Biography
Carolyn Robb was born and raised in South Africa. She began to cook at a very early age; as soon as she could firmly grip a wooden spoon in her tiny hand and was able to read enough words to decipher a recipe she was in the kitchen at every opportunity!
After studying languages at University, Carolyn traveled to Switzerland to spend a winter season working in a ski resort hotel.
The experience of Swiss hospitality inspired her to seriously pursue a career in food. Inspired by her mother, a wonderful cook, she had her sights set on cooking for the Queen one day…
After studying languages at University, Carolyn traveled to Switzerland to spend a winter season working in a ski resort hotel. The experience of Swiss hospitality inspired her to seriously pursue a career in food.
She attended the Tante Marie School of cookery in Surrey and after gaining her diploma in Cordon Bleu Cookery, with distinction she moved to Kensington Palace where she began work as chef to TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Two years later, in the summer of 1989, Carolyn was offered the position of chef to TRH The Prince and Princes of Wales.
After 13 years in the Royal Household, Carolyn left and moved to Dubai to work as Project Director for a newly established company called Chef’s Larder. Her remit included the opening of several delicatessens, offering an exclusive range of imported products never previously seen in Dubai, from all over the world.
She also established and implemented consultancy / training programmes in the top hotels, including the famous ‘seven star’ Burj al Arab and Al Maha Desert Resort. Carolyn had regular radio and television slots and wrote for several local publications.
After 15 months with Chef’s Larder, Carolyn took up the full time position of food editor for ‘Time Out’, which published magazines for both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This job entailed reviewing in excess of 50 restaurants a month – often 2 a day!
Honorary Memberships & Judging Panels
- British Academy of Culinary Arts - Member
- Emirates Culinary Guild - Member
- British Organic Food Awards – Judge
- British Cheese Awards – Judge
- National Schools Skills: Culinary Competition Judge
Sample of Corporate Clients
UK based
- The soil Association (UK Organic certification body)
- Planet Organic Supermarket Aveda
- ‘Chair’ Organic Restaurant – London
- Bord Bia – Irish Food Board
- Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum
- Organic Express Catering - London
- Duchy Home Farm – HRH The Prince of Wales
- Plant & Harvest Garden Centres
- Contemporary Hotel Group – London
- Vanilla Magazine – Oxford
USA Based
- The Halekulani Hotel – Honolulu, Hawaii
- Ojai Valley Inn & Spa – Ojai, California
- The Whitehouse restaurant – Anaheim, California
- Wilshire Country Club – Los Angeles, California
Dubai Based
- Al Maha Desert resort (Leading Small Hotels of the World)
- Metropolitan Hotel
- World Trade Centre
Professional Work Experience
Michelin Restaurants
- Albert & Michel Roux Jr : Le Gavroche, London
- Raymond Blanc : Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxford
- Roger Verge: Le Moulins de Mougins, France
- Gualtiero Marchesi : Marchesi’s Albereta, Italy
- Anton Mosimann : Mosimann’s Belfry, London
- Orient Express : Hotel Splendido, Portofino
- Villa San Michele, Florence
Other Restaurants
- Antonio Carluccio : Carluccios, London
- Adam Palmer : Champneys at Tring, Hertfordshire, UK
- Gianpaolo Belloni : Ristorante Zeffirino, Genova, Italy
- Atillio di Fabrizio : Villa San Michele, Fiesole Florence, Italy