Ben Flowerday

Ben Flowerday is a raw vegan chef, surfer, photographer and life wanderer based in Byron Bay, Australia. His career in food started with his apprenticeship at the award winning classical French restaurant and winery, Montalto on the Mornington Peninsula. He moved on to the Three Hatted restaurant Vue De Monde in Melbourne where he learnt the art of molecular gastronomy, before graduating under Dallas Cuddy at Verge Restaurant. Cuddy’s unique take on modern Japanese influenced food inspired Ben to travel to Japan himself. In Japan, Ben discovered a world of new ingredients, flavours, techniques and ideals to further refine his growing expertise. He was introduced to macrobiotic vegan food and met raw food chef Chie Shinya. As a type 1 diabetic he discovered the amazing effects and benefits that a raw vegan lifestyle could have on his health. From Japan to Costa Rica, Ben embraced a simple, raw food lifestyle living off the land and surfing until a call came from Dunsborough, Western Australia. He joined the team at Samudra, working in the café and promoting delicious, creative, healthy, raw and vegan food. It was working alongside renowned raw chef Matthew Kenney, where Ben decided to use his wealth of gathered understanding and experience to bring a fine dining aspect to raw vegan food, which he now specializes in. Ben’s passion is to use his extensive knowledge of seasonal, nutritional ingredients and the balancing of flavours to create edible art on a plate. He currently caters private dinners and retreats, sharing the integral value of a holistic vegan lifestyle.