A legal eagle finds rhythm and purpose in quiet country lanes.
Stephen Benade, with the fire-eyed focus of a hawk, is no simple rural retiree sipping rooibos on a stoep. This man is an Advocate of the High Court who’s been juggling legal landmines for more than three decades.
As the head honcho of Risk Solutions and Compliance at Unison Risk Management Alliance for the past nine years, he runs a multi-country liability claims operation from a war room of spreadsheets and legal tomes in a quiet Koringberg country lane.
Three colossal retail giants. One man orchestrating legal chess games while fending off his affectionate dogs. ‘I’m only in the city one day a week,’ he said, sipping something cool, ‘and that’s more than enough chaos for anyone.’ In addition, he also coordinates the Compliance programme, specifically the FAIS and FICA rules pertaining to financial service providers.
But it gets juicier. Turns out Stephen’s not just a law-slinging titan. He’s also a culinary entrepreneur. Back in 2013, after having spent more than 12 years at a big-name global IT service provider in the UK, he and his life partner Washington Mendes Filho threw caution to the Brazilian wind. They set up Steve’s Bistro in the steamy city of Uberlândia, Washington’s home town. ‘We filled a niche,’ he recalled with a glint in his eye. ‘An upmarket restaurant amid a sea of fast-food outlets. It exploded. ‘Here we had a glorious monster with table reservations booked months in advance and we simply didn’t have the expertise to manage a venture of that size. So, we sold it. No regrets, mind you.’
Stephen still lets loose his inner chef from time to time with wonderful dinners in their garden, while Washington has arranged a few open air concerts right here in the heart of Koringberg.
And what of Washington? The man who once rode showjumpers for glory in Brazil now wrangles rose bushes and orchestrates events. With a flair for landscaping and florals that could bring Versailles to its knees, he’s turned their garden into a visual symphony. Birds stop mid-flight just to take it in.
When Stephen isn’t up to his neck with compliance issues, he’s harvesting olives, tending to their citrus trees and rescuing dogs with names like Bella, Maya, Ollie and Tarquin—each with vastly different personalities.
‘There’s something beautifully absurd about it all,’ Stephen said. ‘We left the rat race and found rhythm. It’s not just slower here—it’s deeper.’
FAST FACTS
To relax I drink wine and binge on a Netflix series
My spectator sport of choice is tennis
The best West Coast destination is Churchhaven
My favourite West Coast restaurant is Au Bouchon Rouge in Riebeek-Kasteel
I love eating Beef Wellington
My signature drink is Chenin Blanc
Photos: Elma Storm
