I graduated from The Swiss Hotel School in 2004 with a solid base I still rely on. I started in a Johannesburg bakery run by former Lebanese soldiers — tough, disciplined pastry chefs who taught me precision and high standards.
From there, I became head pastry chef at Forum Homini, one of SA’s leading boutique hotels. Travel motivated my next step, and in 2008, I moved to Melbourne to join Shannon Bennett at Vue de Monde. I worked my way up to Executive Pastry Chef, learning leadership, creativity and consistency at the highest level.
Curiosity then took me to Chicago, where I worked at three-star Michelin restaurants Alinea and L20. Their structure and systems reshaped how I think about kitchens and business.
I returned to Melbourne, rejoined Vue de Monde, and then became Group Executive Pastry Chef at George Calombaris’ Made Establishment. I helped open the key venues, including the Press Club and Gazi, and supported projects linked to MasterChef Australia.
Today, I’m studying photography at RMIT to capture and celebrate food and the people who make it. I still work in hospitality as a consultant and as a chocolate brand ambassador — staying connected to the industry that shaped me.
