Molo Lolo, Addo – Laurence Armand's Remarkable Legacy
Molo Lolo is, without question, one of the most extraordinary stories I've encountered in all my years as a writer: a restaurant just outside Addo, with the soul of something much bigger.
Founded by Laurence Armand, a French entrepreneur who arrived in South Africa to improve her English and never left, Molo Lolo is the result of what began as a temporary visit and became a heartwarming, lifelong commitment to this country and its people.
Today, the Molo Lolo restaurant forms part of a wider hospitality project, anchored by an internationally respected training programme. Working alongside NGOs across South Africa, Laurence recruits promising young people from a wide range of underserved communities and cultural backgrounds, selecting them for their potential rather than their circumstances, and equips them – through intensive training, mentorship from world-class chefs, and practical experience at Molo Lolo itself – with industry-ready skills before placing them into some of the top hospitality establishments in South Africa and abroad.
To date, the programme has helped place more than two hundred graduates into employment, including positions with prestigious hospitality brands such as Rovos Rail and Club Med – a remarkable example of how hospitality can become a vehicle for genuine social change.
What makes the concept so compelling is that guests become part of that journey simply by dining there – and the food and service are outstanding throughout.
We began the evening with expertly crafted cocktails, followed by carefully selected South African wines and an exceptional meal. Every dish was beautifully presented and thoughtfully prepared, delivering a dining experience that comfortably rivals many of the country’s finest destination restaurants.
Yet it wasn’t only the food that stayed with me.
It was the extraordinary attention to detail that seemed to define every aspect of the project – from the immaculate restaurant to the professionalism of the staff and the pride with which every guest was welcomed – and although my visit focused solely on dining, Molo Lolo also offers beautifully designed accommodation for travellers wanting to immerse themselves more fully, making it somewhere I'm already hoping to return to.
If you’re visiting Addo, make a reservation for dinner. You’ll leave having enjoyed an exceptional meal – but you’ll also leave inspired by one of the most remarkable stories in South Africa.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Addo, Eastern Cape
www.addoafricanhome.co.za
