Recreation Africa

Meet Chef Samuel Mthombeni

Samuel Mthombeni is a Sous Chef and his is a true story of luck (the point at which opportunity and preparedness collide!) 12 years ago, the Executive Chairman of the Recreation Africa Group, Robert Forsyth, gave Chef Sam (then, just Sam) the opportunity of making freshly squeezed orange juice from citrus at Kedar Heritage Lodge, Conference Centre & Spa (a member of the Recreation Africa Group).

This is all Chef Sam needed to grow! You see, it is while making juice that Sam met with Chef Mori (a Russian chef working at Misty hills at the time). Mori mentored Chef Sam and introduced him to Chef Works (a culinary academy that incorporates practical and theoretical training). Chef Sam was also mentored by Kevin Morin during this period.

Chef Sam self-funded his training through Chef Works and when he was done with that, he studied further and completed a National Certificate and Diploma through Intec College. This was again with the assistance of Mr. Forsyth who gave him the requisite time off. Today he is a proud Sous Chef at Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa.

Apart from his love for cooking, Chef Sam enjoys reading books and the pursuit of knowledge. This is why he intends on taking his studies further to study Business Law with UNISA, so that some day he will own his own business in the hospitality industry. Chef Sam would also relish the chance to give others the opportunities he has been given by mentoring young people in the hospitality industry.