Whenever guests come to GOLD restaurant in Cape Town and are served by the smiling Irene, their reviews are always glowing. Our restaurant guests can’t stop speaking about her warm African welcome, helpful nature and sense of humour. All things that make her one of our shining stars here at GOLD!
Irene’s journey to Cape Town
Irene hails from the north-west region of Cameroon. Back in mid 2013 she made the hard decision to leave her home country and travel south in search of better opportunities. Her journey took her to the tip of South Africa and Cape Town where she came to study and work.
An introduction to Cape Town’s restaurant industry
When Irene landed in Cape Town she went straight to a hospitality school where she excelled. In fact, she did so well at her studies that she was immediately offered employment at a big hotel in the V&A Waterfront. As she was still studying, Irene could only commit to a few shifts per week and most of her salary was plunged back into her studies. She grew tired and weary and started to loose faith in the industry, but that is when she found GOLD…
Finding a family at GOLD
The night shift work meant that Irene could continue her studies and work at GOLD, but the best part was that she finally felt like she had found a family in Cape Town. The staff from all over Africa have become her friends, confidants and support team. She says that her dream is to become an entrepreneur and she hopes to one day become a ‘boss lady’.
What she loves most about GOLD restaurant
While feeling part of the GOLD family is one of the things Irene loves most about coming to work, the other is the food. Reflecting a range of dishes from around Africa, Irene loves everything on the menu but her favourite dish of course comes from Cameroon. She helped to create the Benne Chicken Salad – marinated free range chicken breasts coated with sesame seeds served with crunchy greens – a traditional dish and favoured recipe passed down through generations! Be sure to pop in at GOLD restaurant to try it for yourself.
