Dining With Elephants

At once a memoir, a celebration of French-inspired cooking, and a tribute to the wild, Dining with Elephants invites you to taste not just the meals but the magic of a life lived close to nature.

When Françoise traded Parisian comforts for Zululand, she had no idea her kitchen would one day be shared with elephants, cheeky monkeys, and the occasional snake. What began as a rundown farmhouse became Thula Thula Private Game Reserve – a place where hospitality and conservation entwine in the most unexpected ways.

This book blends mouth-watering recipes with tales of life alongside a cast of mischievous creatures who regularly gatecrash the dinner table. From baboons in the swimming pool to elephants sampling the vegetable garden, each story captures the chaos, humour, and deep lessons of living with the wild. Alongside, Françoise shares the inventive, resourceful dishes created with her Zulu kitchen team.

Dining with Elephants is not your ordinary cookbook. It’s a feast of stories and flavours from the heart of the African bush, where French cuisine meets wild adventure.