John de Canha, general manager of InterContinental Pallazo (back), and Billy Gallagher , food and beverage director of Southern Sun. Pic: Max Berg. 18/01/06. © SUDNAY TIMES.
One of South Africa’s leading experts on food and hospitality‚ Dr Billy Gallagher – who worked at Sun City‚ the old Elizabeth Hotel in Port Elizabeth and even London’s famous Dorchester Hotel – has died.
The South African Chefs Association‚ of which he was life honory president‚ said Gallagher had passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Thursday morning (19 May 2016).
“We are all deeply saddened by the news of this loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to Linda‚ Mark and Ian and their families. We pray that our Lord brings you much needed peace and fond memories during this sad time‚” the chefs said.
Gallagher survived an attempted hijacking in 2000‚ which left him a quadriplegic.
In an interview with Entrepreneur magazine‚ he spoke of what motivated him to recover and keep working: “The hardest part for me to accept was not that I could not walk‚ but that I could no longer use my hands… I moved into PR because it was difficult for me to be on-site. Part of my role has been to build (Southern Sun’s) corporate social investment portfolio and to focus on BEE projects. That has been extremely rewarding… I have also kept myself motivated by continuing to be involved in many … chef training and development programmes”.
Gallagher was a certified Master Chef from Westminster College in London‚ and held an honorary doctorate in Culinary Arts from the University of Johnson and Wales in Miami in the United States.
His involvement in education within the industry was well known‚ the chefs association said in a statement.
He spent five years as chairman of the board of the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg. He served as president of the South African Chefs
Association for 20 years and also served as a president of the World Association of Chefs Societies.
“A tireless proponent of advancing the knowledge of young people‚ he was instrumental in the first apprenticeship scheme for young chefs and was a founding member of the original Hospitality Industry Training Board. His involvement with the Food and Beverage industry enjoyed many facets; not least of all bringing a host of international culinary celebrities to South Africa‚ thus highlighting the role that food and beverage can play in tourism within Southern Africa‚” the association said.
In recent years‚ Gallagher was a joint convener of the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger charity programme.
“There can be few people in the hospitality industry‚ both locally and abroad‚ who haven’t admired Dr Bill Gallagher. His achievements as a chef‚ mentor‚ competitor and friend to chefs around the world were legendary‚” SA Chefs Association president Stephen Billingham said.
A book of condolences for the Gallagher Family has been opened at the South African Chefs Association in Johannesburg.
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