Celebrating Granny Mouse’s Chef Team this International Chef’s Day

Being a chef is certainly not the easiest of professions, with late nights and early mornings, and the constant pressure of creating new dishes to excite and delight, but some chef’s say it’s simply a calling, and that there is nothing else they would rather do.

One such chef, is Theo Mannie, Granny Mouse’s very own culinary artist, who comments, “don’t do this for money or fame, instead for the love of food and the craft.”

Born in Zimbabwe, Mannie moved to England aged 13, where he completed his high school at Bexleyheath Academy, while living in Folkestone, a cute little seaside town, along the English Channel.

Starting his career in social care, and as a club DJ, Mannie found himself one night helping out at an event, in the kitchen, and that is where the bug bit!

“I guess I became a chef by default really. I knew very little about food, but once I found myself in a kitchen, playing around with different ingredients and tastes, I guess I was hooked,” comments Mannie, who after completing his studies at Canterbury College, and gleaning plenty of invaluable experience from working in hotels, at food and music festivals, in canteens and even as a restaurant consultant, decided this was his passion.

His chef career really took off in 2003, where Mannie worked as an Apprentice/Commis Chef at Bar Vasa, in the UK, working his way up to Head Chef in 2010 and onto The Sandgate Hotel as their Sous Chef.

But the calling to come back to Africa became too strong, which saw Mannie return to Pietermaritzburg in early 2013, and after a Head Chef role, he joined the Granny Mouse team and has never looked back.

Since his employment in 2017, Mannie has gone on to be part of an award-winning culinary team, and loves nothing more than being at the helm of seasonal menu changes, and developing dishes to wow even the toughest of critics.

According to General Manager, Sean Granger, “Mannie’s passion for all things culinary was evident from the very day that he entered our kitchens, and we are proud to have him represent the property at a host of cooking shows, as his passion truly plays out in the dishes he prepares.”