Madi, tell us about yourself. What led to your career as a model and creative consultant in food and wine?

I’m an Australian born creative living in the US. I was scouted by a model agent when I was 13 in a park in my very small home town and worked part time as a model in Australia until I finished high school. I moved to Los Angeles at 18 and loved it and have been here ever since! I come from a very food and restaurant centric family so my interests in food and wine are really just inherent to my being. It was a very natural path to go into food/wine creative work.

What does it mean to be a creative consultant in food and wine?

I offer my creative input across all realms of a project, from concept to branding to taste profiling and recipe development.

What is your current favorite dish to make?

I’ve been really into making pesto lately. I love to cook simply, and this is one of those things that is pure and uncomplicated with a final product that is shockingly satisfying. I make it using a mortar and pestle which only adds to the gratification. Tactility is important to me in cooking; food processors don’t bring me joy. Then I’ll just toss it with some pasta or gnocchi and its perfect.

What is your food philosophy?

Cooking simply and seasonly. I tend to eat quite plant based without meaning to, with meat being more of an intentional and occasional thing.

What is your favorite style of cooking?

I like to make dishes that are equally delicious and comforting with a solid focal point. I always need some sort of carb for balance, usually pasta or potatoes or bread or rice. Often times I’ll look in my fridge and think of what I can make from just the ingredients I have on hand. This limitation spurs my creativity over abundance.

Similarly to LINNÉ, you focus on sourcing quality ingredients. How do you go about doing that in LA?

Yes! It is my number one thing. A dish can only be as good as the ingredients you begin with. I wish I could say I was more of a farmers market girlie, but I always forget and never make it on time. I’m very lucky to live down the street from Cookbook Market which is essentially a small famers market in itself. I shop there the majority of the time.

We are excited to share that you are publishing a mini cookbook in early 2023! What kind of recipes can the LINNÉ community expect to find in the cook book?

Thank you, I’m excited too! It’s broken down into sections of starters, veg focused dishes, pastas and how to finish a meal. Sort of like a pick and choose your own adventure, you can pull dishes from each section and they all work together in different ways. It’s very much a journey of how I cook at home for my family and friends. And then each dish has a suggested wine or beverage pairing.

What is one skincare tip you can share with the LINNÉ community?

Respect your skin barrier. Through years of heavy makeup on shoots I leaned that the most important thing is to cleanse your skin throughly but GENTLY at the end of the day and repair the skin barrier with nourishing and hydrating products that can work while sleeping. Hydration and sleep is the main priority. Drink lots of water and tea and get enough sleep.

What is your go-to LINNÉ product?

A combo of the REFRESH Mineral Mist and the RENEW Face Serum. Since trying these products they’ve become such an integral part of my routine. My skin feels nourished and the natural scent of the products together is so grounding, I really love it. I truly appreciate the ingredient list and know my skin is getting all the nutrients it needs to thrive.