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CAREER TIMELINE

SEA BASED ROLES

Shore Based Relief Crew Chef 1st Apr 2015 - 17th Apr 2015 - Motor Yacht Rola (48 M ISA)

I entered the super-yacht industry with this role. During a refit period at Baglietto Shipyard in La Spezia my duties included provisioning and preparation of lunch and dinner at the crew apartment for the captain and 9 crew members. As the sole Chef, I prepared Mediterranean and South African inspired buffets. I also learned how to use Deep Blue software for galley administration.

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Freelance Sole Chef 15th May 2015 - 3rd Jun 2015 - Motor Yacht Tee-Dje (37 M Bilgin)

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Based in Cannes and cruising between Juan-Les-Pins and St Tropez, I was responsible for all provisioning and galley health and safety, cooking for 10 guests and 6 crew. I carefully met the owner’s specific dietary requirements including gluten and sugar free meals and also catered for private VIP cocktail parties during the Cannes Film Festival.

Freelance Sole Chef 15th Jun 2015 - 29th Jun 2015 - Motor Yacht Let It Be (48 M Heesen)

Cruising from Tarragona Spain to Ibiza on this private yacht, I prepared meals for 8 crew and up to 10 guests, as well as provisioning and maintaining the galley. I created imaginative plated breakfasts for guests, informal lunches, canapés and formal dinners, serving Argentinean, Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine to my guests’ exacting tastes.

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Freelance Sole Chef 6th Jul 2015 - 20th Jul 2015 - Motor Yacht Cleopatra (55 M Amels)

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In this role as temporary sole Chef onboard this private vessel, I organised the provisioning and preparation of all meals for a crew of 13 and 6 guests. Cruising from Livorno to Monaco, Amalfi, Ischia, La Forna, Ponza and Olbia. I specialized in North African and Mediterranean dishes, served formally and buffet-style according to the guests’ preferences that day.  I prepared a wide range of interesting cuisine for the crew and also catered for the guests’ small children.

Sole Chef 10th Sep 2015 - 15th Nov 2015 - Motor Yacht Azzurra II (50 M CNI)

I joined in Viareggio to complete the season. I prepared meals for up to 10 guests and 12 crew. We cruised Nice, Rhodes, Symi, Marmaris and Bodrum and I ran the galley alone: cleaning, provisioning, managing budgets and accounting while serving Mediterranean, Swiss and German dishes as formal, casual and buffet-style cuisine, as well as aperitifs and canapés, always ensuring dishes met the owner’s low carbohydrate and protein dietary requirements. My role was no longer required when the vessel commenced a lengthy refit in Bodrum.

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Relief Sole Chef 3rd Jul 2017 - 12th Jul 2017 & Owner's Private Chef / Sole Chef 1st Sep 2017 - 31st May 2018 - Motor Yacht Lucy II (38 M Palmer Johnson)

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Short-term replacement for sole chef for owner's and guests (7pax) and 5 crew cruising from Naples to Genova via Portofino. During this period the owner invited me to become her private chef for whenever she used her yacht. From the end of May 2018, after getting married in Barcelona and with my Schengen Visa expiring in June 2018, I had to remain in Spain and could not cross the Spanish border from the beginning of June 2018 to December 2018 while attending to my Spanish residency application hence another chef was appointed in my place.

Sole Chef 22nd Jun 2019 - 5th Jul 2019 - Research Vessel Hercules (37 M

I had a 3-month fixed-term independent contractor's type contract as the sole chef on this vessel. We were based in Trapani in Sicily and doing daily excursions to conduct sea-bed remote-controlled camera exploration for historical and marine archaeological purposes in an area off-shore from Stromboli. On the basis of personal convictions and other confidential concerns, I elected to end the contract prematurely in favor of rather accepting a freelance Head Chef contract on MY Kiss.

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Temp Head Chef - 6th Jul 2019 - 23rd Jul 2019 - Motor Yacht Kiss (46 M 

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I joined this yacht, with 8 guests and 11 crew at short notice on a fixed term contract from 6 July to 23 July 2019. I literally walked into the galley immediately after boarding in Portofino, to take over the lunch service and to replace the Head Chef for an owners’ trip. A day later I was joined by a new Sous Chef. It was agreed from the onset that at the end of my contract, the Sous Chef would stay on to do the crew meals while growing into the Head Chef role for when the owners used their yacht again. The style of cuisine required was varied including Thai and Mediterranean flavours

Temp Sole Chef - 6th Jul 2019 - 23rd Jul 2019 - Motor Yacht Sonny II (31 M Custom Line)

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This yacht was based on the Costa Brava and only occasionally used as a day boat for its owners . I was head-hunted by a larger private and charter use yacht for their freelance Head Chef role and on mutual agreement, I finished my temp contract on this yacht.

