Candidate 5332 Liesl PERSONAL PROFILE

Candidate 5332 Liesl

Nationality: South African Date of Birth: 15/09/1975 Languages: English Experience: 25 Years Driving: Yes

PERSONAL PROFILE

Liesl is a qualified Cordon Bleu Chef, expanding 25 years in the food industry. Her approach towards her passion is with intense flair and creativity. She has managed to incorporate her experience and travels across the globe to awaken senses while dining, and introducing different cultures through her food with her versatile background. She is passionate about her art, and will only produce the best quality of food to the tables of anyone that she has the privilege to cook for. She carries a passion for anything culinary. She brings vast ideas and a fresh healthy approach to her food. She constantly challenges herself to create new masterpieces on plates which she calls her "white canvas". Drawing inspiration from herself and many others. Incorporating her many travels and experience around the world, she can produce a contrasting variety of inspired cultural cuisines that range from South East Asian, South Asian, Central Asian and Middle Eastern. Western/Continental Europe, African and North/South American.

Her style of cooking is Fusion/Cafe Style, as she incorporates many different techniques of cooking into her classically trained French foundation. She is passionate about food and can cook up a contrasting variety of any cultural dishes, specialising in Middle Eastern Cuisine. She has vast experience in any type of diet or food intolerance. Many of her clients have also followed nutritional health and fitness programmes where she has worked very closely with nutritionists and personal trainers to supplement their daily food intake.

She has had the honour o cook for The UAE Royal Family, The Bahrani Royal Family, Russian Oligarchs, Saudi Dignitaries and Celebrities.

Liesl is up to date with new culinary trends the world is offering. She constantly develops new ideas and innovative menus with taste explosions through her vast experience. She constantly develops new ideas and innovative menus with taste explosions through her vast experience.

PRIVATE CHEF POSITIONS

Liesl has worked for some prestigious families over the last couple of years as a private chef. As a chef she is driven to create new gastronomic delights on a daily basis according to her employer’s tastes. Her day starts with procuring fresh seasonal ingredients from different markets around the area to ensure the freshest produce is sourced. Therefore creating minimum wastage and ensuring only the best quality dishes are produced. She prepares everything from scratch as she does not believe in procuring any bought items that are already made, as this defeats the object of her being a chef and denotes from her passion. Liesl draws up daily menus that falls in line with her employers taste requirements i.e. if they are following a low calorie diet or if they are on a strict work out regime with instructions from the nutritionist.

Perfect Household Staff ● Residency Concierge & Domestic Recruitment 15 Stratton Street ● London, W1J 8LQ ● phone: +44 (0)203 318 4468 ● fax: +44 (0)207 960 6100 Company N.7197595 ● email: [email protected] ● www.perfecthouseholdstaff.co.u

She can also cater to Vegetarians, Vegans, Pescatarians or any food intolerances including nut allergies, gluten free or lactose intolerances. Being a private chef she understands any employer’s likes and dislikes with regards to certain foods, understanding their needs, therefore creating food they wish to eat and enjoy.

They are her top priority. Breakfast can include any of the following healthy dishes. Boiled Eggs with Toast Soldiers, Egg White Omelette’s, Poached Eggs or a Bubble Pancake. Occasionally her employer’s will indulge in a guilty pleasure of a Full English Breakfast, Poached Eggs with Hollandaise, and Pancakes with Chocolate Dipping Sauce or Chocolate Brioche. Liesl also knows how to make traditional Arabic breakfast dishes like Balaleet, Khobz Al Khameer and Fool Medame. Or Even a hearty portion of Shakshuka.

