Monika Varšavskaja is the artist and culinary force behind Cuhnja, a project where food becomes both medium and message. Rooted in her Baltic-Slavic heritage and shaped by life in Paris, her work blurs the line between installation and meal—playfully minimalist, visually arresting, and always deeply personal. Every element, from the choice of ingredient to the arrangement of the table, becomes part of a larger visual and emotional narrative. With Cuhnja, she doesn’t just cater events—she stages them—infusing every dish, ingredient, and surface with a sense of story, memory, and delight. In this conversation, she shares exclusively with THE WED how she builds a world from the plate up.
Tell us where Cuhnja all started...
I grew up in Estonia, and moved to Paris when I was 19. I've always been passionate about cooking. I have a background in art and design, but I've worked half of my life in hospitality. I did some food photography at one point for the restaurants I worked in, and that’s where the image and food linked for me. So, Cuhnja was born. With Cuhnja, we really take care of everything for a dining experience – from sourcing transforminga unique ingreiden into a dish through to selecting and styling tableware to create a scenographic table that plays with colors and graphic compositions.
How does your connection with Estonia influence the way you cook and create?
I think living in Paris made me realize how rich my home country is in terms of nature and greenery. For example, in Estonia, it’s really common in summer to grow or forage for wild berries and mushrooms in the forest. It’s a really big part of our culture so you almost never buy them.
Where I come from, the dishes are quite simple, but they’re not ordinary. I often find myself returning to my background within my work – the simplicity of ingredients, the beautiful textures and pop of colors. I find it fascinating to use that as inspiration and blend it with the knowledge of cuisine and gastronomy that I’ve acquired in France, creating dishes that are kind of in between.
I think my work has become more recognized because of the unique ingredients I use – produce that is really common in Estonia but not common place in France, either because they don’t grow them here, or at least not on a mass-produced level. So I like to find those special ingredients here — or I would say I'm amused when I find them.
How would you describe your creative approach when it comes to food and presentation?
Simple, but at the same time, graphically composed. A lot of my work is about contrasts. A kitchen that’s really elegant, a popping color and a really straightforward presentation.
What would you say most influences your philosophy when it comes to food and design?
The presentation of a dish — or any art piece or design object — is a lot about the context. If I serve one dish at my grandmother’s house and serve the same dish at a high-end event, it’s going to be perceived differently. So there’s already this aspect of context. It’s the same way if I take a piece of furniture and put it in a gallery or put it in my apartment — the context adapts or changes around it. And therefore, it changes how the art piece, the dish, or the object is perceived.
How do you approach creating a food experience that reflects both your vision and your client’s story?
I'm lucky, most of my clients come to me because they connect with what we create, and they want us to bring our vision to their wedding day or special event. The initial concept will first stem from my personal vision, which we then adapt to their identity and find a silver lining for both. We consider all the overarching details – the season, when and where the event is, and what is at our disposal, as well as all the logistical aspects — if theres a kitchen, what the dining space is like, how many people we'll be catering for. We sketch everything out to show how it will all look and feel and interconnect with the venue. From there, we source the ingredients and decor, and start build a menu.
How do you bring a couple’s personal story into the experience of what you create?
We try to fuse the couple's memories into the experience – whether that be a childhood memory, or beautiful experience they had at a special restaurant, or a wine that they tasted and loved.
Do you have a signature dish you're most renowned for?
In the Baltics we have this pink soup that is made with kefir lime, beetroot, fresh herbs and cucumber. It’s an extremely simple dish, but is anything but ordinary. I spent some time refining and transorming the dish, finding new ways to cook it that honors the bold color, while changing up the ingredients. Today's verson is inspired by leche de tigre. The pink soup is quite spicy and packs a bit of punch, full of lime, garlic and red onion, so is beautiful to serve with a fresh fish. I chose a sea bream today, sliced and arranged into a blooming flower.
What's one philosophy you live by?
Treat yourself, even if you're alone.
Talent: Monika Varšavskaja of Cuhnja
Videography: Anastasia Kurys
Creative Direction: Daria Latysheva
