Welcome back to our ‘Greet the Gurls‘ series…

…where we introduce you to the faces behind the emails, organising, costings, baking, decorating, filling preps, creative conceptualising, stock takes and ordering, kitchen deep cleans, the difficult team conversations… those on the receiving end of all your ‘I’m a happy (or not so happy customer’ mails. The sweet and fierce Gurls behind the magic.

Here’s episode four with our Kitchen Manager & Cake Designer, Natalie Pinto Lebotschy.

Q: Where are you from?

A: Born and bred in Cape Town, SA

Q: What did you do before SLH?

A: Worked as a CDP Pastry chef at The Cape Grace Hotel.

Q: What’s your approach to getting inspired for cake designing or any creative project?

A: First reading and understanding the brief, then giving myself about 2 days for the ideas to fester. Usually long runs or driving by myself in the car helps. Sometimes I just need a goodnights rest.

Q: Any top tips for keeping your cool when something goes wrong in the kitchen?

A: Always keep calm, come up with the problem solving plan, and then executing the solution in a fast and efficient manner.

Q: Most cakes you’ve frosted and completed in a day?

A: 96 x mini cakes

Q: Favourite cake project worked on to date?

A: There isn’t a specific project… But anything with precise lines as well as organice freestyle shapes. A combo of the two is my fave!

Q: What’s your fave sweet treat?

A: Dark chocolate – 70 or 80%

Q: What’s your fave savoury food or snack?

A: Soft poached eggs on sourdough

Q: What do you do when you’re not running a tight ship in the kitchen and making beautifully tasty things?

A: Literally still running 😂 Anything active with my husband – currently marathon training.

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world to visit for a holiday where would you want to go?

A: Madeira Islands, Portugal 🇵🇹

We hope you enjoyed that little Q&A with Nat 🤩 Stay tuned for another Greet the Gurls ‘episode’ soon!

Stay sweet! 😘

The SLH Gurls