Chef Lawrence

Lawrence D. Benson
Vegan Chef and Baker

Hello! I’m Chef Lawrence and I’m a vegan chef and baker located in Minneapolis. I have been cooking exclusively vegan approaching ten years. I began cooking with my Grandmother Louise when I was like seven or eight years-old: snapping peas, peeling and cutting potatoes, watching pots of collard greens, and turning over fried chicken before it burned. I remember learning to make flan, pancakes, a box cake, and watching the wonders of yeast as my Aunt Velma’s yeast rolls rose. I have been cooking and baking over forty years for myself, family, friends, in restaurants, as a line cook, and as a sous chef.

I specialize in plant-based cuisine that uses no animal products. I cook 100% vegan, meaning the most care has been taken to do the least amount of harm to animals, us as humans, and our environment. I prepare delicious meals that are balanced and packed with nutrients. I use mostly whole foods: vegetables, legumes, fruit, seeds, greens, etc. I use minimally processed ingredients and low seed oils in my typical menus, but can adjust to clients’ wishes. I can prepare, cook, and bake whatever you like, especially if I have a precise recipe. Check out my Instagram, @TheFlyyProfessa for examples of my savory and sweet dishes. I am Food Safety certified in Minnesota and I am a MN Department of Health Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM-6850).

My Rate

My rate is $40/hour which is a fair market rate for personal chefs in this area. This rate includes the price of food, grocery shopping, the actual prep, cooking, and cleaning time in my own kitchen. This rate does not include deliveries, on-site preparation (cooking in your home), and ingredients deemed “exotic”.

How Can I Cook For You?

I have a few vegan cookbooks that I use regularly that a client might already have or could acquire. The internet is full of vegan and plant-based books and recipes that might be fun for clients to research and create their own recipe database. I also adapt non-vegan recipes to vegan recipes using simple meat and dairy swap-outs. For the most part, if there is a recipe, I can cook it.

How Do I Determine The Cost?

Most, if not all, quality recipes have a prep time and cook time listed. Add a recipe’s prep time and cook time and multiply by $40. (First 1-60 minutes is $40). So, if an 8-10 serving soup takes 30 minutes of prep time and a cook time of 45 minutes, that’s 75 minutes. The first 60 minutes is $40. The remaining 15 minutes (quarter of an hour) equals $40 divided by 4, which equals $10. The total cost for the 8-10 serving, 75 minute soup is $50.`

Another example is a 6-8 serving bean salad that takes 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to assemble. This 25 minutes would also be $40. However, you find a 4-6 servings crispy tofu recipe with total time of 35 minutes. Now you have 2 dishes in an hour for $40. 

So, if you requested this soup, salad, and tofu dish—potentially 18-24 servings—your cost is $90, or $3.75-$5 per serving.

Vegan Bakery Pop-Up

I would love for you to join me Saturday, October 4, 2025, 11:30am-1pm for my inaugural Vegan Bakery Pop-Up at Resource Mpls, 512 E 24th St, Mpls MN 55404. Purchase and enjoy vegan, scratch-made, baked goods including cookies, cake slices, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, and a very limited number of 4- and 6- inch cakes. Price List (subject to change): Cookies $1 each or 3 for $2; Black Cookies $1.50 each or 3 for $4; Cupcakes $2 each or 3 for $5; Cake Slice $2; Quick Bread Slice $1.50; Cinnamon Rolls $2. Payment accepted: Venmo, Cash App, Credit/Debit, Cash (Electronic payment preferred). There will be limited cash onsite. Please bring small bills. I look forward to seeing you! Thank you very much. -LB✌🏾