Community news: Obituary

BILLY Gallagher, retired
director of Tsogo Sun,
passed away peacefully in
his sleep on May 19 at his
home in Johannesburg at
the age of 67. A legend in
the local and international
culinary industry, Billy
raised the profile of chefs
to a profession in South
Africa through his work
with the South African
Chefs Association and
the World Association of
Chefs Societies. He served
terms as president and
was also named honorary
life president of both
associations.
Born in a slum in Jarrow,
north of England on August
17, 1948, he officially started
working in the pot sink of The
Bay Hotel in Seaburn the day
after he turned 15 and fell in
love with a life in kitchens.
He had a remarkable career,
working at the renowned
Dorchester Hotel in London
before coming to South Africa
as a young chef in his 20s,
with his pregnant wife Linda,
to work at The Elizabeth
Hotel in 1973. Hard work,
dedication and culinary and
business flair resulted in a
steady rise up the ranks, to
his joining the executives of
Tsogo Sun, all captured in
frank detail in his memoirs,
Lettuce and a Lady’s Breast,
published in 2015.
The devastating events
of the evening of March 7,
2000, when he was shot
in a botched hijacking at
20h00 on his way home,
rendered him a quadriplegic
and confined to a wheelchair,
ending his cooking career.
However, after nearly a year
of rehabilitation in the UK, he
returned to South Africa and
continued working full-time
for Tsogo Sun, eventually
moving from food and
beverage to communications
and PR.
As a natural nurturer of
professional relationships
locally and around the world
(he had close on 5 000
friends on Facebook alone)
and the driving force behind
major initiatives such as the
World Chefs Tour Against
Hunger, Billy was mentor,
friend and colleague to
countless people. He is
survived by his wife, Linda,
and his sons Mark and Ian
and their wives, plus his
three precious grandchildren.