Roving Chef London was launched in early  2007 when Hayley decided that it would be a great idea to actually teach people how to cook in their own homes, so they can learn on a one-to-one basis at their own pace and what they want to learn – why make life harder than it needs to be?

Hayley Edwards, The Roving Chef was born in Kent (just after the wheel was invented) and then moved with her family to a small village just outside Ipswich in Suffolk where she went to the Convent of Jesus & Mary, then on to to Suffolk College where she studied Hotel & Catering Management.   Her first job was at Le Talbooth at Dedham, Essex where she worked firstly as a waitress and then as a receptionist under the watchful eye of the late Gerald Milsom.

She learnt all of her basic skills by trial and error..... (a lot of the latter!!  A particular embarrasing story about undercooked  gratin dauphinoise springs to mind)  from her French English Mother from a very early age.  Making cakes was the thing to do on a Saturday afternoon.

After a nine month work experience in Paris in 1990 working at the Montparanasse Hotel she moved to London, where she worked at places such as Lanagan’s Brasserie, on reception and then spent 7 years working for Marco Pierre White (as his Assistant!!).

After leaving Mr White ( and having being inspired by the chefs notably people like Roger Pizey, Tim Payne and of course Marco himself) she moved on to cook Directors lunches in the City as well as cooking for private clients and friends. She has also built up a very large list of clients for her Christmas cakes and mince pies – especially the ones who are on gluten-free diets.

Over the past year she has cooked for Harry and Rita Crosbie  in Dublin with Nick Munier (a friend since the Marco days and star of Hell’s Kitchen and more recently with Marco on ITV’s ‘Great British Feast!!) providing the front of house support.

She also travelled to Paris and cooked for Mme Durand Poupin – an English themed weekend including obviously: Le Roast Beef, Les Yorkshire puddings and a rather large raspberry trifle….. also has cooked for clients in Angers( Loire Valley) and London.

Hayley (Roving Chef) also teaches one-to-one lessons several times a week. At the beginning of 2007 she had a cookery column for the local evening paper in Ipswich and at present is putting together a new one.

Every 5 weeks she takes the reins as head cook (voluntarily) for a charity called Food Chain which provides lunches and light meals every Sunday to people infected with HIV and AIDs.