Chef at Work, Dad & Husband at Home | Cape Town Chef | Drukkoker Winner | Michelin Star Mindset & Experienced | Unboxed Foods Founder | Healthy Made Tasty Fundi
“From starred kitchens to real homes, Francois turns discipline into delight and service into loyalty.”
Cape Town, South Africa
Chef Francois Hugo, founder of Unboxed Foods, is a South African chef-entrepreneur whose route to the kitchen was anything but ordinary. His journey has been marked by hard work and resilience, underscoring the need to believe in oneself.
Raised in a large family and encouraged by his brother (also a chef), he swapped early detours for a traineeship with the Caviar Group, then earned hard miles in Michelin-starred kitchens where precision and pressure shaped his style.
The Covid-19 pandemic became a turning point: Francois left a secure role to found Unboxed Foods, evolving it from ready-made meals into fully customised, healthy menus tailored to clients’ dietary needs. He pairs fine-dining fundamentals with practical nutrition and keeps service personal, often handling deliveries himself - because relationships, not just recipes, build loyalty.
Winning the TV reality cooking show “Drukkoker” opened doors to new collaborations and growth, reinforcing his philosophy of self-belief, adaptability and personal accountability. Married to a fellow chef, and father of three children, Francois remains committed to craft, customer experience and running a business that feels human at every touchpoint.
Follow @unboxedfoods_ for a fresh taste of amazing food.
"Chef Francois gears up and shows up. He has star standards and shows that excellence and empathy can share a plate."
Follow Francois for Michelin-honed cooking made doable at home. As the winner of Drukkoker and Kookpunt runner-up, he turns star-kitchen discipline into honest, flavour-first tips, healthy meal-prep frameworks, and calm-under-pressure know-how. Expect quick skills, real recipes that fit busy family life, and straight talk on what actually works in hot kitchens (gear included). Local produce, personal service, zero fluff—just better plates, faster.
