Popular restauranteur and pillar in north community passes away
“My father was an amazing individual. He started this iconic restaurant in 1981; he came to South Africa with nothing, just his wife and two sons.
Condolence messages have flooded the Villa San Giovanni restaurant’s Facebook page over the past few days, after members of the Maiorana family announced that family patriarch, Giovanni, had passed away at the age of 74.
“We are deeply saddened to share that on 16 January, our beloved Giovanni passed due to cancer,” his son Christian told Rekord.
This popular restaurant is located at the Wonderboom airport’s main terminal building.
“Rather than to mourn his loss, let’s celebrate his amazing life, his tremendous spirit, the joy and kindness he brought to so many and the huge amounts of unconditional love he always shared and gave freely. His spirit had no limits to express the great love he had for life and above all his family.”
Giovanni was well-known in the north community as the passionate Italian restaurateur and chef at the restaurant. The family celebrates 40 years of their restaurant in 2021.
“My father was an amazing individual. He started this iconic restaurant in 1981; he came to South Africa with nothing, just his wife and two sons, and he built this empire,” Christian said.
The story of Giovanni and his legacy dates back to his younger days that included poverty, loss, tragedy, magic and romance. His fairytale, as many would call it, wouldn’t have been what it was today without this man’s passion for people, food and hard work. What started as a tale of an Italian immigrant in a country where he couldn’t even speak the language, translated into a wondrous adventure for his entire family, a story for generations to come.
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After seeking a better life for his family in the 1970s, Giovanni relocated his wife Maria and two young sons to South Africa. After enduring some hardship when all their belongings from Italy vanished when the cargo ship that carried it, sunk at sea, Giovanni flourished in the foreign country where locals where taken aback by his dedication to Italian cuisine and experience.
Giovanni made sure to keep up with changing consumer tastes and preferences. Over the years he built on his dream that included several revamps, extensions and additions.
If you’re familiar with this family-orientated business, you’d know that you could find Giovanni at his restaurant any time of day, smiling contently in his surroundings, grateful with what he had achieved.
The restaurant eventually expanded into a hotel called the Villa San Giovanni in 2008, and boasts with 11 modern Italian-inspired rooms.
“During hard times like the lockdown, we, together with my dad’s vision and input, created Villa San Giovanni’s Frozen Italian.
“It is frozen on-the-go meals that are in 45 stores nationwide, all achieved within six months. This was important to us, because we took quite a big blow during lockdown, but we were not going to lie back and wait for things to get better. With hard work, we reached even bigger dreams without knowing we had them,” Christian said.
The Villa San Giovanni legacy will continue with generations to come, as the whole family’s minds, souls and hearts are fully invested in this beautiful Italian family business.
Giovanni’s celebration of life service will take place on Saturday, 23 January.
“His absence will undoubtedly leave a void in our lives. He will be greatly missed, but let’s find the strength to fill our hearts with all the unforgettable memories to bring us comfort and peace,” Christian concluded.
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