Why the table matters in a women's circle
A women's circle depends on presence: the facilitator's, and the participants' presence for one another. Meals are not the heart of the programme, but they set its tone. A well-prepared table, served on time, with food everyone can eat without having to explain themselves, lets the group stay with what it came for.
It is often at the table that connections carry on. After an intense sharing session, sitting down together to a warm dish simply feels good. I cook so that this moment is generous and calm, with no fuss or performance.
For the organiser, the question is first a practical one. Handling the shopping, the menus, the allergies and the dishes while holding a circle means being in two places at once. My job is to take all of that off your hands, so you can give your full attention to the group.
A typical day, built around your programme
I plan meals around your schedule, not the other way round. Here is what a day on the Exclusive package might look like, for a five-day retreat in a villa:
- 7:30am: hot drinks and fruit set out for early risers or those starting with a practice.
- 9am: a full breakfast, sweet and savoury.
- 9:30am to 12:30pm: during the morning circle, I go to the market and prepare lunch, quietly, on the kitchen side.
- 1pm: lunch, served family-style in the middle of the table or plated.
- 4:30pm: afternoon snack, or the cacao if you have planned a ceremony at that time.
- 8pm: dinner, kept lighter if an evening sharing circle follows.
If a circle runs longer than planned, I adapt: cooking dishes that can wait twenty minutes without losing anything is part of the job. For a day of silence or a lighter day of eating, we discuss it beforehand and I adjust quantities and timings.
A word on the cacao ceremony. I prepare the drink from good-quality cacao, with or without spices, sweetened or not as you wish, and bring it at the agreed time. The ceremony itself belongs to you: you, or the facilitator you have chosen, lead it.
Diets, allergies and individual needs
In a group of ten or fifteen women, there are almost always several diets at the same table. I collect them in writing before the retreat and plan menus where nobody eats "separately".
- Vegetarian and vegan: complete, satisfying dishes, not just a plate of vegetables.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free: a kitchen organised to avoid cross-contamination.
- Allergies (nuts, shellfish, eggs...): every dish is checked, and I can tell you exactly what goes into everything served.
- Pregnancy: no raw milk cheese, and no raw meat or fish.
- No alcohol, no coffee, low sugar: if that is the choice for your retreat, the whole table follows.
The idea is for one main dish to suit as many people as possible, with discreet variations for the others. The table stays together and you avoid a dozen different plates.
Produce from wherever you are
I cook with market produce bought locally. Part of the menu is decided the day before or that same morning, depending on what looks best.
In the Algarve, that means the catch of the day, citrus and almonds. In Mallorca, the island's olive oil, tomatoes and herbs. In the Cyclades, feta, capers and fava. On the Arcachon Bay, oysters and line-caught fish. In the Alps in winter, mountain cheeses, root vegetables and lake fish.
There is nothing ideological about it: fresh, seasonal produce makes for tastier, lighter food, and it says something about the place your group has chosen to gather.
How we work together
It all starts with a conversation, through the website form or on WhatsApp. You send me your programme, the number of participants, the venue and any dietary requirements. I suggest an outline of menus and the most suitable package, and we fine-tune it together.
On site, I do the shopping and keep every receipt: groceries are charged at cost, nothing more. I cook, serve and clean the kitchen after every meal. For a group of 16 to 20, I recommend adding a server so the service stays smooth.
I know that what is said in a circle stays in the circle. I stay in the kitchen during your sharing sessions, introduce the dishes in a few words at mealtimes, then step back. If a meal is meant to be eaten in silence, it is eaten in silence.
What it changes for you and your participants
For you, it is one less thing to carry for the whole retreat. You no longer have to think about dinner during the afternoon circle, or check what each participant can eat. You stay available for the group, which is the very reason you are there.
For participants, it is one less worry: no cooking, no washing up, no anxiety about their allergies. They sit down, eat well, and pick up the thread of the day.
Planning a women's circle retreat in the Mediterranean, the Alps or elsewhere in Europe? Write to me with your dates and venue: I will quickly let you know if I am available and how I see the food for your stay.
