Being born in South Africa as the first South African in the family was always going to mean trouble but I think I turned out alright.
I spent the first 13 years in South Africa living mainly with my mother just outside Johannesburg and not far from Soweto. Living with a broad minded parent in such a closed minded community gave me an amazing insight into the way South Africa was in the early nineties.
One story I am reminded of is when mum helped her company hold a barbeque and clothing donation for an inner city orphanage at their Christmas soccer day. Being the only blond haired white (almost albino white) child on a field of 50 black children can be a bit of an eye opener.
From 13 – 21yrs we lived in Scotland, on a farm 15 miles inland from St Andrews to start then a couple of years in Falkirk for college and finally in St Andrews itself, working in Rufflets Country House hotel which was my first taste of my passion of the hospitality industry. This is also where I met my future wife when we fell in love at first sight.
Together we moved to London!
Quite a funny story of when we first moved to London was when we were looking for jobs in soho! Walking down old Compton street, which seemed pretty cool and the place to be, we found this cool little cafe that I wanted to work in. I walked up to the front desk and asked if there were any jobs available. The lovely bar tender asked me to wait tree while he got the manager for me. While I w waiting for him to return I looked around and felt a little odd. Before the manger returned I looked behind the var and saw the two barMEN having a little smooch. Well when the manager returned I had to run away!
