Meet The Team

Wayne Blything

Co - founder

Chef, Environmental Health Officer and co founder. Bachelor degree with honors in Environmental Health and a Masters in Food Safety and Quality Management.

“I first visited Lesotho in 2010 as part of a health awareness project and fell in love with the country and the people. In 2013 Tess and I moved back to create a successful restaurant, training school and social enterprise before returning to the UK in 2016. I am fortunate to be in a position where I can use my privilege of living and working in the UK to help support those in need to better themselves and work their way out of poverty in Lesotho. A country which will forever hold a special place in my heart.”

Tessa Blything

Co-Founder

Co-founder of CHEF, created in January 2021. Now based in London, UK leading the charity along side partner Wayne Blything.

“I have been involved in the catering and hospitality world since 2000 and worked in many areas of the industry. I have also had a love for art & design in the mix. I lived in the heart of Lesotho for 3 years between 2013-2016 and during my time in Lesotho I helped create the social enterprise for a chaity, building a 100 seater restaurant, conference centre and hotel from scratch. It was here that I fell in love with the Basotho people and forever wanted to be connected to them to continue to support them and help them thrive.”

James Brett

Trustee

James Brett, currently a Sales Exec at Investcloud. James has a vast amount of experience in business development and business management and thinks everything through to the final detail. He comes to CHEF with valuable experience to help the charity move in the right direction. Alongside this James achieved a Bachelor of Law back in 2012.

Alexander Motoko

Support Member

Alex was one of our trusted trainees who we taught during our time in Lesotho back in 2013. Alex now assists in a range of areas from purchasing equipment for new business start ups, administrative tasks and now continues to be our support on the ground in Lesotho. Alex is also our new food safety trainer in Maseru and will be delivering much needed food safety and personal hygiene training throughout the country. Alex also continues with his catering career outside of CHEF.

Chris Bullock

Trustee

Chris is currently working as Deputy Secretary General at the Lesotho Football Association in Lesotho, Southern Africa. He joined ‘LEFA’ in September 2020 after spending seven years working for Kick4Life FC, also in Lesotho, as Director of Football, where he oversaw all of the football operations at a Lesotho Premier League Football Club which uses football for social development in Lesotho.

Chris became involved with C.H.E.F. having been introduced to the project by founders Wayne and Tess, who were previously colleagues of his at Kick4Life. Chris shares Tess and Wayne’s passion for changing lives in Lesotho.

Shaun Jones

Trustee

Shaun has had a long career in the travel sector and found himself in Lesotho through his love of football, albeit he is a Swindon Town fan, and his fundraising efforts with Maseru based Kick4Life.

Shaun has found a love for the Mountain Kingdom and visits regularly. After helping with a recent CHEF event, Shaun jumped at the chance of becoming a trustee to help take the charity moving forward.

“I felt privileged to be asked to become a trustee of CHEF. I wanted to get involved in an organisation that was small, lively and energetic – one that was doing things that are going to make a difference in Lesotho. I have never ceased to be impressed by how amazing Wayne and Tess are and their dedication and commitment to improving the lives of others and can’t wait to be a part of it.”