Where do you go to imbibe some culture or get some inspiration?

Travel will forever be a font of new ideas. Nothing like distancing yourself from your daily grind makes you dream bigger and spurs creativity.

What can’t you live without?

1. Starting my day by reading God’s Word and prayer. God’s Word is my GPS.
2. My phone—a double-edged sword.

What’s on your bucket list of places you would like to visit?

South America. There is a whole world of food that I know will offer new thrills.

Where do you go to relax?

A long run around the village relaxes me.  It clears my mind and energises me.

How would you describe your style?

My style is very classic. Simple elegance does it for me. Nothing is too ornate, especially since daily visits to our restaurants necessitate comfort and mobility, but never without substance.

Who are your style icons?

Cate Blanchett can do no wrong in my style book. But since I was a child, my grandmother Amelia Gordon always looked striking.

What’s in your fridge?

A wide variety of jams, cheeses, and sardines. Anything you can spread, top, or sprinkle on bread—and it goes without saying that the bread comes fresh from Wildflour.

What’s your hidden talent?

Landing a bargain is one of them. Getting a reasonable price for something is one of the great skills I have absorbed watching my late father since I was a kid. To this day, he remains a negotiator nonpareil.

A recent discovery is …?

During the pandemic, I discovered a love for books on behavioural economics. It helps me consider a wider variety of factors when making decisions, especially in an unpredictable business landscape like we are currently in now.

See also: 9 Books You Should Be Reading This 2022

The five indispensable gadgets?

1. Cellphone
2. Air pods
3. Kindle
4. Watch
5. Kitchen Aid stand mixer, an upgrade from the Easy Bake Oven I treated like an extra appendage when I was a kid.

Do you collect anything?

I collect cookbooks of all kinds.

What are your favourite websites, podcasts, Youtube, social media?

Podcasts:

1. Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Rick Warren’s Daily Hope
3. You Version
4. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

See also: Podcasts: What's the Secret Behind Their Boom in Popularity?

YouTube:

I enjoy watching the antics of my friend, Small Laude.

Favourite personalities?​

Ina Garten; Danny Meyer; Diane Von Furstenberg.

What song/s puts you in a good mood?

I love listening to the songs of the ’80s. They’ve come back and with good reason. I also listen to a playlist on Spotify called Parisian Morning Vibes, which relaxes me. I also love listening to Anthem Lights for spiritual upliftment.

Whom would you like to have over for dinner?

Danny Meyer - I believe I can learn a lot from him. He is the king of hospitality and has consistently adapted to the times, restaurant-wise.

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received that changed your life?

“If you’re not having fun, there’s no passion. If there’s no passion, there can be no success.”  Passion keeps me afloat even during the most turbulent times in the business.

What have you learned from the pandemic?

1. You have to seize the moment; you can’t delay action.
2. Of course, the power of prayer and God’s word are truly alive and can transform and guide you in your decision making.

Do you regret anything?

I am furthering my post-grad studies in business, perhaps. But the school of life has its lessons, I suppose.

What’s your current state of mind?

I’m in equilibrium. I am at peace knowing that I am where the Lord wants me to be.

Where are you now in your life, and what more would you like to achieve?

When people see my business, I would like to achieve that they would also see God’s faithfulness, goodness, and His power.

What’s the greatest teaching you have learned so far from life?

“Be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayer and petition let your requests be made known to God and the peace of the lord that surpasses all understanding will be in your heart and mind through Christ Jesus." —Philippians 4: 6-7