Ndaba joined the President Hotel beginning of Spring 2019 continually pursuing to make a difference and as a part of a well acclaimed President hotel team.
He is also one of the judges on the Winemag Best value tasting category.
His first wine experience was at The Square Restaurant at the Vineyard Hotel in 2009, when they searched for someone with flair and personality to fulfill the role of Maitre’D. NdabaDube was clearly the right man for the job. The ambitious young professional entered the world of hospitality when he was hired part-time as a waiter, but he quickly moved on to other roles that would expose him to a broader scope of the hospitality industry.
“I worked as a barman for a while, which built my confidence and made me more comfortable when speaking to guests. Building relationships is one of my biggest motivators, and this stems from my passion for people and interest in the varied personalities I encounter in the line of duty,” explains Dube.
He joined the Vineyard Hotel as a barman and when the hotel was looking for someone to assist the restaurant manager, he was the natural choice. According to F&B duty manager, David Wibberley, they wanted someone that was eager to be coached and had a thirst and passion to succeed. “We handpicked Ndaba for this position, with the aim of potentially guiding him into a managerial role. He has shown great character and temperament, and his hunger for success recently resulted in him completing both his WSETs, Levels 1 and 2 with excellent results,” says Wibberley.
Alongside his culinary colleague, the Vineyard Hotel chef Samantha Temmers, Ndaba participated in Showcook’s inaugural Distell Inter Hotel Challenge in 2013. The event saw the Cape’s top 10 deluxe hotels competing for top honours in a competition which saw the chefs each preparing a 3-course meal to be accompanied by specially-selected wines from the resident sommelier. In the hotly-contested wine stewardship section, Ndaba emerged as the best up-and-coming sommelier. “A worthy accolade for a worthy candidate,” remarked Roy Davies, the Vineyard Hotel’s general manager, on Ndaba’s triumph.
Off the back of his Showcook win, Ndaba has spent time at both the Graham Beck Estate in Robertson and also Kaapzicht in Stellenbosch, participating in the harvest at both estates and furthering his knowledge and insight into the wine-making processes.
Dube’s positive outlook on life has also led him to creating his own blog. “I wanted to create a platform where I could share my experiences with other youth, and give them a platform to also share their unique experiences. The blog has given me a platform to share my creative skills while also creating awareness of important issues that affect our youth.”
For Dube, his constant need for growth and taking on new challenges has been the driving force behind his career. “My current position as wine steward in training at the Vineyard Hotel is a great achievement for me, and I look forward to building a long and successful career under the expert guidance of my managers here.”
In the pursuit of growth and adding value to the hospitality industry, Ndaba spent the greater part of 2019 as Food & Beverage Manager at the newly opened Blaauwberg Beach Hotel in Blouberg overseeing the overall department`s wine portfolio and events.
See Ndaba's all of qualifications:
- 2016 Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration (B. Bus Admin) Degree, majoring in Finance and Sociology – University of South Africa (UNISA)
- 2016 Certification: PGDip UCT Graduate School of Business (short course) in Wine Business management
- 2018 Certification (Passed with Distinction) UCT Graduate School of Business (short course) Hospitality Leadership Program
- 2018 Certification: Leadership skills and Effective Engagement - Worlds view Academy (9 Conversations in Leadership training)
- 2018 Wine Judging Academy (Michael Fridjhon) Certification of Competence with Distinction (In association with UCT Graduate school of Business)
- 2015 Wine & Spirit Education Trust: WSET Level 3 award in wines and spirits (QCF)
- 2014 Cape Wine Academy: Certificate wine course
- 2013 Wine & Spirit Education Trust:
WSET Level 1 Award in wines
WSET Level 2 Award in wines and spirits
Membership of Associations/Societies:
- 2018 – Wine Mag Tasting Coordinator Christiaan Eedes wine judging reports
- 2017 – 2018 FEDHASA (Young professionals Chairperson)
Fostering Young professionals’ growth and relevance in the hospitality value chain with the ultimate goal of good sustainable succession planning and skills base.