For lunches she can produce a variety of dishes as she appreciates what many of the family members would delight in. Dishes can range from fresh healthy salads like Chicken Caesar Salad, Grilled Tuna Niçoise Salad, and Spinach Salad with Roasted Pine Nuts and Parmesan Shavings with a Light Lemon Vinaigrette. Or Asian Tangled Thai Noodle Salad. Other days she can do any cultural themes for lunch which can include anything from Asian to Middle Eastern. These dishes can consist of Mexican Chicken Flautas, or Lamb Brisket Tacos served with Mexican accompaniments of Sour Cream, Home Made Guacamole and a Grilled Corn and Kidney Bean Salsa with a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. Asian dishes including light Pillows of Fried Potstickers with Nouc Cham Dipping Sauce or a Nobu inspired Shitake Mushroom Salad with Lemon Chilli Vinaigrette. Middle Eastern dishes for lunch can consist of Turkish Gozleme, these fried pockets of delicious Spinach and Feta parcels, accompany a Traditional Middle Eastern Mixed Grill of Lamb Chops, Shish Taouk and Kibeah, and a Fattoush Salad with Sparkling Pomegranate Jewels. Liesl also makes her own breads and can make and Arabic bread like Kubos and Hummus to accompany this Middle Eastern delight.

Liesl loves creating her own food packaging and with family members that travel often she gets the opportunity to package lunches in the form of a “picnic in a box” when they go away. These can contain specialty sandwiches of Roasted Turkey with Emmental Cheese on Freshly Baked Baguette served with a Pesto Pasta Salad. Including a packaged Tiramisu or Cup Cake. She packs cutlery and other requirements like drinks and by the time they reach their plane it is waiting in a neatly presented box. Liesl has also incorporates this idea into children’s theme birthday parties, with healthy food options, like Shaped Sandwiches, and Fresh Fruit Skewers, and Marshmallow Cup Cake Sheep. She prides herself in remembering when each of the family member’s birthdays or special occasions are, during her time with a family, like anniversaries etc., and bakes cakes in accordance to those special days. She also cooks fun and exciting meals for children to be able to obtain their daily recommended allowances. She also has fun in the kitchen and teaches them how to make cupcakes and cookies

She makes daily desserts ranging from Classic Cakes, to Crème Patisserie Filled Doughnuts, Chocolate Roulades, Lamingtons, and Chocolate Mousse Mille Feuille. Double Espresso Cup Cakes with Mascarpone Mousse. Khanufa Pastry with Blistered Peaches and Chai Karak Ice Cream. Chocolate Cake with deconstructed S’mores and Mango Mousse. Decadent Opera cake that brings music to your taste buds. Cream Cheese filled Monkey Bread or a Flourless Lemon and Ricotta Torte. Vanilla Cream filled Profiteroles. Who can resist a beautiful Pastry Case filled with Fresh Berries and Cream?

Employers often have guests which she prepares afternoon tea or canapés for. She is given short notice but it’s a great challenge to make some superb dishes. Ranging from bite sized Parmesan Shortbread topped with Feta Mousse and Sun Dried Tomatoes to Finger Sandwiches and delicate fried Asian Prawns hanging off glasses with a Pepper Orange Dipping Sauce. Glasses filled with aromatic Gazpacho topped with Grilled Cheese Triangles. Guests can range from one person to 20. Liesl has also prepares these types of canapés for VIP guests or boardroom meetings. She is often required to create these for other VIP family members where they are delivered to their homes in beautifully packaged boxes.

Dinners are normally different meals comprising of Middle Eastern Dishes like Maqlabeah, or Pakistani Chicken Curry with Tokri Chaat. Delicately plated Salads of freshly home grown Tomatoes with Buratta Cheese or Chicken and Chickpea Feta Bake with Green Salad. A fragrant Sumac and Zatar Chicken resting on Turmeric infused Rice with Barberries. Or Turkish Chicken Drape Pilaf. Delectable soups adorn dinner tables including Lentil Soup, Greek Chicken Tomato Rice Soup or a Turkish Yoghurt and Rice Soup ideal for Iftar in Ramadan when breaking fasts. Ramadan allows her to create more Middle Eastern dishes such as Jordanian Lamb Mansaf and Chicken Machboos and the delectable Harees. All very good meals for the Holy Month of Ramadan. During this time she makes large buffet tables full of food as guests arrive often and can accommodate up to twenty people in an evening. On any given night she can cook dinner for all my employer’s friends and relatives, and make up a buffet table with many different types of food and some evenings she will do theme nights like International Street Food or Italian, Greek, Arabian or just good old Comfort Food. Liesl is very well trained in all aspects of different cuisines around the world and can produce anything my employer requests. She also does plated three to four course meals for employers when entertaining, drawing up menus according to the employer’s requirements.

