The art of hosting is delicate, refined, and deeply personal. A practice built over decades, it is defined by presenting lovingly made dishes on our best plates—the ones reserved for company. This act of service creates unforgettable memories shaped by good food and, just as importantly, the objects that mediate those moments. Flatware, often overlooked, becomes an intimate participant in the ritual. Charlotte Chesnais and Maison Christofle are proud to present Carrousel Flatware, a collection that merges design and presentation in ways usually overlooked in traditional design. Stored in a brilliantly polished metal and wood case, it is indeed functional art, preserved in its own perfectly wrought home.
Rooted in a dialogue between two disciplines—jewelry and tableware—Carrousel reflects an alignment of identities. Christofle, the historic French silversmith founded in 1830, invited Chesnais to translate her sculptural language of metal and negative space beyond the body and onto the table. What followed was more than two years of close collaboration with Christofle’s atelier in Yainville, Normandy, where new tools were developed and traditional techniques were pushed into unfamiliar territory. The result is flatware that feels expressive yet restrained, contemporary yet timeless, and unmistakably human in the hand.
Stored in a brilliantly polished metal and wood case, the collection is both functional object and sculptural presence. The case itself exists as a standalone artwork: an organic mass of bi-colour metal—fluid and solid at once—that stands proudly on a side table or kitchen counter. One side opens like a secret door, retracting on an interior hinge to reveal a walnut panel fitted with an ingenious system of pegs. Here, the flatware is stored upright, aligned like a tableau of kinetic sculptures, transforming utilitarian objects into a performative display. Whether placed or hung, concealed or revealed, the case becomes part of l’art de la table, echoing Christofle’s iconic MOOD while asserting a distinctly Chesnais sensibility.
Coming in a set of 24 essential pieces—forks, knives, and spoons in two sizes—Carrousel is rendered in Christofle’s emblematic silver-plated metal, with a partially gilded 18k gold version available by special order. Each place setting offers a fork, knife, spoon, and dessert spoon, unified by a shared language yet distinguished by subtle variation. The defining gesture is the open, teardrop-shaped form at the base of the forks and spoons, a direct reference to Chesnais’s jewelry practice. This void is not merely decorative; it introduces balance, lightness, and proportion, honoring the physical act of eating. One should be able to balance silverware on a single finger—a quiet testament to tooling, craftsmanship, and precision. The negative space becomes expressive, marking where the object is and where it is not, and lending the collection its sensual equilibrium.
True to form, the knife is the sole exception. Without the signature loop, it is instead supported in the case by twin gestural wooden ovals, each gently cradling the blade. The design acknowledges function: a weightier tool requires a different solution, one that feels grounded yet intentional. Across the collection, Chesnais paid meticulous attention to proportion—the pronounced shoulder, the thickness of the edges—ensuring that each piece feels secure, modern, and quietly expressive in the hand. The drop before the utensil head creates a graceful curve, simultaneously delicate and assured, reinforcing the sense that these objects are meant to be used, not merely admired.
Organic, sculptural, and undeniably a statement, the Carrousel Collection underlines the level of finish that has defined Maison Christofle for nearly two centuries, while embracing the contemporary elegance and innovation that characterize Chesnais’s work. “I entered into jewelry because I came from fashion, but I could have been making chairs or other objects,” the designer notes—an observation that resonates throughout the collection. Here, jewelry becomes cutlery, sculpture becomes service, and design becomes a catalyst for togetherness. Luxurious yet refined, Carrousel elevates the social ritual of dining, signaling not only how you care for yourself, but how thoughtfully you care for those gathered around your table.
To learn more about the Carrousel Collection by Charlotte Chesnais and Maison Christofle, visit christofle.com.
Photography by Roe Ethridge and Pierre Mahieu.
