Lauren Von Der Pool facts for kids

Lauren Von Der Pool (born around 1984) is an American vegan chef. She is known for her work promoting healthy eating and plant-based foods. Chef Von Der Pool has worked with many famous people and even with former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Her Early Life

Lauren Von Der Pool was born in Washington, D.C.. When she was younger, she faced some tough times. After a serious injury at age sixteen, she decided to make a big change in her life. She wanted to live healthier and started looking at food differently.

She began to experiment with raw and vegan cooking. A mentor helped her decide to go to a famous cooking school. Lauren then enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Los Angeles and Paris.

Becoming a Chef

After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, Lauren Von Der Pool worked with many well-known chefs. These included Wolfgang Puck and Alice Waters. She also became a personal chef for many celebrities.

Cooking for Stars

Chef Von Der Pool cooked for famous people like Patti LaBelle and Common. She also cooked for Stevie Wonder. For three years, she worked only for tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. Venus Williams even wrote the introduction for Lauren's cookbook! Lauren once joked that she "ate, drank, and slept Serena and Venus" because she spent so much time with them.

Let's Move! Campaign

A very important part of her career happened in 2009. Former First Lady Michelle Obama invited Lauren Von Der Pool to be a chef for "Let's Move!" This was a special campaign to help prevent childhood obesity. Lauren has always believed in healthy eating. She was very happy to join the campaign. She said working with Michelle Obama helped her help many people. She was grateful to be part of such a great movement.

On TV: Chopped

Lauren Von Der Pool also appeared on the Food Network TV show Chopped. This show is a cooking competition. She was on Season 18, Episode 4, called "Waste Not." The judges made comments about how she arranged her food. Lauren explained she had planned it for the best eating experience. However, this did not change the judges' minds. She was eliminated in the second round.

Lauren later returned for a "Redemption" episode (Season 19, Episode 2). But she was eliminated in the first round. She had served a salad with a very sweet dressing, raw red onions, and cucumber skins. The judges did not like these choices.

Her Cookbook

Lauren Von Der Pool wrote a cookbook called ..... The Goddess Edition. In her book, she shows how eating fresh, local, and environmentally friendly food can still be delicious. The book also shares tips for "glowing skin" and "healthy hair." It talks about "weight loss" and overall "wellness." Many people have enjoyed her cookbook.