Journey of A Chef

Lawrence Dodds, owner and Head Chef of The Hungry Forager, has more than 2 decades of experience working with food.  At age 16 he enrolled in a prestigious culinary college in England and received his degree 4 years later. From there he started at the bottom and worked his way up though the ranks to become a chef in some of England's finest restaurants, including the 2-Michelin Star-rated Heathcote’s Restaurant in Longridge and the 3-Michelin Star-Rated Waterside Inn in Bray on Thames.  For 3 consecutive years, he was a finalist in England’s Young Chef of the Year Competition, placing third overall in 1996.  That is the same year he was appointed as Head Chef in one of Heathcote’satellite restaurants, Heathcote’s Brasserie.

Having fulfilled his ultimate goals in the kitchen, Lawrence moved on to become a Development Chef for some of England's largest supermarket chains.  He also developed award winning in-flight menus for Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airlines.

In 2004, he co-founded the Brighton Cookery School in Brighton, England. The school attracted clients from around the country and hosted weekly courses on topics from Entertaining Guests, Cooking with Seafood to Thai Cooking.

 In 2005, Lawrence and his wife (a New Orleans native) backpacked around the world through 17 countries.  They embarked on the culinary journey of a lifetime, an experience no cookbook or travel program can adequately justify.  This experience was the inspiration behind many of our current cooking courses and menu items.

Lawrence and his wife moved from England to Mandeville, LA, at the end of 2005. He sold his signature Ready Meals and gourmet foods at the Mandeville Trailhead Farmer’s Market while pursuing his dream to open his own gourmet experience offering restaurant and cooking lessons, under one roof. He opened the doors of The Hungry Forager in May 2008.

You don't have to be a Foodie to appreciate his extensive background and passion for cooking (not to mention his English accent!) all combined to create a unique and memorable food experience.