In addition to her cooking skills she also passes her knowledge of floral art and table settings onto the staff, where she teaches them how to set tables every evening or according to the theme of the food that she is am creating. She works closely with her employers and co-ordinates any functions with a smooth operation thereof at all times. Liesl also does any business lunches and dinners for VIP’s and celebrities. In some homes that Liesl has worked in she has also assisted with housekeeping for employers both nationally and internationally, setting up homes and worked on construction projects for employer, i.e. kitchen designs, construction of various projects etc. She has also assisted in helping with costings and staff training in employers other homes and restaurants at times.

Liesl has had the privilege to work as a private chef for many families in London and internationally. These have been freelance positions, often some employers requesting her to return to cook for them. Her daily operations consisted of procuring fresh seasonal ingredients for the day’s menus from the markets. Cooking breakfast for the extended family which comprises of a Continental and Cooked Breakfasts. Lunches would be light meals like fresh Grilled Catch of the Day with a Green Salad and Dessert would comprise of Fresh

Seasonal Fruit Platters. She also cooks meals for the children, like Grilled Chicken and French Fries or Grilled Fish with Salad. Dinners would usually be prepared as a buffet or plated meals, comprising of Ballantine of Chicken with a Mushroom Duxcelle served with Seasonal Vegetables and a Fricassee Jus. The families she normally works for are healthy eaters, but occasionally delight in a little indulgence. They eat Grilled Chicken with Spinach Salads and Parmesan Shavings for Dinner or a BBQ comprising of Traditional South African cooked meats and Potato Salad for example. Evening desserts were Fresh Fruit with a Lemon Sabayon or a Fresh Fruit Pavlova. There were several cocktail parties that Liesl has catered for offering various canapés to guests on arrival. Canapés were Mini Chicken Caesar Salads in small bowls, Chicken Satay with Satay Dipping Sauce. Freshly Shucked Oysters on Ice. Fresh Grilled Asparagus with Poached Quails Eggs. Mini Bruschetta with Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Goats Cheese. During time she also prepares lavish Christmas Dinner parties comprising of Roasted Turkey and Accompaniments, including some Cultural Holiday Celebrations with Traditional foods. Liesl also lays the tables for these events and does beautiful flower arrangements.

MANAGEMENT & ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS:

• Leadership and training of +/- 70 staff on river cruises and various kitchens all over the world. • Training and assessments of various staff over my career in kitchens. • My organisational skills are impeccable, leading to productivity and maintaining company standards. • Work well as part of a team while maintaining the operational aspects of kitchens. • Good at maintaining and creating expected standards by the company and guests alike. • I can handle confrontational issues well and diffuse of any issues within the workplace. JOB-RELATED SKILLS:

• Exceptional at planning, menu and product development. • Good at developing skills for food preparation and presentation.

• I maintain a demonstrated ability to train chefs on cooking techniques and utilization of products to ensure expected company standards. • Passionate about maintaining company standards and striving to achieve more through the development and training of chefs. • Strong expertise in ensuring compliance in kitchens and private homes. • I am trained in multi cuisines with my extensive career, thus have exceptional knowledge on different cuisines all over the world. • I maintain an exceptional professional appearance and capable of maintaining high standards of sanitation, health and safety. • Extremely capable of evaluating food products to assure freshness and quality of standards are attained. • Work within set budgets. • Maintaining the inspection of supplies, equipment and work areas to ensure compliance to establish standards and ensuring chefs continue with theses set standards. • Good at staff assessments, training and hiring of staff to maintain productivity within establishments.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Chinese/Canadian Family, Freelance Private Chef, Chelsea -London 23rd April 2019 – 26th April 2019

Italian/Ukranian Family, Freelance Private Chef, Virginia Water - Surrey 5th April 2019

Iranian Family, Freelance Private Chef, St. Johns Wood -London 2nd April 2019

Chinese/Canadian Family, Freelance Private Chef, Chelsea -London 18th March 2019 - 29th March 2019

