Our Story

Louise & Simon Lavarack are the Founders & Owners of Swiss Taste and Carmen Valentine in Switzerland.

Swiss Taste was created to combine Simon and Louise’s love of travelling and food.

Simon and Louise love to cook, spending hours in the kitchen making & creating traditional Swiss, Italian & Mediterranean recipes, using authentic, fresh ingredients and preparing everything from scratch. They are also very excited by the new South African food culture which is gaining worldwide acclaim.
Food should not only be nourishing but should be comforting, loving, pleasurable and fun to cook.
Louise Lavarack
Co-Founder of Swiss Taste
Louise likes to experiment with different tastes and textures to create her own personal recipes & twists on traditional recipes. However, she tries to remain faithful to the authentic Swiss and Mediterranean traditions, flavours, and ingredients.

For both lovers of Swiss and Mediterranean food, and the merely curious, Swiss Taste will offer fun and informal online cooking lessons about Swiss, Italian, Mediterranean & South African cuisine and culture.

Carmen Valentine Story

Carmen Valentine was a beautiful woman, classic, elegant and stylish. She loved the finer things in life.

Carmen Valentine was born Carmen Valentine Asquith on May 22, 1924, in Brussels, Belgium, to Jeanne Marie Louise (née De Launoit) and Cyril Edward Asquith.

Carmen Valentine was thrust into England’s high society. She lived in Mayfair, London, known for its high fashion, top restaurants, contemporary style and international buzz. It was during this time that she became a debutante and a Fashion Model.

Belgium, France, and Switzerland are roots that stayed with her until she her death on December 7, 2015, aged 91.

In her memory and honour, the Carmen Valentine brand was founded by Carmen Valentine’s nephew, Simon Lavarack, and his wife, Louise. The brand includes cashmere, leather handbags, chocolat, Calissons, and luxurious lifestyle products.