Mark & Shauna Froydenlund

Shauna & Mark Froydenlund

Take a breath, no, take two breaths because you’ll need at least two once you know who’s been cooking live for Foodie Book Clubs Lockdown Lunches, and straight from their home kitchen. 

Two chefs who weren’t put off by my gentle stalking, who are two of the best chefs in the UK today, who work together, and if all of that isn’t enough, they are joint patrons and business partners of Marcus Wareing’s 2 Michelin starred flagship restaurant in Knightsbridge, and they are married.

Shauna & Mark Froydenlund.

 Let me tell you a little bit about them. I say a little bit because I couldn’t possibly write everything about them here, not enough time and not enough page space.

Let’s start with Shauna Froydenlund.

From Derry in Northern Ireland Sauna Froydenlund comes from a restauranting family and as a younger version of herself spent time working for her dad. When she told him that she wanted to go into the food industry, he gave her some sound advice; have a back-up plan.

Shauna took his advice and attended Sheffield university in 2004, which gave her reason to move permanently to England.

Gordon Ramsey holdings met her in 2006, and later offered her a student placement at Pétrus.

This is where Marcus Wareing became aware of her obvious talents (remember this for later!).

Shauna headed back to university after her placement, where she got a first-class degree in hospitality and culinary arts. Of course )

Right after this, 2008, Chef Marcus Wareing nabbed her as demi chef de partie on pastry before quickly promoting her to head pastry chef.

In 2011 Shauna moved to the Gilbert Scott to help with its launch before returning to the Berkley in 2012 to be senior sous chef to head chef Mark (this is where it starts getting just a little romantic).

Shauna has been involved with many more great projects, including a gig as a consultant on the film Burnt starring Bradley Cooper, even teaching for a year.

I’m a great fan of the Great British Menu series and in 2018 it was fabulous to see Shauna there competing and cooking.

The Great British Menu didn’t just nab Shauna Froydenlund, but also her husband Mark too.

Let say a little bit about Mark now.

In 2007, Mark Froydenlund went straight from Westminster Kingsway College to work at the Petrus for Marcus Wareing as a commis chef (Meeting Shauna I expect?!)

During his time at college, he spent some time working at Gorgon Ramsey’s Maze.

Always enjoying cooking from a young age, he spent a lot of his teenage years working in restaurants in Essex where Mark comes from. Leigh-on-Sea to be exact.

Getting a few great connections when at college, it was being in touch with Marcus Wareing who, if what I’ve read is correct, helped him make the decision to go into the food business.

It wasn’t long before Mark not only built on his already immense cooking skills, but was also an expert in operating a kitchen, able to find his own unique cooking style.

 Taking him only 3 years to became sous chef and at only 27 years old in 2012, (a mere baby) he became one of the youngest head chefs in the country.

Winner of so many awards I can’t count (one of them the sought-after Acorn Award), I wasn’t surprised that he was a winner of the Great British Menu in 2016, and cooked at the banquet at Westminster Palace.

The judges giving him perfect scores of 10 for his main course dish. (What, you’ve not seen it? Go find it and start drooling over the dish)

Could there be a more dynamic couple in the foodie world?

Obviously the most exciting thing in their career so far for Shauna and Mark, is being one of Foodie Book Clubs guest chefs and cooking live for our Lockdown Lunches series. (Who am I kidding?? ).

You can see the recording of them cooking live, answering some of our questions and your questions too.

The recipe will be up on this page in the next couple of days and of course you can find Mark & Shauna on Instagram and on Twitter too.

Check out our Foodie Book Club pages and register your email to get fab weekly recipes, updates and discounts from out Twitter Wednesday Twitter hour (6-7pm) too.

Double the passion