Chef Preshanthan Pillay heads up Back O’ The Moon at Gold Reef City

ORMONDE – Gold Reef City is in the process of renovating various outlets, part and parcel of the complex multi-million rand development upgrade scheduled to be completed mid-2015.

Back O’ the Moon is one of the restaurants that was renovated and completed in December 2014, and it promises to bring an exclusive gourmet experience to its guests.

Chef Pillay joined the Gold Reef City team in January 2015 as Executive Chef, after working at Moyo Restaurant in Melrose Arch and at Grand West Casino Sun International in Cape Town.

The hunger to cook hit Pillay when he was eight years old. In the afternoons, while other children played, Pillay spent his time in the kitchen cooking with his parents. “I loved cooking for my family and was very inquisitive. I would ask all sorts of questions, such as why certain ingredients were used and how long certain foods needed to be cooked,” says Pillay.

Being a chef is a calling. Not only do you need a passion for food, but you also need a passion for people. “One challenging aspect of my job is that diners are now more educated and have become conscious of what they eat due to the number of reality cooking shows now available. This makes them question the food that arrives on their plates, making our jobs as chefs more challenging yet satisfying to push my boundaries even further,” says Pillay.

“With that said, cooking is very interesting and it keeps me on my toes. What happens in the kitchen is unpredictable, but nothing gives me more joy than to see my recipe come together or the smile of satisfaction on a guest’s face as they appreciate the creation presented to them,” he continues.

Pillay boasts over 16 years of experience and recently, when he is not behind the stove, he spends his free time planning his upcoming wedding. He also enjoys any adrenaline activities that get his blood pumping, from rollercoaster rides to racing fast cars.