Van Tonder remembered as an impeccable leader

Former Spur CEO Pierre van Tonder, who helped build the chain from 40 to more than 630 restaurants, was skilled in mentoring juniors into senior managers and bringing the best out of people, say former colleagues as tributes poured in for one of the most well-known figures in the restaurant industry.

Van Tonder died in hospital on Sunday at the age of 62, a week after he shot himself at his Sea Point apartment. He is survived by his wife and two adult children. He retired from the restaurant chain in December after spending almost four decades working his way up from a junior restaurant manager to MD and CEO.

He led Spur, which makes money from fees paid by franchise owners, for 24 years as it expanded into 16 other countries and bought the steakhouse chain Hussar Grill as well as the successful RocoMamas burger chain and the Nikos brand.

Van Tonder mentored many franchisees and started training academies for staff and franchise owners and middle management. He had been introducing new virtual brands, including sushi and burgers, sold only over Uber Eats and Mr D and made at Spur restaurants but marketed under different brands to attract a different clientele.

“His death is a loss to the whole industry,” said Restaurant Association of SA chair Wendy Alberts, who also described him as a formidable, respected and impeccable leader.

“It shows how real depression is ... it is not the first suicide in the restaurant industry during the pandemic. What happened to him is a story that has played out through the industry.”

Van Tonder’s retirement came four months ago when the industry’s biggest challenge was filling seats after the government imposed lockdown measures and alcohol bans that left companies scrambling for cash to make up for sales losses and to navigate challenges posed by the pandemic.

She said his tragic death shows the “degrees of difficulty” that many restaurant owners have gone through and how high the stakes are.

“It’s an absolute tragedy,” Alberts said. “Restaurateurs are energetic and lively people. When we can’t operate many suffer from depression.”

Though Van Tonder had called it a day at Spur, he was still a director of Hussar Grill, Spur’s upmarket restaurants.