About Us

Meryl van der Merwe Meryl grew up in Hout Bay, South Africa, a small, beach and fishing village in a particularly beautiful part of the country, with views of both ocean and mountains. In her late teens, Meryl joined the yachting world, and worked on-board the super-yachts as a chef for many years while she was based in Antibes, France. Meryl then took some time out from the yachting world to attend culinary school, and work in various cooking related environments in the South of France. When she returned to yachting, Meryl signed on as Head Chef of a large, family-owned yacht based in the Tropical Pacific, and it was in Pacific Island Nation of Palau that Meryl met Greg. Within a few months, the two decided to move to Park City and form Du Monde Gourmet Catering. Meryl has been trained in the classical French tradition, and has spent more than a decade working in the world of super-yachting and private estates around the world. She has designed and prepared gourmet cuisines from around the globe for international groups and individuals, including royalty, heads of state, industry leaders and celebrities. Now, Meryl is offering those same gourmet cuisines to the residents and guests of the Park City area. more about Meryl...

Gregory L. Cropper Greg was born in Utah, and after spending ten formative years in the San Francisco Bay Area, he returned to Utah, moving to Park City in 1979 at age 18. He spent the next several years in the Ivory Tower, obtaining both a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Juris Doctor Degree. After practicing law with a major Utah law firm for several years, Greg felt it was time to gain another sort of education, first hand—an education about the world. Initially, he combined a part-time law practice with extended travels throughout various regions of the world; eventually, however, Greg gave up his law practice altogether to live and work abroad. It was at this point that Greg became a full-time PADI Scuba Instructor, and was finally able to learn of the world first hand, living and working in several remote countries, while engaging in one of his most serious passions—scuba diving. As a professional scuba diver, Greg lived and worked in such countries as Mexico, Honduras, Fiji, The Philippines and Palau. While living in Palau Greg met Meryl, and the two quickly learned how much they share in common, and how much Greg enjoys Meryl’s company. It was also after living in Palau for a couple of years that Greg decided to send his backpack and dive gear into semi-retirement, and make plans with Meryl to develop a business in Park City. While not a professional chef himself, Greg has long held a passion for the cuisines and beverages of the world. And with Meryl being a professional chef of worldly experience, the two set about establishing Du Monde Gourmet Catering in Park City. Greg assists Meryl in the kitchen as and when needed, and otherwise handles the paper aspects of the business.