At Albert Roussel's table, as in any good household of the early 20th century, the meal unfolds in an orderly sequence: a soup or light starter, a main dish (fish or meat with accompaniments), a sweet entremets or cheese, and coffee. The cuisine is refined but measured, attentive to a fragile health. Added to this are the memories of the sailor's distant stopovers and the flavors of the Atlantic, near his retirement home in Royan.

Two poles coexist in Roussel's world: the delicacy of butter, white wine, and cream from classic French cuisine, and the spicy memory (curry, ginger, cinnamon) brought back from his crossings as an officer to India and Southeast Asia, which would permeate even his music.