Patron saint of Instagram-friendly food Skye McAlpine knows a good tabletop when she sees one. Indeed, the chef is never not pulling one together; whether it’s for the pages of her highly-aesthetic and best-selling cookbooks or for a rustic get-together at her family’s home in Venice. Here, McAlpine spills on her holiday must-haves and her new tableware collection Skye McAlpine Tavola.

Colourful, mismatched and filled with quirky, old and unique things. I love anything that is beautifully made that displays craftsmanship. I don’t do trends – nothing is ‘fashionable’ but everything I have I absolutely love.

The scent of Christmas cakes baking in the oven. Every year I make twenty or thirty of them to give to friends as Christmas presents. They bake in the oven for ages at a very low heat and it fills the house with the happy smell of Christmas. The cakes I make every year were the inspiration for the Torta di Natale sets on SkyeMcAlpineTavola.com – the kit includes a cake recipe, marzipan and glacé fruits for decoration. They come in boxes with a length of green velvet ribbon so you can easily box them up and give them as present, too.

Frutti di Bosco dinner plate, €34.95 and Marmorizzato Christmas crackers, €69.95 for a set of six.

A painting by Luke Edward Hall – I love his work, he’s incredibly talented. A Campbell Rey x Nordic Knots rug in raspberry pink and amber; I think it would look stunning in my study which is painted a deep shade of lipstick red gloss paint. A Lorettta Caponi embroidered tablecloth – it’s like a piece of art. It’s an heirloom I would treasure forever.

I’m giving everyone a set of our hand-embroidered white linen hand towels. They’re beautifully made and I just think it’s the kind of spoiling thing that is so lovely to own, but you would always feel a little bit extravagant buying it for yourself. 

Iris blue bud vase, €55.95.

I love anything by Cabana – the vibrant colours and patterns are amazing. I also love anything from Alex Eagle Studio – Alex has such an incredible eye and always has the best edit of classic, timeless designers and new design voices. Otherwise, I buy a lot of vintage.

My favourite place to spend Christmas is at home in Venice. Failing that, I would love to do Christmas in LA one year. 

Uva Bianca Jug, €42.95.

Roast turkey with roast potatoes, red cabbage, brussel sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts, two kinds of stuffing and cranberry sauce. For pudding we’ll have many variations of panettone (plain, chocolate covered, covered in fondant icing, and so on … )

There’ll be lots of candles arranged at different heights, and in colourful shades, in our Venus and Flora Murano glass candlesticks. There’ll be piles of fruit, chocolates and sweet biscuits arranged on cake stands and in small dishes along the middle of the table. Also, I’ll put one of our marbled Christmas crackers on each place setting – to make it extra special I’m going to write each guest’s name on the cracker in thick gold pen so it doubles as a place-marker.

Embroidered napkins feature heavily in the collection. 

Shop the collection at SkyeMcAlpineTavola.com.