Jean-Michel Tixier

What is your story, your genesis?
I was born in Périgueux and grew up in Limoges, where I spent my weekends copying Tintin or Blake and Mortimer comics. At 21, I left for Paris to become a graphic designer. I started at Café du Trésor, then landed at Record Makers right in the heart of the French Touch era, surrounded by Air, Phoenix, Cassius... I truly began illustrating with an album cover for Syd Matters, then an agent reached out and I started working on projects for brands. My five-year collaboration with M Le Monde, followed by an exhibition at Colette and a book, was a real game-changer. Today, I work with fashion brands and on projects related to gastronomy and the art of living.

What has shaped your taste (in the broadest sense)? Curiosity, and also the various encounters I've had. I'm quite obsessive, and when I discover an artist, I want to read or see everything by them. This led me, when I was young, to take an interest in the classics. For me, you can't have a truly grounded critical sense without knowing the classics.

What craftsmanship was passed down to you? The craftsmanship of your ten fingers. Is that a bad answer? My parents are passionate about many things. I watched my mother paint, embroider, and build entirely handmade wooden models, while my father was passionate about wine and old paintings, and vintage objects. I realize now that they spent their time touching and feeling things.

What value do you try to pass on in turn? Curiosity.

What would you have liked to be able to do with your hands? Sculpture.

What is most French about you? Cooking, wine, high-end craftsmanship. That "bon vivant" spirit, as they say!

What is your greatest adventure? I'm not some backpacker who doesn't know where to sleep. I remember my trip to New York at 21. I left on a whim for two or three weeks and ended up staying two months. I remember one day ending up on the hood of a police car. It was my belated "catcher in the rye". The adventure I've been trying to organize for several years is a trip to the Arctic, but I still haven't found anyone interested.

What is your favorite bistro or iconic restaurant? I have so many, it's hard to answer. It changes often, but these days I love going to ‹L'Escale› on Île Saint-Louis with the same group of friends for Sunday chicken. I really like ‹Il Fico›, a Sardinian restaurant on rue Coquillière, and then I'd say ‹Chez Georges› on rue du Mail in the 2nd arrondissement. It's an old institution that I love.

Which icon do you think best represents France? Delon in ‹Le Samouraï›. First, because it's a Jean-Pierre Melville film, then there's Delon, and then there's the film's sublime aesthetic: the cinematography, the sets. There's everything in that film. I could mention many others, like Jean-Pierre Marielle. The best person to share a Vieille Prune with, I think.

What is your mantra or a motto that guides your life? Well, right now I have in mind "In life, you don't lose. You either win or you learn". It's incredibly helpful for reframing your mindset and regaining control.

Is there an object or work that best embodies France? A musical work would be perhaps ‹L'homme à la tête de choux›. A cinematic work would be ‹Le cercle rouge›, and for photography, I'd say Jean-Paul Goude from the '80s. An object would be an old gravy boat: fat on one side and lean on the other!

Who would you find at your table for an ideal dinner? It's too complicated; I'd be afraid of upsetting Jean-Pierre Marielle if I forgot to invite Jean Rochefort or Bertrand Blier, or upsetting Sam Peckinpah because Steve McQueen canceled at the last minute. And then, if I invite Nadal and Federer, what on earth are they going to talk about with Robert Smith and Morrissey? So I canceled the dinner and ended up one-on-one with Michael Mann, whom I'd forgotten to notify.

What would your ideal menu be (starter-main course-dessert + pairings)? A perfectly cooked fish ceviche with citrus, which I love, or an oeuf meurette. A piece of beef with pepper sauce (the one at ‹Le Voltaire› is unbeatable), a rum baba, and only rum baba! A great Burgundy and a Vieille Prune to finish, or even between each course.

What is your best gastronomic memory? At Balzac, Pierre Gagnaire's restaurant. Absolutely insane! And Mr. Gagnaire is really nice and very funny. I love his punk side when it comes to cooking.

What does La Vieille Prune de Souillac evoke for you? A moment of freedom. When you bring out the digestif, time stands still and dinner stretches on. It also reminds me of the region where I was born. It's funny, I've always had a connection with the Dordogne. My girlfriend at the time had her family home there, and today my childhood friend has a magnificent second home 20 minutes from Souillac. The Dordogne is sublime.