Linkie Marais

Chef, Next Food Network Star Season 8 Finalist

Travels From Travels From:
Attleboro, MA, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Linkie Marais Biography

Linkie Marais exudes a passion for life and it is evident in her cakes, food, art and her ability to create beautiful things. Her resume includes creating specialty cakes and desserts for such noted individuals as Barack Obama, John McCain, Frankie Vali and Patrick Kennedy. She has cooked alongside Guy Fieri, Giada de Laurentis and of course, her fellow Food Network Stars.

Her story has interesting roots – an immigrant from South Africa, she has been passionate about food as far back as she can remember. Her first food memory is of helping her Mom make a “Welcome Home Cake” when her Dad was returning from the war. Growing up in South Africa brings to mind some great memories – Covering ripening fruit on trees with plastic bags to keep monkeys from stealing it; family and friends gathering at braais (cookouts) where whole sheep were BBQ’d on a spit while singing songs around the campfire; and living where it is OK to “test drive” an ostrich. South Africa’s wide open spaces and beauty made it easy for her to fall in love with the outdoors.

Linkie’s life in South Africa was much different than her new one in America. In South Africa she wore a school uniform and in America she really was given the opportunity to find her own style.

Upon immigrating to the States at 16, her passion for food continued and she began working for a local Tupelo caterer, Billie’s Catering and Flowers, doing just about everything. There she gained entry into the world of decorating specialty and wedding cakes, arranging flowers and creating beautiful events.

As Linkie went off to college she got involved with everything from dance to choir to pageants. She found great success in the pageant world and loved every aspect of it … the only drawback was that she could not be the winner of State Pageants since she was not yet a United States citizen. Linkie went to college pursuing a degree in Public Relations knowing that she wanted a career interacting with people. When she was awarded a full scholarship to Mississippi University for Women, she fell in love with their Culinary Arts Program and changed her major.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree Cum Laude, she married a fellow South African and moved to Oxford, MS. She walked into Ole Miss Catering with an incredible portfolio of cakes. They said they were looking for a pastry chef and the rest, as they say, is history. Linkie joined Ole Miss Catering and became the bakery manager. Even though she was working as a pastry chef, her bosses knew she was a certified chef. She was asked to go represent the shop in a culinary competition. Linkie went to the competition and the other chefs were not too worried … but her fine culinary skills and competitive nature came out and she won the whole competition!

In 2010 she relocated to Massachusetts and took some time to set up her house. Massachusetts proximity to the beach, mountains and incredible national parks allow Linkie and her husband the opportunity to spend much of their free time in the great outdoors. She took her impressive resume into Montilio’s Bakery in Boston and was hired instantly. Linkie loved being able to concentrate solely on making beautiful cakes and was highly sought after.

BOOK Linkie Marais

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 12/30/2023.

Linkie Marais Videos

  • Linkie Marais - Lamb and Shrimp Kabobs on the Big Green Egg ...

FAQs on booking Linkie Marais

  • How do I book Linkie Marais to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Linkie Marais for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Linkie Marais, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Linkie Marais or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Linkie Marais

    Speaking fees for Linkie Marais, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Linkie Marais are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Linkie Marais, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Linkie Marais speak about?

    Linkie Marais is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Celebrity Chef, Food & Beverage.
  • Where does Linkie Marais travel from?

    Linkie Marais generally travels from Attleboro, MA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Linkie Marais’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Linkie Marais for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Linkie Marais for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Linkie Marais or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Linkie Marais is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Linkie Marais for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Linkie Marais generally travels from Attleboro, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Don Guerra, Gemma Stafford, Apollonia Poilâne, Nadiya Hussain and Sherry Yard. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Linkie Marais for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP