Ralph Gottschalk

I still remember like it was yesterday. What, you are going to be a baker, with an apron? You are 2 m tall and you going to do this job, what’s wrong with you. Yes, it was not very encouraging to hear this, but I stuck to my guns, thanks god I did. Now, 35 years later I can reflect on a career I am really proud of, and I am not finished yet.

After my apprenticeship as a baker I made also an apprenticeship as a chef, I was told that it will help, either way I decide which way to turn. I worked in the capitol for the German Government cooking for politicians and foreign guest, then I worked for The Steigenberger Hotel in Bad Neuenahr, first as Entremetier then I moved into the Patisserie, the section I was drawn to the most.

After 2 years I moved overseas, to London, being part of the opening team of The Langham on Marble Arch. The flight from Hannover to London was 55 minutes, but it felt for me as I would move to the other side of the globe. From then onwards In think I was also lucky to have met people who guided me into the right directions and that prevented me to make silly mistakes, the simple fact is, in young age one know nothing, and I mean nothing, how this industry works. One must not forget that in those days it was also different, t be a chef was not a cool job, the was not Food Network, not many real celebrity chefs….so everything was a bit harder to get to and to learn. We still used books, not kindle or Instagramm for new ideas and inspirations. After London I moved to Israel working for The King Solomon Palace, then joined the Queen Elizabeth 2 for a trip around the world as production chef. My 25th birthday I celebrated in Sydney, never forget that day. Through a chef I met in Israel I got then offered a job in South Africa, Sun City, that’s in the end of the day how I did end up here in beautiful South Africa after all. This followed 2 years in Hongkong, and when signing a contract with the Grand Hyatt in Japan 2 years later, and an earthquake canceled this move, I decided to move back to Sun City as Complex Chef. My chef in Hongkong told me, never go back to a place you worked before, it will not work. He was right, Sun City changed, Sol Kerzner left, and it was just not the same anymore. I might need to add that my first year in Sun City have been just fantastic. After South Afrcia I moved back to Asia, to Yangoon in Myanmar, revamping an old bakery in a 5 star hotel and opening another one in the city. Then it was time to go to India, a country that has taken a big part of my heart. Joining the prestigious Oberoi Hotel group in Mumbai I worked with so many fantastic people, chefs, friends, it was great. After 4 year I got the opportunity to open The Peninsula Hotel In Chicago, on Michigan Avenue, that was a o brainer, to work for such an esteemed group, opening an hotel in such a great city…off I wen’t. It was fantastic, still today the food capitol of the world. Made so many great friends there. Then I joined the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Maui, Hawaii, guess I have nothing to add, that says I all. In all that time I got married, had 2 beautiful sons and it was time to make plans for the future. My wife went to South Africa as we did not want our children to have change friends if we would have moved. We decided that we would like to have our own business, a professional cooking school in South Africa. I went on back to India as Corporate Pastry Chef for the Taj Group and then my last professional employment to Seoul, working for The Grand Intercontinental & COEX in South Korea. When I came home to SA, we opened The Pastryworks Cooking School, then The Pastryworks Bakery, and finally in 2013 I opened SAACA, South African Academy of Culinary Arts. In between all this I have been Consultant Pastry Chef for Chocolate Frey, and work if required for big major sport events like FIFA World Cups, Olympics, or like for the Rigby World Cup in Japan from which one I just returned when writing this. The BOKKE won, couldn’t be more proud!! There are many more things I have done, seen, experienced and great people I have met on my way. My detailed CV you can see below. My plan is to write actually a book in the next 2 years, I want to inspire young chefs. If I can have seen and achieved all this, then so can you.

CURRICULUM VITAE: MR RALPH GOTTSCHALK

“Ralph brings to work a rare and highly desirable combination of remarkable technical skills, professionalism, an all-consuming passion, tireless ambition to improve, patience and sincere desire to train and develop local talent, organizational talent, innovation and flexibility. I could go on forever; Ralph is the very best and a showcase for his profession! “

Peter Schatzmann, Executive Search International Phuket, Thailand

“Ralph is a true professional in our industry and wherever he will be he will always touches people’s lives and working attitude towards our profession. Ralph is one of the most creative professional I have ever had the pleasure to work with. I wish more guys like him would be still around. “

Uwe Faust, Culinary Director, Jumeirah Group, Dubai

ABOUT ME

Ralph Gottschalk
CURRENT ADDRESS
13 MAYFAIR AVENUE
FERNGLEN
6045 PORT ELIZABETH
SOUTH AFRICA

Contact Number: 0762632721
infothepastryworks@gmail.com

German Citizen

Professional Education
Apprenticeship as Baker, at Bakery Thiele, Hannover, Germany 1982-1985
Graduated 1985 with Diploma

Apprenticeship as Chef, Intercontinental Hotel Hannover, Germany 1985-1988
Graduated 1988 with Diploma


Professional Experience
Lohmeier & Deimel, Hardhoehe Bonn, Government, Commis de Cuisine
Steigenberger Hotel, 5*, Bad Neuenahr, Germany, Commis & Demichef
The Langham Hilton, 5*. London – Opening, Chef de Partie
The King Solomon Palace, 5*, Eilat, Israel – Resort Hotel, Pastry Chef
The Queen Elizabeth II, 5* Cruise Liner – Production Chef
Sun City Resort, 5*, Sun City, South Africa – Multi Unit, Assistant Complex Pastry Chef
New World International, 5*, Hong Kong – City Business Hotel, Executive, Pastry Chef
Sun City Resort, 5*, Sun City, South Africa – Executive Complex, Pastry Chef
Voted best Resort in the World 1992,1993,1994
New World International, 5*, Yangoon, Myanmar – Opening, Executive Pastry Chef
The Oberoi & The Oberoi Towers, 5*, Mumbai, India – City Business Hotel, Executive Pastry Chef, Teacher at Oberoi Hotel School New Delhi
• Best Business Hotel Asia 1998
• Best Business Hotel Asia 2001
The Peninsula Hotel, 5*, Chicago, USA – Opening, City Business Hotel, Executive Pastry Chef
• Best Opening Hotel in the USA 2001
• Top 10 New hotels in the world 2001
• Best Asian restaurant in Chicago 2001, 2002
• Top ten new restaurants in the USA, 2001
Mobil Five-Star and the AAA Five-Diamond awards, 2001,2002,2003
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 5*, Maui, Hawaii, USA – Resort, Executive Pastry Chef
• Top Ten Hotels in the world in Conde Nast Traveler 2003
Taj Mahal Hotels, Luxury Division, Mumbai, India – Corporate Executive Pastry Chef
Intercontinental Hotels, Seoul, South Korea – Multi Unit Operation
The Grand Intercontinental Hotel, 5*
Intercontinental Hotel Seoul,5*
LG Supermarket Bakery, Executive Pastry Chef
MY OWN BUSINESS SINCE 2005
2005 – 2019
The Pastryworks Bakery
22 employees, 4 Bakeries
www.thepastryworks.co.za

2005 – Present
SAACA Recreational, Fun & Corporte Cooking Events and Classes
www.thepastryworks.co.za

2012 – Present
SAACA, South African Academy of Culinary Arts
International Diploma in Pastry & Culinary Arts, Accredited by Highfield UK
www.saaca.co.za
Winner of the PLATE MEDAL at Culinary Student Olympics in India 2019
From 2010 to 2016
Consulting Pastry Chef for Chocolate Frey, Switzerland
Responsible for Middle East, Africa and AsiaChocolate Workshops and Demonstrations, Jeddah, Kuwait, Muscat, Oman, New Delhi, Mumbai, Beirut, Bangkok, Pattaya, Shanghai

From 2010 to Present
Hired by Kofler & Kompanie GmbH, Berlin, Germany

Stadium Executive Chef, Port Elizabeth, FIFA World Cup 2010, South Africa
Stadium Executive Chef, Sao Paulo, Brazil, FIFA World Cup 2014 & Final Rio De Janeiro
Stadium Chef, Baku, Azerbaijan, European Summer Olympic Games 2015
Executive Pastry Chef, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Asian Olympic Games 2017
Sports Hotel & Olympic Hotel, Opening Ceremony Hotel, Stadium
Stadium Executive Chef, Saint Petersburg, Russia, FIFA World Cup 2018
Pastry Chef. Formula E, Catering, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2018
Rugby World Cup Japan, Stadium Executive Chef, Yokohama & Oita, Japan
September to November 2019

From 2010 to Present
Consulting Experience
Intercontinental Hotel Singapore, Pastry Revamp
Les Ottoman Boutique Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey, Opening, Training
The Puli Hotel & Spa, Shanghai, China, Opening, Training
Moevenpick Hotels Middle East & Asia, Corporate Workshop Jordan for Middle East Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts Africa
The PuShang Hotel & Spa, Xiamen, China
KOFLER BAKERY DOHA, Prince of Qatar August 2019
“Velvet Bakery & Cake Studio” Chennai, India Ongoing
Cavin Group India, Company Pastry & Bakery Consultant Ongoing
Inzolo Executive Lodge, South Africa July / August 2019
Royalston Luxury Living Estate, South Africa July 2019

Continuing Education
The Wilton School of Confectionary Arts, Woodridge, Illinois, United States
“Diploma” Airbrushing
“Diploma” Gum Paste
“Diploma” Sugar Pulling
“Diploma”Master Course in Artistic Cake Decorating
Artistic Pastry School, Robert Oppeneder, Munich, Germany
“Diploma” Sugar & Chocolate Showpieces
“Diploma” Dessert Creations from the 3 Star Michelin Kitchens
Artistic Sugar School, Fabilo, Rickenbach, Switzerland
“Diploma” Sugar Artistik
“Diploma” Perfection Course Sugar Artistic
Working Experience with…
Scott Webster, Owner & Chef Osia restaurant, 1 star Michelin – Singapore
Ming Tsai, Owner & Chef Blue Ginger Restaurant – Boston, USA
Yves Mattagne, Chef Sea Grill Restaurant – 3 star Michelin, Brussels
Steve Szabo, Chef Versace Hotel – Australia
Alain Reix, Chef Jules Verne Restaurant – 3 star Michelin, Paris
Wolfgang Staudemeier, Owner & Chef Gianni Restaurant – 2 star Michelin, Germany
Tony Chi, Owner Tony Chi & Associates – New York, USA
Roland Gaelends, Owner & Creative Consultant – Belgium
Bernard Proot, Del Rey Chocolatiers, Antverpes, Belgium