Chef 2: Jason de Boer

HAVING spent 21 years in the food and beverage industry, Umfolozi Casino Resort Executive Chef Jason de Boer (42) prides himself in creating succulent, appetising and yet simple foods to tantalise the taste buds and inspire others to create good food.

After backpacking through Europe to get a feel of Spanish bistros and English pubs, Jason also successfully ran his own restaurant for a few years.

Artistic by nature, Jason believes cooking allows him to let his imagination run free.

‘You can do a million things – and more,’ he says.

More of a gratifying social experience than a job, Jason says he always tries to find the middle between mass cooking and creativity.

A lover of Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, he enjoys transforming typically old dishes by adding a contemporary twist.

Inspired by chefs with a similar outlook, Jason is keen on pushing boundaries and creating food for enjoyment and not prestige.

Bringing simplicity on the evening, his aim is to avoid culinary complexities and have the crowd leave excited.