Cadac Safari Chef 2 vs 2 Cook 2 Pro: Our Honest Campervan Cooking Review
Cooking is one of my favourite parts of vanlife. But as a busy, active family of four, I don't want to spend hours preparing meals when we could be outside exploring. Having the right campervan cooking equipment makes a huge difference, particularly when it means I can cook outside and still be part of whatever the rest of the family is doing. Over the years we have used both the Cadac Safari Chef 2 and the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro on our campervan trips, so if you are trying to decide which Cadac is best for your campervan, motorhome or camping setup, here's our experience with both.
Quick verdict: Which Cadac would we choose?
If I could only take one, I'd choose the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro. The two burners and separate cooking plates make it much more versatile when cooking meals for our family of four, and it's the Cadac we tend to use most often. However, the Safari Chef 2 has some big advantages. It's incredibly compact, easy to store and its design offers better protection from the wind. So, the best one really depends on how you camp and what you like to cook.
Why we use a Cadac when travelling in our campervan
Our campervan is fully converted and has a double-ring gas burner inside, which is perfect during colder months when we spend more time inside the van, but during spring, summer and autumn we're usually cooking outside. That's why I originally bought our Cadac Safari Chef 2. Being able to cook outside means I'm not tucked away inside the campervan preparing dinner while everyone else is enjoying the campsite. It also gives us another cooking area when we're making larger family meals.
Cadac Safari Chef 2 Review
The Safari Chef 2 was our first Cadac and I loved it pretty much from the moment it arrived. For campervan travel, one of its biggest advantages is how compact it is. Ours can be stored underneath the front seat of the campervan, and the whole system packs neatly away into its storage bag. Despite being small, it is surprisingly versatile. You get several different cooking surfaces, which means you can use it for everything from breakfast and eggs to meat, vegetables and one-pan camping meals. Even the lid can be used as a pan.
What we love about the Cadac Safari Chef 2
Compact storage – ours fits underneath the front seat of the campervan.
Lightweight and portable – useful if storage and payload are important.
Quick to set up – ideal when you arrive somewhere and just want to get dinner cooking.
Versatile cooking options – the BBQ grid, flat griddle and pot stand give you lots of options.
Clever design – even the lid can double as a cooking pan.
Better in windy conditions – we've found the design around the burner helps protect the flame.
Different gas options – depending on your setup, it can be used with different gas supplies.
What don't we like about the Safari Chef 2?
There are two main drawbacks for us. Firstly, the cooking area isn't huge. That's fine for a couple, but when you are cooking for a family of four it can sometimes feel a little restrictive. Secondly, although the area around the burner is useful for catching fat while cooking, we've found it can be fiddly to keep clean when we are travelling. Neither has stopped us using it, though. It's still a brilliant little camping cooker and its compact size is difficult to beat.
Is the Cadac Safari Chef 2 good for campervans?
For us, yes. I'd particularly recommend looking at the Safari Chef 2 if storage space is limited, you want something lightweight and portable, or you usually cook for one or two people. For a family, it still works well, but the smaller cooking surface means you may have to cook things in batches.
Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro Review
After we'd been using our Safari Chef 2 for over a year, we were kindly gifted a Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro to try. The biggest difference was immediately obvious: two burners. That might not sound revolutionary, but when you are cooking for four people it makes a huge difference. Being able to have two things cooking at the same time makes preparing family meals much easier. Our model also has a flat ceramic cooking plate and a ribbed plate, giving us lots of options without needing to carry loads of separate pans and cooking equipment.
What we love about the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro
Two burners – probably its biggest advantage for family cooking.
Two cooking areas – ideal when different parts of a meal need to cook at the same time.
Versatile cooking plates – the flat and ribbed surfaces give us plenty of options.
Slim design – despite being larger than the Safari Chef, it stores surprisingly well.
Lightweight – important when everything you put into a campervan adds to the payload.
Quick to set up – we can have it ready for cooking very quickly.
Easy to clean – something I really appreciate when we're travelling.
Storage has also been easier than you might expect. We slide ours down the side of our rock-and-roll bed, where it takes up very little usable space.
What don't we like about the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro?
There is one disadvantage we've noticed in particular: wind. Unlike the Safari Chef, there is less protection around the burners. On a windy campsite, keeping the flame going can therefore be more challenging. It is something worth considering if you regularly camp in exposed locations.
Cadac Safari Chef 2 vs 2 Cook 2 Pro: Which is better?
This is a difficult one because we genuinely use both. The Safari Chef 2 wins for portability and compact storage. It is a fantastic little cooker, particularly if you are travelling light or don't need to cook several things simultaneously. The 2 Cook 2 Pro wins for family cooking and versatility. For our family of four, having two burners is incredibly useful. I can cook two parts of a meal simultaneously rather than waiting for one thing to finish before starting another. That is why, despite the lack of protection from the wind, the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro is the one I use more frequently. If I were buying again and could only choose one, that's the one I'd choose for our family.
Which Cadac is best for a family of four?
Based on our experience, I'd choose the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro for a family of four. The extra burner gives you much more flexibility when cooking proper family meals. If you are travelling as a couple, cooking simpler meals or storage space is your biggest concern, I'd seriously consider the Safari Chef 2 instead.
What do we cook on our Cadac?
Pretty much anything we'd normally cook at home! We've used ours for breakfasts, omelettes, meat, vegetables, curries and lots of our favourite camping meals. One of the things I like most about cooking this way is that I'm outside with everyone else rather than standing inside the campervan on my own. Looking for ideas? Read our Favourite Campervan Meals.
Our campervan cooking essentials
After plenty of trips in our campervan, there are certain bits of cooking equipment that we use again and again. If you are putting together your own campervan kitchen, these are the things I'd consider first:
Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro – our most-used outdoor cooker.
Cadac Safari Chef 2 – brilliant when space is limited.
Gas regulator/hose – make sure you buy the correct type for your particular Cadac and gas setup.
Camping kettle – one of those things we use constantly.
Compact cookware – nesting pans and other space-saving equipment are ideal in a campervan.
Camping utensils – we try to keep ours lightweight and multipurpose.
Planning a campervan trip to Europe?
Cooking outside the van is one of our favourite parts of travelling, but there's obviously a lot more that goes into planning a European campervan trip. We have travelled extensively around Europe as a family and have put together our experience, recommendations and useful information to help other families plan their own adventures.
Final thoughts: Safari Chef 2 or 2 Cook 2 Pro?
We still make room for both when we can. The Safari Chef 2 is compact, clever and incredibly useful, especially when storage space is tight. But if I had to choose just one for our family of four, I'd go for the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro because of the flexibility offered by the two burners and separate cooking plates. Ultimately, both have helped us do something that's really important to us when we're travelling: spend more time outside together as a family. And for me, that is what vanlife is all about.
*Whilst the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro was gifted, this review and thoughts are my own. This is no way endorsed by Cadac.
