Chris Wood.
Chris Wood.
Image: Aart Verrips

Your ultimate indulgence? I’m on the midweek drop-off duty with my five-year-old daughter. My favourite thing is once we have parked, I get to hold her hand and we chat while we walk from the car park to her classroom, where I then hug her goodbye and tell her I will see her later. I don’t get to drop my son, who is two, at playschool often enough, but when I do, we both love it. He usually asks to wear his soccer kit to school (we are massive Liverpool fans) and he loves showing that off.

Grooming products? Skin products from South African brand Lamelle. They show great results after a short time. My favourite fragrance is Just Different from Hugo Boss. I always pick up more in duty free, as you never know when a product will be discontinued.

Essential tech? My Apple watch. I love watches, but the introduction of the smartwatch ruins it for the others. The Apple watch allows me to track my daily movement and calorie targets, my calendar, and notifications. I even use it on the golf course to calculate shot distances. I’m totally immersed in the Apple tech stack and how all my products are integrated.

Top tipple? Whisky! I love drinking and collecting good whisky. I don’t have a favourite type —I drink single malt that may be peaty, or more floral; Irish whiskey; and bourbon from the US.

All-time favourite place to eat? Zinzi — on the Garden Route and connected to Tsala Treetop lodge. My wife and I have had dates there, meals with the kids, family lunches, even a bite with the guys on golf tour. I still remember my first time there, and what I ate: risotto balls for starter with a chilled sauvignon blanc, fillet-steak medallions for mains, and triple-chocolate dessert. Some of these items are no longer on the menu, but I’m trying to convince them to bring them back.

Most-loved clothing item? My colleagues would tease me about this as they say I wear it too often, but I have a Pringle jersey that gets lots of airtime: they know which one it is.

Book on your bedside table? Chaos Monkeys: Mayhem and Mania inside the Silicon Valley money machine. It’s an insider’s perspective on the startup ecosystem in Silicon Valley: how startups raise funds, what happens behind the scenes, and how it all really goes down.

Last knockout meal you had? At Mosaic at the Orient. It’s such a unique setting. Each of the courses that are presented were so clearly thought out, cleverly presented and offer a myriad flavours. Chef Chantel Dartnall does a summer and winter menu, so you can go at least twice a year.

The book, the album, and luxury item you’d take to a desert island? The Lord of the Rings, Foo Fighters Greatest Hits, and an iPad loaded with tons of Netflix movies and series.

Dream dinner party guests? My family, Steven Gerrard, JRR Tolkien, Nelson Mandela, and a great uncle of mine who has passed away: he always had the best stories.

Next must-have item? A Maserati Gran Cabrio S. Will have to save up for that one.

Fridge staple? Chicken nuggets or fish fingers. Parents of toddlers will understand this.

Best gift you received recently? The 2018/19 Liverpool home shirt. I’d been working in Spain and my wife bought it for me as a welcome-home gift.

Inspiring place? Welgevonden in the Waterberg. There is nothing better than a day that starts with a game drive, then breakfast, then a nap, then lunch, then another drive, then dinner … and repeat! I wrote part of my Masters thesis at two different lodges in the reserve.

The event not to miss? Once a year the famous Otter Trail just north of Plettenberg Bay is closed and the hike is turned into one of the world’s greatest running trails. I’ve done it twice and need to make a comeback next year. It covers the most arduous and amazing terrain and demands complete dedication and training. Over 42km you climb about 3,000m and cross four rivers, all the while trying to complete in eight hours what normally takes five days.

Favourite city? New York — it’s a home away from home. Get past all the touristy places in Manhattan, and start exploring the local spots, or Brooklyn and Long Island. We ran the Brooklyn Half marathon last year and its definitely on my list to do the New York Marathon.

- From the November edition of Wanted.

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