Born in Swaziland and bred in KwaZulu Natal, Brian Braite Nhlanhla Mahlangu moved to Cape Town in 2001.
He worked there as a bartender in restaurants and hotels and won several competitions (Regional Finalist of Chaînes de Rôtisserie Sommelier competition in 2013, National Finalist of Cape Legends Interhotel Challenge), then became a sommelier and worked at the Drostdy Hotel in Graaf-Reinet and for 2 years at Cape Grace, before joining Marianne in May 2018.