ABOUT DENISE COWBURN-LEVY

Denise has always had great vision as to upcoming trends, and this led to her becoming a dynamic and successful entrepreneur with a diverse range of interests which is reflected in the various businesses that she has pioneered.

Starting off as an international model she worked for many years in Europe, returning home at 30 to open Cape Town Productions, the first stills production company facilitating international photographic shoots. She bought an existing model agency and created Model Team.

Determined to show the world that she was more than just a pretty face, she forged ahead and opened 6 branches of Call-A-Pizza delivery service, as she saw that this was a growing global trend. She later sold these off to focus on the production business.

To add to the needs of her production clients, and seeing a gap in the market, she opened both the first professional rental Photographic Studios (Studio on Loop) and also the first Outdoor Daylight Studio in Worcester.

She then designed and built 3 Cape Cod style beach houses set directly in the sand on the pristine West Coast, known as The Beach House Collection, which has really taken off as a photographic location, holiday accommodation and for wellness and business retreats.

Wanting a change, she embraced her love for food and cooking, and opened Ginger & Lime Cooking Studio, offering interactive lessons and an event venue. This led to the next venture, The Kitchen Collective, which has taken this to concept to the next level professionally.

Her cookbook, Around My Table, has just been launched and is a collection of her favourite recipes with anecdotes from her years of travel. Cooking in Como is the next work in progress.

Denise Cowburn-Levy is a woman of distinction and stature. She is the kind of women who holds a room just by her presence. She is an intuitive and gracious woman of many talents and everything she touches shines and turns to gold. To top it all she is also one of the most beautiful women I have even met, inside and out. This is not simply my opinion but something most people will admit to after meeting Denise.

She is inspiring, energetic and doesn’t know the meaning of “can’t” or “impossible”. She is a woman of substance, as well as being a successful businesswoman, who has pioneered many a new trail with the various ventures she has set up.

She is an entrepreneur by nature, and with the success of several businesses in her portfolio, this is one determined lady. Nothing stands in her way and her creative spirit soars graciously from one project to the next. – Cathy Steed

“I love my life and I truly try to make every moment count. I found a purpose bigger than myself and that keeps me going. I know I am living a life of abundance in every area of my life and I am so truly blessed to be doing so. My purpose is to inspire others to follow their dreams, to find their passion, their reason for being and then to encourage them to just go for it. It is important for me to make a difference in the lives of those that I touch, whether it be by creating employment and teaching the youngsters to find their wings and fly, or by connecting those that come to enjoy an evening of cooking with us. I feel the need to push myself and my team further, for us all to grow, learn and expand, this gives me huge satisfaction. I know that the more visibility I have, the more accountable I am to be my authentic self as there is no place to hide.” – Denise

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Denise has been happily married to her gorgeous husband, Gavin, since 1991 and they have two kids, Kia, 21, and Josh, 16. The love and mutual caring between them is very evident, and you can feel that this is a true meeting of souls. Family life is everything to her, and she likes nothing more than to have a huge long table filled with several generations of her clan gathered around it, laden with an abundance of fabulous food and filled with love and laughter. This, for her, is the true meaning of life, this is what it is all about. These moments that become etched in your memory and are treasured forever.

They live in Fresnaye, and spend the weekends at the Beach Houses whenever possible, preferably with close friends and family, going for long walks and of course, cooking up a storm! Gavin is an excellent “braaier” so most of the dishes are prepared over the hot coals.
They still travel extensively, as Gavin needs to do so for Cape Town Productions, and Denise needs to keep expanding her culinary offering, and explores the food markets where ever she goes. Eating out is part of the job requirement, a task they both enjoy passionately, and their lives truly do revolve around food and travel. She has a few new spots lined up for the next journey of discovery.

A woman of her word, if she says she will do something, she will, you can count on her. She is authentic in every way. This is a rare quality to have in this ever fickle world we live in. Because of this, she has a network of true friends and treasured relationships that have endured life’s ups and downs and stood the test of time. She would do anything for this special group of people, and you can consider yourself lucky to be counted amongst them.

GALLERY

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THIS IS MY LIFE

AROUND MY TABLE

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“AROUND MY TABLE “ by Denise Cowburn-Levy

Join Denise Cowburn-Levy at home in her kitchen as she reveals the stories, and shares some of her favourite recipes inspired by her passion for food and travel, and developed for her cooking school, Ginger & Lime. Denise invites you into her homes in Cape Town, the Cape West Coast and on the shores of Lake Como, Italy. Travel with her to Greece and Thailand as she shares the best traditional tried and tested recipes from each region for you to prepare with family and friends.

Feel her intuitive style of cooking and get a sense of her essence, as she pours her heart into these dishes. These recipes have soul, they have lived and evolved over time, they have brought joy to the hearts of both family and friends, as well as her loyal Ginger & Lime clientele. These will become your favourites too, as they encourage the age old ritual of gathering around the table.

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CONTACT ME

Denise is available for product launches, to act as a brand ambassador, to host private events and talks, for recipe development, product advertising, writing articles, hosting cooking workshops and retreats and other food-writing related projects.

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