The couple, who has been together for four years, died in a tragic motorcycle accident after they hit a Merdeces-Benz Vito which had done an illegal U-turn on the R512 in Hartbeespoort. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but Fourie and Wilson died before they arrived.
Co-owner at Licorish Bistro and longtime friend of Jacques Fourie (38), Aki Hadjipetros had been a business partner with Fourie for ten years in numerous ventures which also included The Green Peppercorn Restaurant in Morningside and Harissa Restaurant in Pretoria, said, “I saw his value because he was an amazing chef. His combinations of flavours were incredible and I knew how to get it out of him. He gave people a new experience in taste, and he passed that on to all the staff at the Licorish.”
Hadjipetros met Fourie after he hired him as a chef at 8 at the Towers at the Michelangelo Hotel in 2004. After two years at 8 at the Towers, Fourie and Hadjipetron began The Green Peppercorn and then Licorish Bistro which opened in 2012 giving Sandton residents the opportunity to experience the soothing and unorthodox fusion of delicious Cape Malay dishes. Hadjipetros said Fourie had a wealth of knowledge around different foods and wines and knew how to excite the taste buds. He added that he spread this great talent among all of his employees who wished to remember Fourie by growing Licorish Bistro.
“He will always live in our hearts, and he has become so much of a part of us that he will live on through the restaurant,” said marketing manager at Licorish Bistro Desiree Ascar.
Team Leader at Flight Centre in Nicolway Shopping Centre Francois Du Toit described Samantha Wilson (27) who had been working for eight months as “a bubbly person, always in a good mood and didn’t have a negative bone in her body”.
Du Toit added, “In this past month, she finished as the top novice in her area. She had a bright future with people loving her at head office. She was going places.”
Upon hearing the news of her passing her fellow employees and regular clients were in complete shock. “It was very tough for all of us in the store, we also knew her boyfriend knew her boyfriend very well. He would always bring us coffees from Licorish. So it was very devastating to all of us”, said Du Toit.
Consultant at Flight Centre and close friend Lori Bernstein, who started the same day Wilson did, said, “Right off the bat she was confident, friendly and always helpful.”
Read our previous stories here:
Owner of Licorish Bistro and girlfriend pass away
Rescue unit – Licorish owner and girlfriend died on scene
-
-
-
-
