Words Holly Nicholas
Film Divided by One
Photography Nick Ballón

Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim describes his Cornish home as “a mixture between Victorian and surf shack, more like a beach house than an English granite cottage.” Originally built in 1867, the house’s “dense, serious” frame is tempered by Jeremie’s efforts to blur the distinction between indoor and out, creating a home that is defined by the ever-changing landscape surrounding it. He explains, “I want the world to come in. There’s only so much living you can do in a living room; you need to bring the life in.”

For Jeremie, the house provides freedom from the routines that shape his working life in the city. He says, “In London … I am dictated by routines. I’m very regimented [there]. When I come here, I tend to free myself from routines. I have rituals, like coffee and a morning swim. I get my work done between 6-9am … and after that I see how the weather is, and I get inspired by what the outside compels me to do.”

Co-founder of some of the city’s best-loved restaurants and bakeries – Primeur, Westerns Laundry, and Jolene – a business opportunity in Fowey is what initially drew Jeremie to the rugged landscapes of Cornwall. He recalls, “As I travelled and explored the area further down, I came across some of the most beautiful, breathtaking landscapes. I knew then that I wanted to be able to access those coves, moors and coastlines as often as I could, so I started to look for a house down here in Penzance. It captured the connection that the restaurants and my personal life have with the landscape and the soil and the land.”

After five years spent living in a truck with his son in London and in Kent – “an educational exploration and process, to try to live off grid … and to realise the values of the resources that we have around us” – it was time to transition to a bricks-and-mortar home. Adapting from life in a truck to living in a house felt natural: “I’m very comfortable in small spaces, and this house is just a series of small spaces,” says Jeremie. Each of these spaces has been carefully designed to be equally occupied and enjoyed, from living and working areas on the ground floor to a top-floor bedroom with sweeping views of the sea.

At the heart of Jeremie’s life in Cornwall is a sense of community and openness. His door is open to friends, family, neighbours and even the postman, all of whom fill the house with life. He explains, “I don’t like to be shut out. I like to invite the world in … I think opening your door, or being accessible, is an invitation for the unexpected to happen.” This thread of openness – both physical and metaphorical – runs through Jeremie’s life and work; the frontage of his restaurant Primeur opens up directly onto the street, in a nod to the spirit of the street parties the restaurant was born from.

An almost 20-year-long career as a restaurateur has given Jeremie more experience than most at hosting and entertaining. He explains, “London is where I host professionally. Here, I host out of pleasure. This is a place for me to regroup and regather and restore. Whenever I do host, it tends to be to very small groups. It’s a really soft and very casual approach to hosting.” Guests are encouraged to participate in the event, whether it’s setting the table, choosing the music or lending a hand with the cooking. He says, “I like when people participate in the creation of the evening – the little elements that make an evening richer.”

As a host, Jeremie’s menus are ever-changing, dictated by the constraints of the seasons, the weather and the produce that is locally available. One of his favoured sources is local grower Tim, who sells largely home-grown produce from a shed on the edge of his land. Jeremie reflects, “Cornwall constantly reminds you that you’re not in control of anything. Whether it’s the weather or the wind or the tides, you need to adapt to a more natural connection with the world around you. I’m more accepting of things around me that I can’t control … I think a combination of the house and the land definitely changes you.”