Portrait of Phillip van Staden
i. Biography
Phillip van Staden’s work in hospitality was built through service roles that demanded composure, attention, and the ability to move cleanly between floor, office, and operations. From trainee chef and Hotel Receptionist at Devon Valley Hotel to Restaurant Manager at Overture Restaurant in Stellenbosch, the progression shows a career formed through steady responsibility rather than sudden leaps. The later move into financial advising did not replace that foundation; it extended it into another field where trust and precision still matter.
Coming Up
Training at THS Drostdy, Boland College - Stellenbosch campus (2005), and Louis Group Academy gave Phillip van Staden a base before he entered Devon Valley Hotel as trainee chef (2005) and then Hotel Receptionist (2006). Those early roles sat on either side of hospitality’s core work: one in the kitchen, the other at reception. They established a pattern that continued through Senior Manager at Panarottis Somerset West (2009–2012), Managing Director at Epicure Catering South Africa (2012–2013), and Restaurant Manager at Overture Restaurant in Stellenbosch (2012–2023), while finance became a second track through Personal Financial Advisor at Old Mutual (2013–2015), Financial Planner at ABSA Insurance and Financial Advisers (2015–2020), and Financial Advisor at Blignaut BlueStar - Financial Advisory Services authorised by Sanlam (2020–2021). The sequence reads as accumulation: each role added a different kind of discipline, from hospitality’s tempo and service standards to finance’s need for measured guidance. Phillip van Staden later became Financial Adviser at Gladiator BlueStar - Financial Advisory Services authorised by Sanlam (2021–2024). He is Financial Adviser of Sanlam Connect - Wealth Solutions (since 2020) and paraplanner of Sanlam (since 2024). Across both sectors, the through-line is practical service carried with consistency.
Where They Are Now
Restaurant management asks for quiet control over many moving parts, and Phillip van Staden served as Restaurant Manager at Overture Restaurant in Stellenbosch from 2012 to 2023. The work in that post is rarely visible as a single gesture; it is carried in the timing of service, the handling of pressure, and the discipline that keeps the room working as one system. Over more than a decade at Overture Restaurant in Stellenbosch, the role points to a long operating rhythm built on steadiness, detail, and a measured approach to leadership.
Career - Financial Adviser — Sanlam Connect - Wealth Solutions, Strand, Cape Town (2020–present) - Paraplanner — Sanlam, Cape Town, WC, ZA (2024–present) - Trainee chef — Devon Valley Hotel (2005) - Hotel Receptionist — Devon Valley Hotel (2006) - Senior Manager — Panarottis Somerset West (2009–2012) - Restaurant Manager — Overture Restaurant, Stellenbosch (2012–2023) - Managing Director — Epicure Catering South Africa (2012–2013) - Personal Financial Advisor — Old Mutual (2013–2015) - Financial Planner — ABSA Insurance and Financial Advisers (2015–2020) - Financial Advisor — Blignaut BlueStar - Financial Advisory Services authorised by Sanlam (2020–2021) Education: THS Drostdy; Boland College - Stellenbosch campus; Louis Group Academy; HyperionDev
FAQ What is Phillip van Staden's current role? As of 2026, Phillip van Staden is Restaurant Manager. Where did Phillip van Staden train or study? Phillip van Staden trained at THS Drostdy and Boland College - Stellenbosch campus.
The Sunday letter
Get new profiles like Phillip van Staden every Sunday.
One email a week with the chefs, winemakers and artisans we have just profiled, and the places they run.
One email a week. Unsubscribe from any issue.
The Sunday letter
Get the next Made By profile in your inbox.
We send one email every Sunday morning with the people we profiled that week.
One email a week. Unsubscribe from any issue.