Zevenwacht CHEF SCHOOL

Our Staff

Tim Woodford – Principal and chef lecturer

Educated in the French part of Switzerland.
From an early age he worked as an apprentice in a family restaurant at Brasserie La Genevoise.
Tim went to study Patisserie and Confectionery at Confisier Liechti, a fine Swiss German establishment situated in the rue des eaux vives where he learnt the fine craft of making pastries, chocolates and ice-creams.
He was awarded medals for his efforts.
On completion of his education he went to work in the United Kingdom, before immigrating to Australia, where he worked at the famous Patisserie the Croissant D’or in Sydney.
He completed another five years of training under Karl Schade, the owner and executive chef, where he served the likes of Lauren Bacall, the late Dick Emery, Vincent Price, the Prime Minister of Australia, rock groups Kiss and Queen and many more.
Tim left Australia in 1975 and traveled to Africa and Europe. He settled in Maun, Botswana, where he worked in the safari business for 3 years.
In 1978 he returned to Sydney to manage the Croissant D’or for 2 years.
In 1980 he left for New Zealand with his wife and daughter to work for a drilling company specializing in offshore catering. He took on the task of upgrading the company’s image with more sophisticated food.
Sent to Korea and Japan to work on oil exploration rigs. This eventually offered him the opportunity to buy his first business
His catering company received a small business award from Coopers & Lybrand, the accounting firm.
He sold his business in 1989 and entered the Central Institute of Technology Teacher Training School in Wellington, NZ, and completed his lecturer training. He was appointed senior lecturer in hospitality training in the Accountancy and Management Department at the Taranaki Technokom.
Tim was asked to go back to Switzerland to do a feasibility study on the set up for the Pacific International Hotel Management School.
In 1996 he decided to settle in South Africa after a visit and consulted for Fancourt Golf Estate in George. Then appointed Deputy General Manager.
He then consulted for the Rainbow Tourism Group in Zimbabwe.
After 9 months of traveling extensively from resort to resort, Tim returned to George and assisted his cousin in their family restaurant.
Two months later he then saw himself consulting for Desert and Delta and Afro Ventures, a well established safari company.
On completion of his contract he found himself in the Cape and resurrected the Zevenwacht Chef School.

Jan Skippers

Jan was born in Malmesbury in the Western Cape and from an early age had a passion for food
He attended Durbanville High School from 1995 to 1999, matriculating with excellent results
He entered the Rooi Rose competition for young chefs in 1998 through the school. He won a scholarship to study and live at Zevenwacht Chef School after his matric
He completed his Certificate in Food Preparation and Cookery, Diploma in Food Preparation and Cookery, Advanced Diploma in Culinary Arts as well as the Diploma in Patisserie.
His industry experience stem from Bloomindales Restaurant (banqueting chef), Albertan campus (catering lecturer), Zevenwacht Chef School (junior lecturer), Capsicum Cape Town then promoted him to Johannesburg (Head lecturer) and he then came back to Zevenwacht Chef School (Senior lecturer)
Jan acquired an assessor qualification through the EDTP Seta
He is the ideal person to share knowledge and experiences at Zevenwacht

Christine Smith

Christine joined the staff at Zevenwacht in 2010.
After graduating from Zevenwacht Chef School she went to North Italy and on her return assisted with the opening of a restaurant in Somerset West wine area specialising in Italian food.
Christine holds a certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and a diploma in pateserie and is a qualified assessor for City & Guilds

Over the past 6 years the Chef School has taken on more staff and enrolments have peaked at 70 students per annum, therefore not compromising on individual needs to students by being too large.
The School’s philosophy is still to give quality education first and foremost!