Qatari Royal Family, Freelance Private Chef, Doha - Qatar 10th March - 14th March

Kudos Catering, Freelance Event Chef, Bank - London January 2019 – February 2019

Saudi Family, Freelance Private Chef, Cobham, London 17thth – 24thth November 2018

American Family, Freelance Private Chef, Mayfair, London 5th – 6th November 2018

Russian Family, Freelance Private Chef, Virginia Water, Surrey, London 25th – 28th October 2018

Blue Strawberry & Table Talk Catering Company, Freelance Event Chef, Stockwell London 25th September 2018 - 15th December 2018

The Bharani Royal Family, Freelance Private Chef, Knightsbridge, London August 9th - 16th August 2018

The Royal Ruling Family of Abu Dhabi, Private Chef & House Manager, United Arab Emirates & Washington D.C USA 15th January 2010 – 31st March 2018

• Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner ranging from different cuisines daily • Sourcing of good quality products daily - nationally and internationally • Menu & Event planning – birthday parties, children parties, anniversaries, business meetings and on-board principles yacht. • Tending to Family & Owner dietary requirements working with personal trainers & nutritionists. • Assisting in employer’s restaurant with menu tastings, setting up questionnaires for clientele, staff training, menu compilation, costing and staff training • Training chefs and within other Palace kitchens on different cuisines • Cooking for VIP’s, Celebrities & VVIP Royal Family members – The Crown Prince & President of the UAE • Overseeing household construction projects - kitchen design, suppliers & budgets, interior design, and project management of homes. • Kitchen hygiene – food safety, cooking & storage according to health standards

House Management • Overseeing 3 properties in the USA and 3 in the UAE. • Dealing with contractors, overseeing Contractors timelines and maintenance. • Landscaping and design for gardens. • Interior design for all 3 properties, liaising with interior designers on behalf of the Principal. • Working closely with the principal and sourcing products and interior items to decorate the homes, sourcing products nationally and internationally. • Dealing with suppliers and contractors and maintaining good relationships with them. • Training staff for all properties – flower arranging, service, guest etiquette, 5 star service and cleanliness of homes. Working within budgets. • Drawing up of catalogues of owners possessions in each home. • Dealing with art and expensive goods. • Pet and car care. • Laundry and dry cleaning care. • Attending to UHNW guests when at properties. • Training of housekeepers, within the kitchens & homes, cleanliness of the homes to a 5 star standard. • Dealing with administrative and book keeping. • Flower arranging. • Events organising, parties for Royal & VVIP events. • Making sure all properties are fully stocked with required items that Principals like. • Motivation of staff throughout homes. • Good staff management. • Maintaining service agreements and maintenance of equipment within homes. • Maintaining inventories within homes. • Maintaining hygiene standards within homes.

The Showroom Restaurant & Bar – Addis Ababa – Ethiopia, General Manager & Executive Chef 20th August 2009 – 4th January 2010 (Contract)

• Menu compilation, costings, menu development, product development • Stock control of front and back of house • Staff training, assessments and HR for F&B • Kitchen hygiene – food safety, cooking & storage according to health standards • Increased turnover and profit margins within budgets • Ordering F&B products within food costs

• Design and layout of restaurant and kitchen from start-up.

Iroko Restaurant, Bar & Deli, General Manager & Executive Chef Cape Town, South Africa 1st February 2009 – 10th August 2009 (Contract)

• Project management of the restaurant from start-up – F&B • Menu compilation and costings F&B • Staff training, assessments and HR • Kitchen hygiene – food safety, cooking & storage according to health standards • Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner according to recipe catalogues to maintain • standards. • Brand & product development of restaurant and packaging • Stock control and ordering – F&B • Design and layout of restaurant and kitchen.

Motor Yacht Moonshadow Noa, Chef & Chief Stewardess – Private Yacht The Netherlands, Germany, Guernsey, Denmark, Sweden, Gibraltar, Mallorca, Barcelona and Cannes. 10th June 2001 – 28th November 2008

• Cooked breakfast lunch and dinner for owners, charters and guests • Stock control of housekeeping and galley of the boat • Staff training, with other stewardess on cleanliness of the boat • Kitchen hygiene – food safety, cooking & storage according to health standards • General cleanliness and upkeep of entire boat • Ordering F&B products when owners were on board, & flower arranging • Assistance with sailing passages and watches and general duties on board the yacht.

