Philippa Sklaar Bio

Philippa was born to be an entertainer. Growing up in in South Africa as the daughter of the Mayor of Johannesburg, she attended many a political reception where she very quickly honed her skills and developed the panache to entertain powerful and influential guest who visited from around the world.

Building on this finely tuned sense for food and aesthetic for creating events, she founded and ran an exclusive cooking school and catering company for 15 years. Philippa built a reputation for her exotic and glamorous style, her eclectic recipes, and artistic food displays some of which have graced the covers of numerous magazines including the birthday issue of Marie Claire.

Strongly influenced by her South African heritage and a self-proclaimed aesthetic junkie, her creations are best known for a sublime variety of textures and tastes. Meals are a production – every aspect given equal consideration when setting the stage – nothing is left to chance, not the table lines, or the flowers, or even the dishes in which the food is served ultimately creating the ultimate food seduction communicating Philippa’s ultimate message - “Food is a celebration! It resolves differences, wins hearts, mends hearts, and inspires love and laughter.”

Philippa’s innate talent, pechant for a vibrant flair, and an extraordinary talent for designing a meal or a party has made her a much sought after caterer. She has been responsible for the planning and execution of events for a broad array of international guests including the directors of MTV International and the Olympic Committee. She has personally organized the government catered function for forty thousand and planned dinners for dignitaries and celebrities such as Bishop Tutu, Nelson Mandela, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Philippa’s food and cooking style are reminiscent of her rich and multifaceted life. Not content to just entertain and build a catering business servicing South Africa’s leading businessmen and politicians, she concurrently worked as a model, studied fashion design ultimately releasing her own clothing line, and, fueled by her passion to improve the lives of the battered women in South Africa launched the first television show in South Africa for women by women