Conscripted to the Army in 1969 and enlisted to the Hotel School in 1970. Opened the Civic Restaurant at the Civic Theatre in Bloemfontein with a partner in 1973. Married to my first wife in 1974. Divorced in 1978.
Sold the restaurant in 1978 and joined Holiday Inn in Durban. Transferred to Holiday Inn in Pietersburg, after which I joined Fedics to consult at the then homelands. Married again in 1980. Transferred to Fedics in Cape Town in 1981 as a Regional Manager.
Bought Mikes Kitchen in Durban in 1983. Later that year built the Mikes Kitchen in Umhlanga Rocks, which operated for sixteen years.
In 1992 Interleisure/Interfare, who owned the Mikes Kitchen brand, approached us to manage the brand and we did a management buyout of the brand. We listed on the JSE in 1996 as Kingco and acquired Bimbo’s, Saddles, Keg, McGinty’s and Rib King.
I left Kingco in 2001 and bought a Home Meal Replacement (Jack Spratt) in Cape Town, which I sold in 2004. Joined Famous Brands as General Manager of Coffee Brands for 2 years and Mikes Kitchen Head Office as Operations Manager for 1 year.
My second wife, with whom I have a lovely daughter, Samantha, died in August 2007. Relocated to Cape Town in 2008, where I consulting for three years. Opened Southern Cross Seafood Deli in 2011, which I sold in 2016. Married for the third time to my soul mate in 2012. Between us we have 8 grandchildren.