Originally from KwaZulu-Natal, Lumley spent a large portion of his life growing up in this province, after which he moved to Johannesburg. Straight out of school, he entered the working world as a Commis Chef at Chaine des Rotisseurs’ Manna House in Hilton. During this time, Lumley bravely did his formalised training – an International Diploma in Hotel Management through Varsity College and received prior learning to the Swiss hotel school in Adelaide, Australia while simultaneously undergoing gruelling in-house training through HITB. At the time, Chaine des Rotisseurs was the equivalent of Michelin Star – the hallmark and benchmark of French cuisine and fine dining the world over. After he completed his studies and his time at Manna House, Lumley spent two and a half years at the esteemed Browns of Rivonia.
It was during this time, “on one fateful night”, that Lumley met a troop from Kerzner International, who interviewed him to work in Dubai. Two days later, a formalised offer landed in his inbox. The rest, as they say, is history.
“When I started my four-year tenure as a junior sous-chef at Sun International in Dubai – now called The One and Only Resort – I was the youngest chef in the brigade, cooking alongside some of the top chefs from around the world. When I left this particular establishment, I left as a Chef de Cuisine,” says Lumley.
After leaving The One and Only in Dubai, Lumley returned to South Africa for a brief respite, facilitating and overseeing the opening of various restaurants across the country. It wasn’t long before he returned to Dubai, opening 15 branches of the famous More Café across the UAE. This experience, in particular, taught him the ins and outs of financing and costings and what running a tight ship entails.
It wasn’t long before Lumley was commissioned to open up Oman’s first More Café at the Royal Opera House. Here, he and his team catered to the needs and whims of Muscat’s wealthiest and most famous, often dealing with high-level presidential affairs and handling all the catering prior to and after the unique Opera House’s shows. Before returning to South Africa, Lumley worked for high profile boutique café dining chain, Bateel International, for two and a half years. During this time, he was the executive chef of the chain’s production facilities, supplying all the food for 13 outlets.
“Prior to my return to South Africa, I was approached to head up the opening of the esteemed Paul’s Bakery in Melrose Arch. This involved everything from recruitment and staffing for the restaurant, to adjusting and testing recipes, because while something might work in Singapore and Dubai, for example, there is no guarantee that it would also work in a South African market and context,” adds Lumley.
“Soon afterward, Fairlawns presented me with an opportunity to return to my first love – the boutique hotel environment. Some of the happiest days of my life and career have been spent working at hotels, and to have the opportunity to return to this, was an offer I absolutely couldn’t refuse.”
Michael Kewley, managing director of Fairlawns, says, “Not only is Lumley an excellent and highly sought-after chef, but he is also someone who knows, can identify with and adapt to the market he finds himself in. I count his fluidity in food, his unwavering passion for his trade and his wealth of knowledge and experience at some of the finest establishment in the world, as an asset."
