Shaun Scrooby

Coming Up

Before the kitchen, the field was the training ground. Early in his career, Shaun Scrooby worked as a safari guide at Safari industry in South Africa, a role that sharpened the habits that later matter in open-flame cooking: observation, patience, attention to movement, and reading a changing landscape. That background sits neatly behind the present work. He is now the founder and head chef of VUUR (since 2021) and owner and chef of VUUR Restaurant (since 2022), positions that reflect a path narrowed down to a single, deliberate language.

Where They Are Now

The cooking at VUUR is built around wood fire, embers and smoke, with technique serving mood rather than spectacle. The room is arranged so the flame remains visible, making fire part of the service rather than a backdrop. “At VUUR, I want people to always see the fire burning, drawing us all in like moths to the flame so that we are mesmerised by the place.” The statement is precise about the intent: heat, light and proximity shape the meal into something intimate and focused.

Signature

Signature dishes include VUUR's bespoke multi-course open-flame dining experience. The format sets the pace. Course by course, the fire determines the rhythm, while the restraint in the room keeps the central idea legible from first plate to last.

In Their Words “At VUUR, I want people to always see the fire burning, drawing us all in like moths to the flame so that we are mesmerised by the place.”

Honors

Shaun's honors include Top African Restaurant, World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants and Selected for World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants. Together, they mark a restaurant that has stayed close to its own scale while still earning wider notice for the clarity of its approach.