Vanessa Jarvis -Findlay

Vanessa Jarvis-Findlay is a multi-award-winning vegan chef, cookbook author, restaurateur, artist, and retreat host, known for her vibrant personality, creative flair, and deeply flavourful approach to plant-based cuisine.She is the founder of the NEKED Food plant-based lifestyle brand and former owner of a five-star vegan restaurant in Clarens that was recognised among the Top 100 Restaurants in South Africa during both years of its trading.Vanessa’s cooking is celebrated for transforming whole ingredients into dishes that are bold, generous, and full of character, delighting vegans and non-vegans alike.Her passion for food is deeply personal.After overcoming cancer and navigating significant life challenges, Vanessa embraced a plant-based lifestyle that transformed her health, outlook, and creative expression.Food, for her, is not about restriction or trends.It is about pleasure, nourishment, and connection.Beyond the kitchen, Vanessa is also a South African Music Award-winning executive producer, an accomplished visual artist, and a dynamic host who loves bringing people together around a table.Her retreats are a natural extension of that philosophy.Guests are welcomed not simply to attend an event, but to experience a few days of beautiful food, nature, creativity, laughter, and meaningful connection in the mountains of Clarens.Known for her warmth, humour, and generous hospitality, Vanessa creates an atmosphere where guests feel instantly at ease.Most people arrive as strangers.By the final dinner, they are laughing together around the table like old friends.