Johan Van Niekerk was drawn to the culinary arts from a very young age. Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, his father owned a butchery in the country’s judicial capital and Van Niekerk helped out in the shop and on hunting trips. “I had a knife in my hand at age 10. There’s a real art to butchering game.”

Following training in kitchen management with The Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Van Niekerk was back in South Africa to help open the Pepper Club Hotel in Cape Town as executive sous chef. After a friend introduced him to the idea of working at sea, Van Niekerk landed as senior sous chef onboard a Crystal Cruise ship, where he met his wife, a Dallas native. “Eventually, we both got tired of working 96 hour weeks and began looking for opportunities on dry land.” His wife had her eyes on Beaver Creek, Colorado – a complete change of place for Van Niekerk, who to that point in his life had never seen snow.

Over four years in the Colorado Rockies, he learned to snowboard while honing his culinary talent first under renowned Master Chef Daniel Joly at Mirabelle at Beaver Creek, then at Zino Ristorante in nearby Edwards, and finally as Sous Chef at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail. The pull of his wife’s Texas ties was strong, however, so when they find out they were expecting a daughter, Van Niekerk jump on the opportunity to move to Dallas and transfer within the Four Seasons to their Las Colinas property.

“Honestly, I’m really enjoying the city,” he says, noting with a laugh that life in Dallas revolves around friends, family and “trying to keep our heads above water.” Distinct from his demanding role at the resort, Van Niekerk enjoys down time relaxing with golf, fishing and attending food conventions when he can. “My wife lived here 12 years ago, so everything is brand new to us right now.”