Etienne van der Nest

Mr. van der Nest has experienced a number of unique and rather interesting careers and life styles. 

Originally trained as classic Tenor in South Africa, he quickly won the hearts of young and old with his impeccable voice, gripping stage presence and magnetic personality. His singing career introduced him to the joy of traveling when he performed in operas, operettas, as well as public and private concerts, not only throughout South Africa, but also in the USA (New York, California, Texas, etc.), in the UK (London), Europe (France, Germany, Belgium), Israel, and so on.

His second career started during his studies at the Music Conservatories in Pretoria and later in San Francisco, USA, when he trained to become a Gourmet Chef in upscale restaurants and hotel restaurants in South Africa, and later also in Germany (Berlin). He combined these two unique talents into a third career as ‘The Cooking Tenor’ for exclusive private functions.

His fourth career was also connected to his second as Gourmet Chef, when he trained Management and Marketing, prior to managing restaurants, bars and even hotels in several cities in Africa.  He is co-owner of a lodge in Kruger National Park, as well as manager and rental agent for properties in Africa and the Caribbean. He was also a partner in the predecessor enterprise of African Tourism, an online travel agency, which promotes tourist destinations in select African countries.  And, while residing in Germany, he found time to also manage an Event and Exposition organization, and was partner in a local Music Agency.

Mr. van der Nest’s life style of globetrotting the world for the purpose of pursuing one or another of his multiple careers and talents, makes him ideally suited to evaluate, design and develop strategic plans for promoting tourism, and to support existing strategies with his valuable life-time expertise. He has acquired wide-ranging experience in finding and developing ideal holiday destinations for European and American travellers throughout Africa, and knows how to melt cultural differences between tourists and tourist destinations.

Mr. van der Nest also serves as Director of the Board at New York – African Shared Vision Programs, Inc., New York City, a not-for-profit organization. He speaks fluent English, Dutch, Flemish, Zulu and German, as well as some French.