Lauren is a classically trained chef with over 12 years of experience across luxury hotels, private homes, retreats, and remote destinations. She built her culinary foundation in some of Johannesburg’s leading hotels, including The Michelangelo, Sandton Sun, and the award-winning InterContinental OR Tambo, before moving to the Cape to work as Sous Chef at The Vineyard Hotel.

Her career has since expanded into private cheffing, retreat catering, consulting, relief chef work, and chef coaching. Lauren has worked in exclusive safari lodges, including Singita in Volcanoes National Park, and for the past six years has travelled extensively as a private chef for high-profile clients and families across South Africa.

Known for her calm, discreet, and highly adaptable approach, Lauren creates thoughtful dining experiences that feel seamless within the rhythm of each home or retreat. Clients who book her for extended stays particularly value her quiet professionalism, intuitive service, and ability to anticipate needs while maintaining a grounded and supportive presence.

She is experienced in accommodating a wide range of dietary requirements with precision and ease, balancing refined cooking with nourishing, generous food tailored to each client’s lifestyle and preferences.

Lauren’s approach to highlights presence and care. She believes food should bring people together, creating space for guests to slow down, connect, and feel genuinely looked after.

For me, cooking is...

My love language and creative expression.

I learned to cook at...

The Michelangelo hotel.

A cooking secret...

Love, presence and a great Playlist.

My menus

Signature Favourites

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Salt and pepper squid, chilli pineapple, ginger, ponzu aioli

Baked camembert, fynbos honeyed pancetta, walnut, baguette

Springbok carpaccio, pickled shimeji, shitaki emulsion, caper berries, parmesan, basil oil

Spinach, ricotta and wild mushroom phyllo parcel, peppadew coulis

Sweet corn and basil soup, corn chips, guacamole, crisp pancetta

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Biltong spiced ostrich fillet, caramelised sweet potato, baby vegetables, fig and peppercorn sauce

Rosemary garlic lamb cutlets, duck fat roast potatoes, fine beans, flaked almond, baby carrots, truffle cream

Harissa roast chicken, pilau, Mediterranean roast vegetables, pan jus

Red Thai seafood curry, crispy shallots, coconut rice, Asian slaw, pineapple basil salsa

Creamy white wine, garlic, chilli seafood linguini, arugula salad

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate fondant, berry coulis, hazelnut crumble, berry frozen yoghurt

Caramelised pear, chocolate mousse, walnut crumble

White chocolate and passion fruit crème brûlée, passion fruit sorbet

Apple pie, miso caramel, vanilla ice cream

Lemon posset, raspberry coulis, pistachio

Mezze Lunch

STARTER

All inclusive

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Souvlaki, Lamb kofta, Beef fillet caramelised onion, Halloumi, Falafel, Pita, Crudités, Hummus, Babaganoush, Tzatziki, Pestos

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Caramelised pear, chocolate mousse, walnut crumble

Doughnuts, lemon syrup, pistachio ice cream

Crêpes, chai cream, raspberries, roasted cashew

Lemon cheesecake, fresh berries

Coconut pineapple cake, pineapple compote

Familia

STARTER

All inclusive

Chef’s soup of the day, Baguette

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Braised Lamb shoulder with fennel and orange, Lebanese green beans, feta, Mediterranean roast vegetables , Ciabatta, Herbed butter, Roast butternut, rocket, toasted seed salad, citrus vinaigrette

Harissa roast Chicken, Pilau, Fine beans, flaked almond, lemon, cumin roasted whole cauliflower, Green salad,herbed goats feta

Ostrich fillet, Caramelised sweet potato fondant, Truffle cheese asparagus, Brocolli, Fig and peppercorn sauce, Roast beet, chevin, orange, walnut salad, balsamic reduction

Slow cooked oxtail, garlic herb mash, seasonal vegetables, Greek salad

Red Thai fish curry, crispy chilli shallots, coconut rice, Asian slaw, Pineapple, basil salsa

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Lemon posset, Raspberry coulis, Pistachio

Caramelised pear, chocolate mousse, walnut crumble

Apple pie, miso caramel, pistachio ice cream

Malva pudding, creme anglaise, vanilla ice cream

Chocolate fondant, berry coulis, nut crumble, berry frozen yoghurt

Show me more

Chef Lauren's reviews

4.61

•

19 services

Lauren was incredible from start to finish and made our week a very memorable one. Highly recommended !

Absolutely amazing

Brilliant chef who delivered a great four course meal with wonderful service and lots of smiles. Thanks.

Lauren was fantastic, we had her prepare 2 meals for the family and both were amazing. She incorporated our ideas and requested such as spicy to make a memorable meal. Highly recommended

Very nicely integrated flavors. The dishes looked gorgeous and inviting to eat. Lauren did a great job with the timing between dishes. Overall a memorable experience.

Very good

Lauren is a punctual, polite and quiet chef. She gets excited with you about her meals when she presents them to you. She loved hearing all the mmmm's and aaaaa's we had while enjoying her meals. Lauren was willing to travel to this small coastal town we were in and contributed to a beautiful, tranquil and spoiled weekend for a few tired mums. Thank you Lauren for spoiling us with your wonderful menu and mouth watering meals.

We were very pleased with Lauren's overall service. She was thoughtful enough to include a cake for my wife's birthday which was not included on the menu. The table setting was lovely and the food was amazing. We were so full we battled to complete the mains :-) All in all, the experience was worth it and we will definitely use Lauren again in future