About The Little Geranium
Who We Are
Steven Saunders and Michele opened The Little Geranium in May 2015 in the small but popular town of La Cala. Originally it was designed to be an early retirement project (a hobby!) for Steven but since the success of the restaurant (often fully booked) Steven surrendered! He runs the kitchen and greets clients every evening that the restaurant opens alongside Michele who is the ultimate host.
Steven’s background as a Michelin chef, Master Chef, TV celebrity chef (BBC Ready Steady Cook amongst many others) and author of 10 best selling cookery books (worldwide) helps, but the real success of The Little Geranium’s popularity is the passionate way that it is run by both Steven, Michele and their loyal and hard-working team.
Steven insists that the key to great food is fantastic ingredients and so he chooses them himself. He chooses and collects fresh fish, wild mushrooms, truffles and other specialised ingredients every morning, whilst Michele manages the team and arranges the stunning décor which she calls shabby chic but looks far more chic than shabby! She has chosen soft colours, beautiful hand made furniture, interesting glassware and quirky trinkets, chalk painted tables, and hundreds of lovely plants and flowers are everywhere! Pictures of friends and family adorn the walls and endless candles light the room in the evenings. People often stop by just to take photographs!
The kitchen is tiny(!) and thus Steven has created a series of small menus (updated monthly) with many popular choices from his previous restaurants gathered over the last 35 years with a modern twist. Steven and Michele also have a 4/5 course tasting menu every evening with accompanying wines (optional) which is hugely popular and an artistic tapas menu is available at lunch times.
Steven and Michele welcome you to their Little Geranium, their love and their passion brims from every crevice. To be part of it book believing that you are a crucial part of a show at the theatre, don’t just come to eat! Every show needs an audience and what an amazing audience they we have established since opening in May 2015. Sit back enjoy the show, Michele’s warm welcome and Steven’s amazing food.
Chef Steven Saunders was trained at the famous Savoy Hotel in London in the seventies and went on to become Britain’s youngest Chef Patron of The White Hart Great Yeldham in 1981* Steven was only 19. After several years as Chef Patron Steven bought his first restaurant with 100% bank loan, The Pink Geranium in 1986. He launched his famous Rolls Royce service (collecting clients free of charge) and fell into an opportunity with local BBC Radio to appear twice weekly presenting his own food show. In 1989 Steven was awarded the coveted Michelin red M and Star for excellence and his Pink Geranium restaurant was awarded 3 AA Rosettes putting it in the top 20 UK restaurants and Steven appeared as a regular on BBC’s Good Morning TV weekly and then launched the BBC hit TV series Ready Steady Cook in 1994 which he appeared on approximately 200 shows. Steven was also chef presenter for Channel 4’s Here’s one I made earlier’ and often appeared on other various TV shows like This Morning. Steven has also written 10 best selling cookery books* selling over half a million copies worldwide. He expanded his restaurant and hotel business to The Sheene Mill Hotel nr Cambridge, The Lowry, Manchester, Brocket Hall Restaurant and Golf Club, Welwyn Garden City and Steven Saunders in Newmarket the first 100% accredited organic restaurant. During this time Steven won awards for Best Restaurant UK (for The Pink Geranium) Business Person of the Year, A Fellow of the Master chefs Association (about 30 worldwide) Young Entrepreneur of the Year and an Acorn (Caterer Magazine award) for Best Young Restaurateur.
Steven’s background as a Master Chef, TV celebrity chef (BBC Ready Steady Cook amongst many others) and author of 10 best selling cookery books (worldwide) helps, but the real success of The Little Geranium’s popularity is the passionate way that it is run by both Steven, Michele and their loyal and hard-
Michele Saunders RAD RTS CBTS AIDTA is a professional ballet dancer. Michele was born in Gauteng, South Africa and was trained in Classical Ballet and Spanish dancing. After 5 years training,
Michele was accepted into the prestigious National School of the Arts where she was trained in Classical Ballet, Contemporary, National Dance, Classical Greek and Spanish Dance by very talented, dedicated professionals. Michele competed annually winning various trophies and medals for Ballet and Spanish Dance, as well as performing in the NSA productions such as: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Etudes and various modern ballets at the Wits and Civic Theatres. Recent performances have been at the Grand Opera House, Orpheus and the Underworld, The Music Box for Cancer Research at the Waterfront Hall and various performances for charities.
Michele has over 11 years of teaching experience, and ran a very popular and successful Ballet School in Ireland for 5 years. Michele met Steven in 2013 and were engaged in 2014 and married in September 2016. Michele joined Steven by moving to Spain in 2015 where they opened The Little Geranium in La Cala de Mijas in May 2015.