Temp Head Chef - 13th Aug 2019 - 21st Sep 2019 Motor Yacht Quite Essential (55M 

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I was headhunted on 7 days’ notice to join this prestigious yacht one day before a confirmed charter and assisted with remote provisioning prior to joining. My specific brief apart from the usual responsibilities was to nurture and coach the permanent Sous Chef with her growth into the future permanent Head Chef role on board in mind. After completing two charters successfully and with no other confirmed charters for the remainder of the season, by mutual agreement my contract end date of 30 September was brought forward

LAND-BASED ROLES

1st Oct 1985 - 11th Oct 1989 (4 years) Permanent Force Chef / Caterer - South African Air Force

Head Chef - Servest PLC t/a Multi-services  - Namibia 1st May 2014 - 15th Sep 2014

I was tasked with the day-to day operations of an on-site management restaurant at a new uranium mine development near Swakopmund in Namibia. The restaurant served breakfast and dinner to 300 Western and 200 Chinese Engineers and also prepared and delivered lunch boxes to all the engineers where they were working on site. One of my most important functions apart from cost control, nutrition etc, was to keep the HACCP system operating flawlessly while maintaining all other required systems and standards. My contract ended with the expiry of my temporary work and residency permits

Head Chef Bombay Bicycle Club - Cape Town 1st Oct 2014 - 31st Jan 2015

I had a fixed-term contract with this iconic bistro and I was tasked with all the normal duties and responsibilities of a head chef in running a busy fine-dining fusion kitchen.

 

During the course of my contract, I was invited to join my first yacht in Italy as a relief crew chef at the beginning of April 2015.

 

As the yacht had offered to cover all related costs, it was a golden opportunity that I could not refuse and I therefore did not seek to extend my contract with the bistro beyond its agreed term.

1st Nov 1989 - 30th Apr 2014 (24 years, 5 months) Various Chef and Management roles

After finishing my 4-year Permanent Force contract as a chef /caterer in the South African Air Force, I embarked on a colorful and very rewarding direction into the hospitality industry. Over time, I have worked in many different concepts at various levels of responsibilities in both Front of House and Back of House, including as an entrepreneur or partner in a business. With many highlights that come to mind and a wealth of acquired skills and knowledge backed by practical experience gained, I firmly believe that I can regard myself, as I do, as a true Hospitality Professional.

Executive Chef for 2nd May 2016 - 15th Dec 2016 Protea Hotel Durbanville -Cape Town

In this role as Executive Chef, I was initially responsible for the daily running of the kitchen at Bon Hotel Shelley Point, a remotely located in a western coast seaside resident complex, before transferring in July 2016 to oversee all aspects of the daily kitchen operations of Protea Hotel by Marriot, a very busy 4 Star conferencing hotel in Durbanville, South Africa. Within two weeks of starting at the latter hotel, I succeeded in reducing COS from 43% to be within budget at 30%. I also contributed to significant business growth and initiated an inspirational training program within my department. I was voted as the Associate of the Month at the end of my first month at this hotel

Consulting Chef Thamalakane Luxury Game Lodge - Botswana 2nd Jan 2017 - 30th Jun 2017

In this fixed-term contracted role at a luxury Game Lodge in Northern Botswana, at first, I consulted on- then managed the execution of the extensive renovation and renewal project program that I had drawn up. A part thereof was across-the board retraining of the entire hospitality team in both Front- and Back of House for which I was heavily involved in the recruiting and training of previously disadvantaged unskilled and often illiterate locals from a rural milieu, into well-trained and enabled dining-room staff and Commi-chef roles. Thereafter, I established standards to the high-end service level required and while transferring skills, by combining the duties and responsibilities of a General Manager and Executive Chef, I then also attended to all aspects of the daily catering operations as the Managing Chef

2nd Jan 2019 - 30th Apr 2019 (3 months, 29 days) - Chef de Partie - Hot Kitchen

Taperia Lolitas - Barcelona

 

This was a short-term fixed contract that I was given as a personal favour to me for me get some hands-on experience in Spanish Cuisine and the opportunity to practice my work-place Spanish fluency.

1st Oct 2019 - 28th Feb 2020 - Self-employed Private Chef for Self-employed - Self-employed in Barcelona undertaking various private chef and functions commissions.

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1st Mar 2020 - 30th May 2021 - Self-employed online entrepreneur - Worked from home due to Covid confinement - While in confinement, I put my effort and time into starting two different online businesses.

12th Jun 2021 - Present - Self-employed Private Chef & Premium Hospitality Services Entrepreneur

 

I relocated temporarily from Barcelona to Mallorca in June 2021 so as to better align myself with the Western Mediterranean-based super-yacht industry and to investigate Mallorca as a premium travel market and the chef scene there, in general.

 

While in Mallorca, I kept myself busy with private chef assignments and also used the time to renew my STCW95 certificates and obtain my PYA Powerboat II license and Proficiency in Designated Security Duties certification.

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