ABOUT

HI! I’M GERSHWIN

My food journey started at the age of about 12. When I finished school, I completed a one-year hospitality management course and gained some well-needed insight and practical experience in the industry. The same year at about 19, I catered for my first wedding with no formal training but nailed it. I never looked back after that.

I soon landed my first job in Cape Town at the Holiday Inn, Strand Street as a commis chef and started living the dream, or as Marco Pierre White would say, I became a “white slave”. This was short-lived as I moved to Scotland and then London. This was the highlight of my career. As I worked for several kitchens and studied at Westminster Kingsway College, Victoria (the same institution Jamie Oliver did his studies in).

Coming up with new dishes and getting your creations to feature on the menu was always a great opportunity. I flourished in this. The one establishment that stands out for me was The Racine in Knightsbridge under chef Henry Harris, it was voted the best French restaurant in the UK a few times. I remember not being able to read any of the menu items as it was all French, but I could cook the dishes. They started me off in pastry and that is where I learnt to make the most amazing ice creams and sorbets. To this day, I love making it and exploring different flavour combinations.

Today I am a proud private chef and caterer with many years of experience from corporate canteens, large event catering, and a la carte to fine dining. I love to cook French food, Italian, South African, Contemporary, and modern fusion among other global delicacies.