Member of the month May 2026: Lina Dzinovagiene

Here at The Staff Canteen, we feature a different member every month who we think deserves to be celebrated – our latest winner is Lina Dzinovagiene.

As thanks for being a regular contributor to The Staff Canteen, Lina will receive a TSC mug, an item of merchandise from our online store, and be entered into our member of the year 2026 competition.

>>> Find out more about Lina and follow her <<<

Originally from Vilnius, Lithuania, and now based in London, freelance chef Lina has spent 35 years in hospitality, with a career that has taken her from leading kitchens in Lithuania to major events and corporate catering in the UK.

Over the years, Lina has cooked in some of London’s most recognisable venues, including the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kew Gardens.

She has also cooked for the royal family, led large-scale catering operations producing up to 1,000 covers a day, and spent 18 years working with Food Show catering company in London.

“I had the chance, when I worked with the events team, to cook for the royal family,” Lina explained.

“When I go back to my country, people say, ‘wow, you used to cook for the Queen, the King.’ It is funny, but I enjoy that.”

For Lina, the setting may change, but the principle remains the same.

“It does not matter whether you cook for the royal family or for big offices,” she said.

“Everybody deserves the best-quality food, with perfect presentation.”

Learning from family

Lina’s love of cooking began long before she entered a professional kitchen.

“I have enjoyed cooking from the early days,” she said.

“My first experience of cooking mashed potato was a curious one.

“I was seven years old, big enough to cook, but still very tiny as a chef, and I burned my feet with the water from the potatoes!

“It was not too bad, but I always remember it.”

That early accident did not put her off. Lina continued helping at home and was soon baking sweets to share with friends and classmates, taking inspiration from her aunt, who was a professional pastry chef.

“I did not stop,” she said.

“I always helped my mum to feed the family. Everybody knew I would be a chef, except me.

“I was enjoying cooking and sharing food and sweets with my friends and classmates.

“I had my baked sweets in my backpack almost always.

“I started learning from my auntie from the beginning.”

Building a career in Lithuania

Lina went on to study food technology at Vilnius Kooperacijos Technikumas in Lithuania’s capital.

After three years in the kitchen, she progressed to head chef and chef manager.

“My first head chef always told me, ‘you will fly high’,” Lina recalled.

“I did not realise it at the time, because I just enjoyed what I was doing.”

Lina’s career in Lithuania also gave her the chance to explore Hungarian cuisine in depth.

“I had the opportunity to taste food in many Hungarian restaurants and to learn from some of the best Hungarian chefs,” she said.

“The first Hungarian restaurant was opened in the capital of Lithuania, by Darius Katinas (now president of Bocuse d’Or Lithuania).

“I was honoured to cook traditional Hungarian goulash with the president of Hungary in 2004.”

Starting again in London

Lina’s next major chapter came when she moved to London in 2006.

“I never used to plan to leave my country,” Lina said.

“I had wonderful jobs and I was more than happy.

“One day, I was invited to work at Food Show. I remembered my first head chef saying, ‘you will fly.’

“I packed my knives after a busy Christmas time, left my lovely job in Lithuania and went away.

"I've always tried to learn more, even now."

Although Lina had already been a head chef in Lithuania, she was willing to reset in the UK.

“When I moved to London, I started my career from the beginning again,” she said.

“It did not matter that I came as a head chef. In our country everything was different, so I was prepared to start from the beginning with a new company.

“I passed all levels of the chef career again: chef, chef de partie, sous chef and head chef.

“It was a really good experience to start again as a simple chef and pass all the levels.”

Lina remained with Food Show for almost two decades, working across events and corporate catering. That experience gave her access to some of London’s most prestigious historic buildings.

“I worked at Food Show catering in London for 18 years,” she said.

“I used to work with the Food Show events team as well, and I had the immense pleasure of working in some of London’s most popular historic locations.

“Every place was different, everywhere was interesting.”

Alongside events, Lina also worked in large-scale corporate catering, cooking for significant numbers of people each day.

“I used to cook for up to 1,000 people, often the same people, so you have to keep changing things,” she said.

“To some people it is just a simple lunch, but to me it matters.”

To get to know a bit more about Lina, we asked her some quick-fire questions to finish.

Name a comfort food that isn’t considered ‘cheffy’ but that you love to eat

“Lightly salted herring, pickled red onion, roast beetroot salad and Lithuanian rye bread.”

What do you like about being part of The Staff Canteen community?

“I am so proud that you chose me to be member of the month.

“When I have time, I always try to read something on your website: news or Michelin-starred restaurants. There is so much information and it is very interesting to me.

“What is important to me is that The Staff Canteen also highlights people like kitchen porters. Everyone working in hospitality and in the kitchen is important, from the small roles to the top.

“Some companies focus only on the head chefs and the best chefs. I am just a chef, a small person, and you found me from millions of people. I am so happy.

“I am so proud to be a member of the largest chef community, where attention is paid to chefs at all levels.

“This is an amazing community that discovers many hidden gems.”

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a chef?

“I learned self-confidence. I learned to enjoy working in the kitchen.

“I learned never to be tired, never to stop dreaming and never to stop creating. I learned to learn from the best chefs.”

How would you best describe your food style?

“I love everything. I love British food, Spanish food, Italian food, French food and Chinese food. I try everything.”

“Somebody once told me I am a rule breaker. One company told me, ‘you try to mix west and east.’ Yes, that is me.

“Years ago, you had to follow the rules. Now, I try everything. You know why? If famous chefs like Jamie Oliver can do it, why can I not?"

What are your hopes or plans for the future in hospitality?

“After many years in the hospitality industry, I decided to work as a freelance chef and concentrate on my food creations and food design.

“I dream of publishing a recipe book of my own creations.

“I feel that a new chapter is just around the corner, and I will be ready to start soon.”