comfortable in

“When I bought this place the first thing I thought of was ‘where will the dining table go?’,” she says.

“It’s for celebrations and a place to show off seasonal food such as fruit, a bowl of tomatoes, fresh flowers or in-season figs.”

Justine bought her one-bedroom eastern suburbs apartment two years ago.

But with season five of her cooking show, Everyday Gourmet, about to start, she will spend several months filming in Melbourne.

For this reason, the television host keeps her home decor simple, minimalist and easy to maintain.

“I love Melbourne; the footy, cold weather and the buzzing restaurant scene,” she says.

“But there’s nothing like coming home and smelling that sea air.”

Justine is from a line of passionate female cooks, her French mother and grandmother excelled in classical French cuisine and Justine recalls weekends spent in the kitchen cooking with her mum or pouring over cookbooks instead of outdoors playing with the neighbourhood kids.

“I still love to cook at home when I get a chance, but I often come home late, so when I can, I cook up big batches of food and freeze it.

“I don’t like to get takeaway food, so on those nights when I get home late, I know I have some of my own yummy food to eat.”

Words Mercedes Maguire

Pictures Bob Barker

Recipe folder

All mum’s and my grandmother’s recipes are in this folder. I used it on MasterChef (especially for pastry) and now I don’t need to use it — I know them off by heart.

Mother's recipes.

French recipe book

When mum came to Australia she opened a restaurant in Bowral and used this French recipe book. I learned to read French from it and would spend ages reading it when I was little. I still use it.

Jimmy Choo shoes.

French recipe book.

Jimmy Choo shoes

These were my first and only pair of Jimmy Choos and they took me ages to buy. I saved up all my tips from waitressing. I still wear them and they still feel special.

Gran’s necklace

It’s a gold heart-shaped pendant with a little photo of my grandad in it. I never saw my grandmother without it on and when she passed away my aunt gave it to me.

Grandmother's necklace.

African fruit bowl

I went on this amazing holiday to South Africa and got to cook there. One of the ladies I cooked with gave it to me as a gift. I love the earthy colours. It reminds me of a great time in my life.

Fruit bowl.

Nespresso coffee machine

Every single morning I have a milky coffee and then a short black after lunch. It makes the perfect coffee every single time. I even take it with me when I film in Melbourne.

Coffee maker.

Gratin dish

I love the grandeur of this really old school copper gratin dish and love to have it on display. I use it for everything, I even cook a whole roast chicken and lasagne in it.

Gratin dish.

Pressure cooker

It’s so old and ugly but I absolutely love it. It belonged to my grandmother in France and dad has tried to fix it a few times but it still makes the best beef cheeks and minestrone in under an hour.

Pressure cooker.