Govender bakes her way to the top of her game
FOR PASTRY chef Lee-Andra Govender, having a passion for baking has paved her way to success, despite having to always prove herself as a woman in the industry.
Govender, 28, recently moved to Cape Town to join the culinary team as pastry chef at Sun International’s Table Bay Hotel at the V&A Waterfront.
Born and raised in Gauteng, she attended Dawn View High School in Germiston and then went on to graduate from the Durban University of Technology with a diploma in catering management. Govender said she made her entrance into the hospitality industry at a lodge in Sabie, Mpumalanga, with a keen passion for pastries.
“I grew up in a culture that is big on food and family. Wherever there is family, there is food. My grandmother loved to bake and this certainty rubbed off on me.”
Govender said that since starting her career seven years ago, she has enjoyed the mentorship of world-class chefs in South Africa, the UK and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Govender said that as a chef, there were always challenges. “Especially being a woman, I have always felt the need to work twice as hard in order to prove my worth as a chef.”
Govender said she would not change anything about her experience. “Life experience has made me into the pastry chef I am today. I am still continually inspired and excited by my work. Every day presents something new.” She said relocating to Cape Town meant moving away from her family, which is her biggest source of support.
“I did not study to be a pastry chef, everything that I know was self-taught and learned through other kitchens. A major highlight was being part of the opening team for The Maslow Time Square, which was a huge challenge. We had to ‘walk before we crawled’… and that taught me so much.” – Staff Reporter