Lorraine Pascale trained at the prestigious Leith’s school of food and wine. She then went on to graduate with a first class honours degree/summa cum laude in Culinary Arts Management at London’s University of West London. Whilst studying she participated in several ‘stages’ at some in some of the best kitchens in the London run by chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Waring and Tom Aikens.
During her final year of University, Lorraine opened a bakery in London’s Covent Garden selling cakes, tray bakes and cupcakes and it was at the time she filmed her first Television series ‘Baking Made Easy’ which along with the book was an instant hit in the UK.
Her beginnings were rocky being fostered with several families from birth.
Her lucky break came at age 11 when rather than being taken in to care again due to problems at home, a charity called Buttle offered to pay for her to go to boarding school which would give both her mother and herself time apart which would lessen the intensity of the problems at home and give her a chance of having a stable education.
The boarding school is where she flourished, she began to make lots of friends, engage in all sorts of activities and really come out of the protective, frightened shell which she had put herself in. Whilst she loved sports, drama and biology, her biggest passion was Home economics-cookery.
After she finished school, she opted out of studying at 16plus and found herself travelling to Australia, Ireland and then on to America as a fashion model, working with people such as Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss. London, Paris and Milan all became her stomping ground as she hungrily sashayed down the run ways for designers such as Chanel, Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. But the only hunger was not just in her belly, her soul felt pretty empty too, she wanted more and to have that happiness people like her father had when he was a Spanish teacher and loved his work. She wanted to really love her work too. So shortly after her marriage and the birth of her beautiful daughter, she decided to hang up her high heels and start to find a job which she would really love to do (and perhaps eat a little more).
The book called “What colour is your parachute?” played a major part in her exploring and finding her passion.
This took her from car mechanics, to interior design, to hypnotherapy and then finally to Leiths school of food and wine.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
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