New appointment: Chef Kieran — Punchinello's launches Venetian-style winter menu

Executive Chef of Punchinello’s, Kieran Conway was a protégé of the late great Chef Billy Gallagher, South Africa’s first celebrity chef, who came to the country in 1973 and transformed the Tsogo Sun food and beverage offering as well as the local culinary industry. Gallagher was responsible for the name, concept and opening menu at Punchinello’s, and the new winter menu sees a return to the restaurant’s roots.

Kieran Conway gained his extensive experience in a wide range of hotels and restaurants, including Gold Reef City, De Waal Hotel in Cape Town, and Pretoria and Sandton Crowne Plazas. He was Regional Chef for Southern Sun in Victoria Falls, responsible for the Elephant Hills and Victoria Falls hotels in Zimbabwe for six years, during which time he did stints in Bangkok, Australia, and London, where he was part of the catering team for Nelson Mandela’s Freedom Party in Trafalgar Square. Back in South Africa in 1992, Conway was appointed Southern Sun’s Regional Executive Chef for Gauteng and Mpumalanga, and then Group Development Chef for the group’s offshore properties.

Conway says, “Presentation is always important for creating a visual effect, and we add the extra theatrical touch at Punchinello’s. Food is like fashion, and our menu items are seasonal and reflect the restaurant’s Venetian influence and current culinary trends. We have pulled out the stops to ensure that our restaurant regulars and newcomers will find a lot to delight them.”