Maëlle Hamma: Are your holidays something you’ve planned for a long time, or something you’ve decided to do on the spur of the moment? And where are you going?

Clémentine Venck: Planned! Because I’ve always loved planning and organising. As a bonus, it allows you to enjoy the anticipation and the cocktails of dopamine, adrenalin and endorphin. This summer, my holidays will take place first in Paris, then in Italy in the village where my grandparents were born.

How do you choose your destinations?

There are two must-sees. Italy and Paris. Italy because the region where we come from is so beautiful, between lake and mountains. It really is the cliché of la dolce vita, with family, friends, food and wine. What’s more, it’s the perfect place to do some sport.

Paris, because I fell in love with the city during my studies and there’s always a district, museum or restaurant to discover. Otherwise, it’s the culinary richness of the place that drives the choice of destination.

How many days do you consider a holiday to be worthwhile?

What really counts is the place and the people with whom you share these moments. Four or five days can be enough to take your mind off things and recharge your batteries, if you can give yourself a little break. Otherwise, ten days is ideal.

Is it difficult to disconnect? Can you manage it? How do you manage it?

I prepare my absences as well as possible by keeping as much time as possible available in the last two days before leaving to deal with important files. While I’m away, I’m lucky that the teams only write to me in emergencies. I admit that I don’t totally disconnect; I regularly check my emails, mainly to avoid being overwhelmed when I get back.

What’s your favourite holiday activity? A holiday ritual or habit?

Sport. It’s the perfect opportunity to do as much as I want.

What’s your best holiday memory?

19 September 2020. I’d gone to Franche-Comté to do some running and cycling training. During that time, the time trial stage of the Tour de France was taking place at La Planche des Belles Filles. We spent the day with my nephews in the 20% gradient section, 150 metres from the finish line. It was a few months after the lockdown, the first freedom I’d regained and the chance to see each cyclist individually, given the steep change in altitude. The atmosphere was electric. These are [French cyclist] Thibaut Pinot’s training roads and it was on this mythical penultimate stage of the Tour de France that [Tadej] Pogačar took the yellow jersey from [Primož] Roglič.

Do you look for active or relaxing holidays?

Active, clearly. I love getting up early and starting with a sports session when it’s still quiet: running, cycling, hiking...

What’s your best trick for decompressing?

Sport, good food & friends.

What's one thing you can’t do without on holiday?

My connected watch.

Do you follow the news while on holiday?

Yes, from wherever I am.

How do you plan your holiday budget?

An approximate annual budget, broken down by destination.

Have your holidays ever inspired you to develop your business in a new way? If not, how do you use this time to be more efficient?

Catering has always been a passion. Restaurants, bars, accommodation and the customer experience of the places I visit are real sources of inspiration. I love observing, then thinking about how to implement it here. For example, the superfood salad is a dish I discovered in a pub in Manchester in 2013, before Cocottes was created. Simple ingredients: quinoa, raw and cooked vegetables, seeds and just the right dressing. I went back two days in a row, it was so good. Later, I described the dish to the kitchen team. Today, it’s one of our best-sellers and we vary it according to the season.

Your worst anecdote, or a lesson learnt on holiday?

A few years ago, I went surfing in Norway. When I was trying to get back to the surface, the fin of my board crashed into my head. I ended up in the emergency room with the front of my head shaved and nine stitches. So I spent the rest of the holidays with a big bandage on my head. And when I got back to work, I subtly opted for a large lock of hair tucked to one side.

The first thing you usually do when you get back?

Change my phone wallpaper with a photo from the holidays.

Where in Luxembourg do you feel you’re on holiday?

On the roads of the Mullerthal, with my Canyon.

This article was originally published in .