Collette Dinnigan: Why Celebrity Masterchef is a risk worth taking

Celebrated international designer Collette Dinnigan might have
hit the heights of Australian fashion fame in the 1990s, but these days she’s happiest living in Italy – she and her husband, Bradley Cocks, split their time between an apartment in Rome near Campo de’ Fiori and their 500-year-old farmhouse, Casa Olivetta, in Puglia. But don’t imagine she’s retired.

Collette has been busy writing children’s books – her latest, Santa Loves Australia, comes out in October – and launching Collette Dinnigan Ceramica.
Despite her love of all things Italian, the couple moved back to Australia last November, settling into their chic country property in Bowral, in the NSW Southern Highlands. Collette has also signed up for the next series of Celebrity MasterChef – a reality-TV show she’s never watched or dreamed of taking part in – as a contestant.

Where does your love of the kitchen and cooking come from?
It goes back to my mother, who was a very good cook. She was ad hoc in the way she put things together, and she planted her lettuces and onions among the roses, but she loved making her own dishes from scratch. She made her own spaghetti, learnt from friends how to make Indian curries and cooked
a lot of fish when we lived on a boat. We didn’t have a normal upbringing when it comes to food – it was tasty, experimental and international when we were in South Africa. When we got to New Zealand in the 1970s it was all mashed peas, potatoes and lamb chops. She taught me to make flavoursome food, very farm-style cooking.

Clothing by Bassike and jewellery (worn throughout) by Fairley, all from The South Store. Credit: Bec Parsons

Why join Celebrity MasterChef?
I actually said no a few times before I said yes. I have been told I am a good cook and I love cooking for friends and family. My passion is food and when
I gave it further thought, I figured I had nothing to lose. So I decided to put myself out of my comfort zone and go for it. As you get older, you don’t put yourself out there, you become more discreet about decisions and don’t take as many risks. I decided to change it up.

Which is more stressful, being on a TV cooking program or showing at Paris Fashion Week?
Everyone kept saying to me, “Collette, you’ve got this, you’ve done Paris.” I’m
a high achiever, but in the kitchen you have to be organised and make quick decisions. You have to be confident and not blame others. Paris taught me there’s no blame game, you just work in the moment, and that it’s not the end of the world if things don’t go to plan.

When did you purchase the Bowral property? And how did you manage to renovate it while living in Italy?
We purchased the Bowral home, which dates back to the 1880s, in 2018 – it’s taken three years, often through FaceTime, to get it all done. During our time living in Italy, I bought old marble and floorboards and light fittings from different markets for the home we were renovating in Puglia, and the extra materials I had shipped back to Australia. I also found a place in Belgium that had made sinks carved out of huge blocks of marble that were intended for a hotel in the 1930s that never eventuated. I ended up purchasing all of them, with shower pans, and they are also in this house. There’s a lot of old authentic marble throughout this home, and pre-loved Danish flooring. We also put a new roof on and I’ve made it workable and warm.

The house is made up of three wings – one for guests and adults, one for kids and family, and the third for us – surrounding an internal courtyard. The style is country-comfortable. The kitchen is cosy and rustic with its aged and exposed beams, while the lounge room is a little more sophisticated, with a contemporary edge. Most of the family rooms, including the kitchen, have working fireplaces. A verandah wraps around the whole house and leads to the internal courtyard. Our pool area is surrounded by roses, dahlias, rosemary, delphiniums and foxgloves; the climate allows for a rambling English garden of sorts.

Collette wears H Brand knit from The South Store, Chez Dédé skirt, Country Road slides and Fairley jewellery.Credit: Bec Parsons

What artworks fill the home?
I’ve collected from Australian artists including works by Guy Maestri, Robert Malherbe, Luke Sciberras – who illustrates my children’s books – illustrator Nina Fuga, John Olsen and Louise Olsen. I also have photographic works by Felix Forest, Hugh Stewart and a couple by Christo.

What does home mean to you?
I always look for comfort, that has to be instinctive when you walk in. For me, it’s about getting the colours and artwork right. I also like to have a chair in the bathroom – somewhere to put your clothes down. Small comforts really make a place.

Blouse by Sarah-Jane Clarke, stylist’s own pants and gumboots by Hunter.Credit: Bec Parsons

What can you tell us about Collette Dinnigan Ceramica?
I have always loved ceramics, so it felt a natural area to move into. Living in Italy, I always found myself buying ceramics at local markets. I’d have market guys tell me what they found in Calabria and Sicily and I’d drive for hours just to buy bits and pieces.

I work with artisans in the town of Grottaglie in Puglia for my collection and gave them my designs to make – it’s been a slow process of building relationships over the years to get this off the ground. Italy is not a place you can find something immediately. There are many craftsmen and nobody advertises; you meet via your network.

My other collection, in the town of Basilicata, came about by talking to a friend who runs a hotel and introduced me to local potters. The pieces are all handmade and hand-painted – think white, pale grey and onion-pink, with florals and a blue colourway too. You can get them from K5 in Melbourne and The South Store in Bowral.

What did you bring back to Australia from Italy this time?
My coffee percolator – Bradley was like, “You’re not bringing that, you’re kidding me” – and Murano glass pieces from Venice. I also brought some of my ceramics and plates and some old red-and-white-striped fabric – it’s classic 1960s.

What has living in Italy taught you about life?
That everything in Italy is about food, wine and family. At breakfast people talk about what they’re having for lunch and at lunch people talk about dinner. I love how Italy is so focused on the seasonal food. A legitimate
part of the day involves food discussion and sharing recipes.

What’s your comfort meal?
I love a good roast chicken. It’s a great one to do when hosting friends because you can spend time talking while it’s in the oven. I also love risotto. I love healthy and flavoursome food.

Jacket by The Frankie Shop, dress by Nackiyé from The South Store and gumboots by Hunter.Credit: Bec Parsons

Will you return to Italy?
Yes, it is still home. It’s also the opposite of Australia – living in a 500-year-old farmhouse made from dry stone and being surrounded by olive trees is magical. We planted a vegetable garden last year, but in April this year we decided to rent it out until we’re able to return.

If you could invite anyone you wanted to a dinner party, who’d be around your dining table?
My parents would be the first guests, of course, but I’d also love to host famous people. So it would be Leonard Cohen and David Bowie. And Picasso, because he was cheeky and naughty – his approach changed the way people saw paintings. Woody Allen, too.

Photography by Bec Parsons. Styling by Sophie Tighe. Make-up by Simone Voss.

This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale September 19. To read more from Sunday Life, visit The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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