AtholPlace Hotel and Villa, situated in the leafy suburb of Sandton and a member of Relais & Chateaux, has welcomed Chef Willie Malherbe as Executive Chef of its AtholPlace Restaurant. Joining the team in August, Willie has trained with top chefs and worked in some of the best kitchens in the world.

After school, Malherbe attended the Institute of Culinary Arts (ICA) in Stellenbosch and as part of his practical training was fortunate enough to go to England and work at Waddesdon Manor, a Rothschild property, situated close to Aylesbury. “While there I gained immense experience, having the opportunity to train in the kitchens of greats, such as Anton Mosimann, Raymond Blanc, and Michel Roux. After finishing my ICA diploma I was offered a job at Waddesdon Manor and stayed there for two and a half years.”

When Malherbe returned to South Africa he worked under Reuben Riffel as Sous Chef, opening the original Reuben’s restaurant in Franschhoek together. From there he went on to work for Molori Safari Lodge and Molori Private Retreats. “I was the Head Chef for the company for about seven years and I assisted in opening and running numerous of its kitchens around the world, including properties in Cape Town, Sydney, and Los Angeles, as well as aboard a mega yacht in the Mediterranean.”


Having known the directors of the Morokuru Group, owners of AtholPlace Restaurant, for many years, Malherbe jumped at the opportunity to head up the kitchen and he has many exciting ideas to bring to the table. We’re looking forward to seeing what this talented chef has in store!