We are a small family business, and by small we mean it’s just myself and my wife (Lynika).

We have 3 boys; Lorcan (7), Ryker (5) & Zoran (1)… Needless to say running a business and home life with no family nearby is very difficult.

Lynika and I were both born in Durban, KZN, South Africa. We started dating at school & in 2008 I had the opportunity to travel the UK to gain more experience in the hospitality world. In 2009 I was offered a sponsorship to stay and Lynika came over to join me.

We have worked in hospitality ever since, expanding our knowledge to open our own business one day. I have worked with Michelin star chefs and was awarded 2 AA rosettes where I was co-head chef.

In 2015 I started working for the Hollies Farm Shop group at their hotel in Bonny Scotland as head chef. Lynika joined the team in 2016 as Reception, Events & Sales manager. In 2017 we moved down to Cheshire where I started my role as Executive head chef of the Hollies Farm Shop group, developing their new menus for Restaurant 59, Hotel 32 and launching their Deli counter with my own South African inspired dishes.

In 2018 I was made redundant and we decided it was time to start our own business which we always dreamed of. We created a Facebook page and made a Ferrero Rocher Cake to photograph and then decided to run a like & share competition with it. The 2nd thing we made were doughnuts and Winnington Village loved them so off to the markets we went. A lot of very late nights into early hours of the morning frying over 1000 in 2 little home fryers which could only fry 4 doughnuts at a time each, waking up again after only about 2 hours of sleep to decorate the doughnuts after they have cooled and get them ready for the markets. Most of our prep was done while the boys were at school or after they have gone to bed as it was impossible to do when they were home. The boys often helped us out at the markets where Lorcan loved to give change out to everyone (even if they weren’t due any change). There were a good few 7am rushes to Co-Op to buy more chocolates toppings for the Donuts after the boys snuck down (between us going to bed at 3am and waking up at 5am to decorate) and ate all our stock. We were so exhausted we didn’t even hear them. This is how Culinary Concept was born in 2018 and finally in late 2020 we were accepted into Barons Quay to take on a unit of our own. Culinary Concept by Rayner Müller is designed to incorporate our Deli, Shebeen Bar, Bakery, Donuts, Hot Food, Grab & Go food as well as our South African baked goods & produce. We make all our food in house by hand. We have a great mixture of South African & English staff that help us build our dream and without them Culinary Concept wouldn’t be able to offer you what we do today. So this is us, a very small family business with a lot of ups and downs but still pour our heart & soul into everything we do. We want to create a space where everyone feels welcome and can enjoy good food, drinks & vibrant South African VIBES even on typical grey cloudy days.