Cooking Up Success – From Kitchen Dreams to Leading Teams
First Group’s Chef Samantha Stone serves up inspiration this Women’s Month
In the culinary world, the competition can be as intense as the heat in the kitchen. Chef Samantha Stone, Group Food and Beverage Development Manager at First Group, one of South Africa’s leading leisure and hotel management companies, knows this firsthand. Having risen through the ranks, she has met these challenges head-on and thrived thanks to her talent, determination and undeniable passion for food. As we celebrate Women’s Month, Chef Stone’s remarkable journey within First Group shines as a testament to her resilience and the company’s dedication to nurturing and elevating female talent.
Chef Stone’s early love affair with food set the stage for her future career: “Since childhood, I’ve always loved anything food related—whether it was making mud pies in the garden or standing on a chair in the kitchen, helping my mom make pizzas while I was still in nappies,” she recalls. “Food is my love language and I come from a food-loving family, so becoming a chef was a no-brainer for me,” she adds.
Developing Talent
Her early culinary career was run-of-the-mill, and Chef Stone says it wasn’t until she joined First Group in 2017 that she started realising her potential. “First Group puts hospitality on the map,” she says with pride. Starting with the company as Group Training Chef, she quickly climbed the ranks, becoming Group Development Chef after just a year.
“The promotion was a game-changer,” Chef Stone recalls. “It allowed me to get into the operational side of the business, working across all of First Group’s resorts and hotels with food & beverage outlets.”
In 2021, Chef Stone’s leadership, hard work and innovative approach earned her another promotion to her current role as Group F&B Development Manager. In this role, her responsibilities are as varied as the food and beverage operations she oversees across the group. The position is a whirlwind of activity from driving revenue, providing database support and developing new culinary concepts to training, negotiating with suppliers and supporting operational teams.
“Maintaining First Group’s high standards across all properties is crucial, but ultimately my role is about delivering exceptional guest satisfaction,” she explains.
Breaking Barriers
Chef Stone’s journey hasn’t always been easy. “A huge challenge for me was being a female in a male-dominated industry, especially in the kitchens,” she shares. “However, First Group has always valued talent and hard work. I was given the opportunity to learn, develop and prove myself and with their support, I will keep on growing.”
Her advice to aspiring female chefs is straightforward: “This industry can be tough, but it’s also incredibly rewarding,” she says. “Keep your head down and get on with it. The kitchen is a challenging environment, and you’ll need to fight for your position. But knowledge is your greatest asset – never stop learning and trying new things.”
Back to the Future
As Chef Stone continues to break barriers and inspire others, her commitment to growth shows no signs of letting up. “I aspire to climb the ladder on the corporate side of the hospitality sector and establish myself as an inspirational and successful businesswoman,” she reveals. Her goals extend beyond personal success though: “I want to make a meaningful impact in the industry by driving innovation, fostering inclusivity and promoting sustainable practices. This includes mentoring young hospitality enthusiasts, especially women.”
Chef Stone’s successful journey with First Group is about more than just career advancement; it has enabled her to become an influential leader and mentor in the organisation. Her story serves as an inspiration to all ambitious hospitality professionals, while also reminding us, this Women’s Month, of the incredible impact and contribution women continue to make in their chosen professions.