Open Flame

One question from  Call Me by Your Name  has stayed with me for years:  "Is it better to speak or to die?"  In this episode, I explore why vulnerability feels so frightening, why silence can sometimes feel safer than honesty, and whether the real cost isn't rejection, but wondering what might have happened if we'd only found the courage to speak. Along the way, I reflect on liter...

Why do we like the things we like? Growing up with two graphic designer parents, creativity was simply part of everyday life. From choosing wine labels around the kitchen table to designing Christmas cards as a family, I was surrounded by people who noticed the smallest details. In this episode of  Open Flame , I reflect on whether taste can be taught, how our families quietly shape the way we see...

After watching  Enola Holmes 3 , I found myself thinking about a much bigger question:  can you choose a traditional life without giving up your independence? In this episode of  Open Flame , I reflect on the conversations surrounding Enola Holmes, Nara Smith and  Little Women , and why marriage, family, cooking and accepting care from a partner don't necessarily contradict ambition or feminis...

People often assume that because I work as a private chef, I spend hours cooking elaborate meals every day. The reality is much simpler. In this episode of  Open Flame , I share how I meal prep an entire week in around ninety minutes, the recipes I come back to again and again, and the food philosophy that helps me eat well while studying architecture. We talk about nutrition, meal prep, cooking p...

What makes a great architecture school? After studying architecture in both Venice and Edinburgh, I've realised that each system values something different. In this episode, I reflect on creativity, resilience, tutor relationships, student life and the different ways these two universities shaped my understanding of architecture—and of myself.

Rosalía's  Lux  tour isn't just a concert—it's a complete artistic world. In this episode of  Open Flame , I explore how architecture, ballet, fashion, religious iconography, Greek mythology, art history and music all come together to create one remarkably coherent visual language. From confessionals and angels to Degas, Goya and the Nike of Samothrace, every element feels intentional,...

Why do some of us feel responsible for everyone around us? In this episode of  Open Flame , I talk about something my therapist helped me recognise: my need to feel needed. I realised that I often gave more than I had, hoping that being indispensable would make people stay. But that way of loving came with anxiety, disappointment, and expectations that no one had agreed to. This is a conversation...

I moved from Italy to Edinburgh expecting a fresh start. Instead, I found myself lonely, overwhelmed, and questioning whether I'd made the right decision. In this first episode of  Open Flame , I talk about the reality of moving abroad in your twenties: the quiet moments no one prepares you for, the pressure to make a new life, finding therapy, discovering purpose, and why my second semester c...