Leah van Deventer

"I'd highly recommend Leah, in any role which matches her skill set and for those that don't – she's proven herself to be a keen and fast learner."

"Leah's a bubbly, vibrant character with a tremendous personality. Leah also has that rare talent of being able to appear relaxed and fun loving but at the same time being articulate, honest and accurate in her work."

"Leah's knowledge and experience in the food and beverage arena is exemplary. Not only is Leah a talented writer and all round excellent content producer, she's an incredibly kind and humbling person to work with."

"I'd jump at the opportunity to work with Leah again. She was meticulous, professional and pleasant. Always willing to learn and grow, and as this was a start-up, happy to roll with the punches, so to speak."

"I've found Leah to be an excellent editor and journalist, working across a wide range of topics and styles. She meets deadlines ahead of time and is a pleasure to work with, both as a leader and as part of a team."

"Leah was a dream colleague with a most professional attitude and high work ethic. Her knowledge and creativity never ceased to amaze me and was invaluable in building the business."

"Leah's a professional's professional – extremely well regarded by everyone in the drinks business, from bartenders to ambassadors to company directors. She's also South Africa's best cocktail writer, with a wide range of skills and knowledge about alcoholic drinks."

"Leah's professionalism is refreshing and her knowledge of the alcohol sector is extensive and always on point. We have no issues putting Leah in front of our clients in full confidence the job gets done. And done well."

"Leah is by far one of the most knowledgeable, well versed and talented writers in our industry. Working with her is a pleasure – she always finds new and interesting ways to tell stories about our brands."

"Passionate, efficient, creative, reactive... All what makes a great pro with whom it is not just easy to work, it is a pleasure."

"In my association with Leah, she demonstrated exceptional journalistic skills. Aside from having limitless knowledge of food and spirits, she is well written, accurate and organised. Daily, she demonstrated reliability as well as clear open-mindness. In addition to an exemplary professional performance, personally, she was a pleasure to work with on multiple occasions. I strongly recommend Leah for hire."

"Leah consistently delivers work of an exceptional standard and we are lucky to have her contributions."

"Leah is action orientated and delivers tangible results in double quick time. She's extremely professional and also a pleasure to work with."

"Leah is a meticulous, conscientious and skilled editor. Her ability to tackle projects with creativity, determination and dedication makes her the kind of editor with which any author and publisher would want to work."

"I can recommend Leah without hesitation. Her passion for the written word is evident in her work and she's reliable and extremely professional, with a great work ethic. She's committed to meeting deadlines and is always willing to go the extra mile. She is also a kind, caring person with a heart of gold and she brings a wonderful energy to her work environment."

"Leah's one of the most dynamic and enthusiastic spirits professionals I've come across with demonstrated commitment to education and higher learning. She's a lively and engaging lecturer who communicates her knowledge and love of spirits to all she meets."

"Leah was a fantastic person to work with! She's full of energy, has a passion for what she does and is very efficient. She takes pride in a job well done and is a skilled writer, always on the look out for an interesting angle."

"I've found Leah to be consistently diligent and passionate about spirits and sharing her knowledge. She brought an exemplary level of preparation and hard work to bear, along with a great attitude and a winning turn of phrase."

"Leah is a very creative person, but also hard working, detail orientated and someone who sticks to deadlines. She will not only do what it required of her, but so much more. She can think outside of the box. And most of all, she is a pleasant person to work with. I can absolutely recommend her."

"Leah's hard working, focused and very well organised. I've always felt confident knowing that if a task was assigned to her, she would execute it well, to brief, and within the required time frame."

"Leah's a rare breed in this humdrum world of cut and paste. Her independence and approach is inscrutable and Leah remains an ethical source of information. Leah is detailed, highly professional and most importantly talented, and of course beyond knowledgeable. I cannot recommend Leah enough."

"Leah is a careful wordsmith whose attention to detail is exceptional. She's able to work to tight deadlines and edits even complex projects with care and unfaltering judgement."

"Leah is a fantastic leader – very resourceful, hard working and inspiring. She believes in diversity, inclusiveness and belonging, which I admire a lot."

"I've worked with Leah on a few different projects, it's been a pleasure. She is knowledgeable, insightful and adds real value. I’m convinced that anyone working with Leah will be happy they chose to do so."

"In addition to her technical knowledge of the bar industry and marketing, which is of the highest standard, Leah's an exquisite person and is super enjoyable to spend time with."