BENGALURU: By her own admission, Lauren Von Der Pool is a “plant-based healing food artiste”. The 35-year-old – who has been the personal chef to tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Venus and Serena Williams – says, “I like to take food to another level by using sound frequency, affirmations and positive thoughts while cooking. So I meditate before I touch anybody’s food to balance my energy, I also play certain miracle frequencies or use my singing bowls to play to the food.”
Currently in the city for a session at the International Women’s Conference at The Art of Living International Centre, Pool also spoke about how she aims to spread word about the fun side to health and wellness, which isn’t always “boring or about eating all your veggies.”
Her own journey with raw vegan food began at the age of 16, when a near-death experience in Washington DC, where she grew up, changed her life. “I was stabbed when I was a teenager, which gave me a new lens with which to view things and jolted me into wanting to make a difference,” she recalls.
Unsurprisingly, family members termed her “crazy” but none had a harder time to stomach this than her Chinese grandmother and Indian grandfather. “They liked to show me love by feeding me. But suddenly they couldn’t do that,” she says, adding that today, about 80 per cent of her diet is still raw. Making the switch, however, wasn’t difficult for this chef. “I always say your ‘why’ has to be big enough. More than being challenged, I was fascinated with the wonders that herbs can do.”
A firm believer of the powers of manifestation, it wasn’t long before accolades started coming her way, including the chance to cater for the Oscars and Grammy’s, while also being approached by former First Lady Michelle Obama to serve as the chef for her childhood obesity prevention campaign. Speaking about her experience working with the William sisters, she says everyone was blown away when they found out the two were vegan. “Honestly, they ate a lot,” she adds with a laugh, before getting serious again as she talks about the importance of minerals in one’s body.
Her success with the sisters – “When I first started with Serena she was ranked 165, but within months, she became world number 1” – eventually led to her becoming Djokovic’s chef as well. Interestingly, Pool didn’t know the tennis player until she was introduced to him. “When he came up to me I asked him what his name was,” she recalls, adding that today, her client base includes Stevie Wonder and Common, among others.
Though from America, Pool is not unfamiliar with Indian culture and food, even admitting to liking curry and roti and biryani. “My grandfather is from Chennai so being here feels like homecoming,” says the chef, who was even dressed in an Indianised red outfit with heavy gold jewellery. In town for some days, her to-do list seems packed, with cooking and Bollywood dance classes, and more. “Oh and shopping. I can’t wait to buy some sarees here,” she says with a smile.