South Africa
Charl Gyzen- Menutainement & Chocolate Fountain
Charl Gyzen is a part-owner and Operations Director of MenuTainment, as well as the owner of the Chocolate Fountain. He has also had experience lecturing at the University of Johannesburg’s School of Tourism and Hospitality and was previously the Executive Chef at Gham Gourmet, based at the Nedbank Head Office in Sandton.
He studied at the then Wits Technikon, and has taken part in competitions such as the Bocuse d’Or, acting as commis Chef to Bruce Burns, McCain Tribute to Good Taste and Mini-Plated Salon Culinaires
What is your philosophy on food?
Taste, simplicity and elegance
What inspired you to become a chef?
In school I worked for a catering company and we did a function. Afterwards, the guests came to thank us for an amazing meal, and it was motivation for me to learn to cook it even better.
Globally, which chef do you admire?
James Martin
If you couldn’t be a chef, what profession would you ideally take up?
An electrician or something to do with my hands
Other than food and cooking, what inspires you?
Diving
What was your worst culinary catastrophe?
We ran out of bread and breadcrumbs and used corn flakes to make a chicken schnitzel. The meal was for our CEO and he hated it!
What is your fondest memory in a kitchen?
Meeting and having a photo taken with Paul Bocuse and his son when competing in the Bocuse d’Or.
What do you eat for breakfast?
Any hot porridge or cereal
What dish would you cook to seduce someone?
Prawns or lobster
What do you never cook?
Pheasant and rabbit
What is the one dish you find hard to get right?
Spit roasting a warthog!
In your opinion, who is the most famous person you have cooked for?
Thabo Mbeki
Gas or induction?
Gas
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury
Traditional or trendy?
Traditional
Summer or Winter?
Summer
Comedy or Drama?
Comedy
Ice-cream or sorbet?
Ice-cream
Thomas Keller or Heston Blumenthal?
Thomas Keller
Who is your most influential historical figure?
Being South African, it would have to be Nelson Mandela
