This week we have a catch up with our Catering and Events Manager, Ms Marais, who joined us in July 2019, having moved to the UK from South Africa almost three years ago.
What does a day in the life of Ms Marais entail?
Oooh where do I begin… I always start my day by having breakfast with my vibrant little eight-year-old daughter Chloe; this helps me get a great perspective to my day before its off to work. I usually start my day around 8.00am and work with the very dynamic catering team to meticulously plan every aspect of catering throughout the school from breakfast, lunch and dinner for all the pupils, all the way through to the snack provisions in houses as well as high-end events and hospitality both internally and externally. When we do all this planning I give a lot of thought to the quality of food, the customer journey, ease and efficiency of service, as well as having a huge focus on the nutrition in every plate for all the young people we have at here Shiplake. No day is ever the same and there is always something going on to keep us on our toes. My real fun days are when we have large dinners on or weddings as we get to do all the fun stuff like cocktails and plated dinners and really get our creative juices flowing.
What is it like managing the catering for a school of almost 500 pupils?
Being able to manage a location of this size is such a fantastic opportunity, there is never a dull moment or a slow day and I love being busy. Accommodating all the pupils and staff has its challenges but I treat these as what makes it unique, and every challenge presents an opportunity to learn and as they say, you are never too old to learn!
What would you say your go to home comfort meal to cook is?
People all think as you work in catering it would be something special, but my favourite meals are a quick spaghetti Bolognaise loaded with Parmesan cheese, or a rich creamy lasagne which is our family favourite too... with my first name being Lizanne it is fitting my nickname is “lasagne”!
What else have you done in your career to get you to where you are today?
Being from South Africa the career I have had has been varied, but all in the service industry. I first started work on luxury cruise ships which was a great experience seeing the world at such a young age. On my return to South Africa I started as a deputy manager running hospitality in corporate training venues, then on to full general management roles in large business and industry locations. I have ran locations from 600 to 3,000 people on site, these have all had huge corporate hospitality needs which is what I enjoy the most. I have also worked for some of South Africa’s largest bespoke catering companies on high profile events for celebrities and dignitaries of the African Government.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time… Well, I’m a foodie through and through and also my partner is a superb chef, so my spare time is often at a food festival or show of some sorts. I also enjoy running ,or decorating my home when I have the time, and best of all is having a really good catch up with my little girl after a long week at work.
What is your biggest achievement to date?
My biggest achievements to date is running the catering in a large insurance company with high volume hospitality catering to dignitaries and high level corporate individuals. I felt that was a huge step in my career and great at building my character as a manager. The other would be running the front of house at world renowned football stadiums having to be in charge for up to 200 waiting and supervision staff covering the feeding of 3,000 people on one day. These were long days but a lot of fun at the same time.
Tell us more about what its like being brought up in South Africa and what made you want to move to the UK?
Growing up in South Africa was a pretty unique experience. Let’s start off simple: I had no idea what winter was really like until I moved to the UK as it's hot all year round there! Wearing shoes was like a punishment as going barefoot is a complete norm. We could swim before we could walk. I cannot express how privileged I feel to have grown up in a place that is so beautiful, not only to the eye but so rich in culture, diversity, and people. South Africa is still my home and will always have a special place in my heart.
What does the future hold for Ms Marais?
I have moved around a lot in my life and feel now I have found my place to settle and build an amazing home and place to stay. So in the future I’m hoping to excel in my job here at Shiplake, elevating the service and catering and creating long term connections with people.
