Allistaire Lawrence

Roots Restaurant at the Forum Homini Boutique Hotel

After having studied at the Institute of Culinary Art in Stellenbosch, Allistaire worked at the illustrious Village Hotel on the Spier Wine Estate and the Cape Grace Hotel. He’s recently moved up to Jozi to take up residence at the innovative, award-winning Roots Restaurant at Forum Homini.

Allistaire’s first international competition was in 2006 when he participated in the Hans Bueschkens Junior Chefs Challenge in New Zealand as the reserve. He was then honoured to accept the challenge of participating as the commis chef to Bertus Basson in the 2007 Bocuse d’Or. In the same year, he competed with Bertus against the top chefs from Africa and the Middle East in the Global Chefs Challenge, and he’ll be competing against each of the WACS member countries in the final in May 2008. It was also in 2007 that Allistaire became part of the Culinary Team SA Training Squad.

What is your philosophy on food?

Think food, love food, live food

What inspired you to become a chef?

I didn’t feel like studying to be a lawyer!

Globally, which chef do you admire?

Charlie Trotter and Gordon Ramsey

If you couldn’t be a chef, what profession would you ideally take up?

A lawyer

Other than food and cooking, what inspires you?

Every single national team representing at every national level, making South Africa proud!

What was your worst culinary catastrophe?

Falling on my way to the bathroom, cutting open my head, receiving 9 stitches – and missing a busy service!