Food Fanatics Catering, Freelance Executive Chef, Cape Town South Africa 30th April 2006 – 25th January 2008

• Menu compilation, costings, menu development, food product development • Stock control and budgets according to client’s needs • Staff training, assessments and HR • Kitchen hygiene – food safety, cooking & storage according to health standards • Client meetings and budgets with offsite functions up to 500 people • Ordering F&B products within food costs and client budgets • Product Development - Implementing new innovative food design & presentation.

The Picnic Company & Mustard Catering, Co-Owner & Executive Chef, Cape Town South Africa 30th April 2006 – 25th January 2008

• Client meetings and budgets for offsite catering up to 500 people • Menu compilation and costings for picnics and catering according to budgets • Packaging design and implementation and ordering • Running of daily kitchen operation for up to 10 functions a day • Staff training, assessments and HR • Marketing, website and food photography • Stock control and ordering within budgets for functions • Brand design and development for both companies • P&L for both companies.

Uniworld/Global River Cruises, Corporate Executive & Product Development Chef Europe 10th April 2005 – 10th April 2006

• Overseeing all river ships kitchen departments and staff of +/- 70 chefs across Europe • Menu compilation of sailing regions for each ship throughout Europe • Drew up recipe catalogues and menu cards as per sailing regions to maintain standards. • Staff training within the kitchens and front of house on all ships • Stock control and budgets and ordering for each ship • Organizing with suppliers where to reach ships for delivery • Support function to Hotel Managers and Executive Chefs • Implementing dietary menus for clients who have food allergies or on special diets • Brand development for F&B Operations throughout the fleet • Design and layout of new ship galley kitchens • Hiring of respective department staff for kitchens and FOH

Plettenberg Bay, Freelance Private Chef - Robert & Penny Sheehan from London South Africa 10th February 2005 – 30th February 2005

Escoffier Catering, Freelance Chef, Cape Town South Africa 20th January 2005 – 1st April 2005

Tony & Gisela Bloom from London, Freelance Private Chef, Plettenberg Bay- South Africa 10th December 2004 – 16th January 2005

Private Yacht, Executive Chef & Chief Stewardess 14th April 2004 – 18th November 2005

S/Y Blue Leopard – Sailed from Thailand to Malaysia, Singapore, East Timor, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand

Kurland Polo Estate & Hotel, Executive Chef, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa 1st December 2002 – 31st December 2003

Seascape Group, Corporate/Group Executive Chef, Cape Town South Africa 1st September 2001 – 25th November 2002

Café Blouberg, On The Rocks Restaurant, Onse Huisie and Seascape Manor

Hog Hollow Country Lodge & Private Nature Reserve , General Manager & Executive Chef, Plettenberg Bay South Africa 25th October 1999 – 25th August 2001

De Kelder Restaurant, Port Elizabeth Hotel Group, Executive Chef, Port Elizabeth, South Africa 12th January 1999 – 1st October 1999

Fresh Restaurant & Bar, Executive Chef, Cape Town South Africa 3rd June 1998 – 30th December 1999

The Natural Café & Café Bardeli, Sous Chef, Cape Town South Africa 1st April 1997 – 1st June 1998

The Bay Hotel, Chef De Partie, Camps Bay, South Africa 15th December 1995 – 30th March 1997

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Silwood Kitchen Cordon Bleu Cookery School January 1994 – November 1996

QUALIFICATIONS

Cordon Bleu Certificate (1st Year) Cordon Bleu Diploma (2nd Year) Cordon Bleu Grande Diploma (3rd Year with Distinctions – A+) Internationally Recognized by City and Guilds, South African Chefs Association and IACP Theory of Cooking and Baking Practical of Cooking and Baking Icing and Patisserie Confectionary KWV Wine Course Art of the Table Menu Compilation French menu compilation Nutrition Restaurant, Hotel and Guest House in house practical training Hotel & restaurant management

REFERENCES

Upon Request