For a special Christmas episode of Homing, I was invited into the home of cookery writer and ultimate host, Skye McAlpine.
Skye is like a modern-day “Mother Christmas”. She was raised between London and Venice by parents who were great bon viveurs, and her childhood home was an open house, filled with guests, conversation and celebration. It’s there that she absorbed the idea that a home is meant for sharing – a philosophy she has carried into both her life and her work.
If you follow Skye online, you’ll see that her kitchen is at the heart of everything she does; a space to cook and gather those she loves around one long table. For Skye, hosting is an expression of love, and choosing a favourite event is, in her words, “like choosing a favourite child”.
The glamorous version of her life is only one side of the story. Skye also shows me the unseen, everyday moments of life at home.
During our tour, she laughs about the dust that gathers on every surface, which makes her cough. We talk about insomnia, doomscrolling, introversion, and the importance of not letting the pressure to appear perfect stop you from putting yourself out there.
This is an episode about place, belonging, childhood, and what it really means to make people feel at home.
So before your Christmas dinners, I hope you give this episode a listen and absorb Skye’s wisdom for creating a table full of love.
This episode was filmed in person at Skye’s London Victorian townhouse.
– Matt
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What is Homing?
The Homing podcast explores the importance of home in shaping who we are.
Join Matt Gibberd, author and co-founder of The Modern House, as he takes listeners inside the homes of inspiring guests to examine what really happens inside our walls – how they influence our emotions, creativity and sense of self.
Featuring leading voices from art, film, wellbeing and beyond, Homing is a thoughtful journey into remarkable homes and the minds that shape them.
Be prepared for tears, laughter, and everything in between.
"The Best Podcasts To Listen To" – Vogue
Homing is produced by Podshop, with music by Simeon Walker.
Homing is an independent podcast and operates as a separate venture from The Modern House Limited. While Matt Gibberd is a co-founder of The Modern House, all opinions expressed on Homing are solely those of the host and his guests.