Joining the Table Bay Hotel as Pastry Chef is Chef Lee-Andra Govender, bringing with her a wealth of experience.
She has always had a passion for pastries and sweets, with ice cream her favourite meal – even for breakfast. “The art of food and pastry is an essential and integral part of who I am,” she says. “I grew up in a culture that is big on food and family. Wherever there is family, there is food. My grandmother loved to bake and this certainly rubbed off on me.”
After graduating seven years ago from the Durban University of Technology with a diploma in catering management, she began working at a lodge in Sabie. Notable achievements to date include winning the Chefs Who Share Young Chef Award in 2016, and completing an internship at Michelin-starred restaurant Vineet Bhatia in London. She counts top chefs in SA, the UK and Orlando, Florida as mentors, and was also part of the opening team at Time Square in Menlyn before moving to her current position of Pastry Chef at Cape Town’s The Table Bay.
“I wouldn’t change anything. Life experience has made me into the pastry chef I am today. I am still continually inspired and excited by my work. Every day presents something new. It’s exciting and challenging,” says Govender, who lists celebrity pastry chef Cherish Finden as her inspiration.
“I am also thrilled to be joining The Table Bay which is highly respected for its food and service. I will be experimenting with the high tea menu to include more innovative choices for The Table Bay’s diverse and discerning guests,” says Chef Lee-Andra. “Guests can look forward to simple yet classic desserts and pastries, with a rejuvenating twist.”
