Henrico Grobbelaar
The 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa

After high school, Henrico went to university and completed 4 years to obtain a degree in polymer Engineering. He was in the field for one year and then changed careers with a 3 year internship under the world-renowned Australian Executive Chef Michael Bridgeman at the Erinvale Estate Hotel in Somerset West. He left the country to further his career in the States. Garth Stroebel and Paul Hartman then opened the acclaimed South African Chefs Academy, where Henrico was one of their first intakes.

It was Paul Hartman who first introduced Henrico to competitions and the Team SA, under the management of Chef Garth Shnier. His aims set, Henrico qualified as a chef for the second time and was placed at Vergelegen Wine Estate as a Senior Chef de Partie for a duration of eight months. He then went abroad for the second time and returned home with the sole purpose to start his own Bistro-style restaurant. .

Henrico was spotted by previous National Team member Chef David Higgs, who entered him in the Team Trials and became a National Team Development member on the 20 March 2007. At the same time he was running his restaurant, catering company and working part-time for David Higgs with the opening of his upmarket restaurant, Rust en Vrede.

Henrico then sold both of his enterprises and filled a sous chef position under David Higgs. After a year-long commitment to Rust en Vrede, Henrico was approached by Vergelegen Wine Farm who offered him the first position as Executive Chef. At the end of 2008, Henrico travelled as part of the Development Squad to compete in the Culinary Olympics. The international competition bug had well and truly bit Henrico, as he set out for the San Pellegrino Cooking Cup held in Italy to represent South Africa, where he came first. Henrico also won the 2009 Sunday Times Chef of the Year and in 2010 he took up the position as the Executive Chef of FIFA, for the World Cup South Africa.