African Chefs: Culinary Geniuses

Chef Ali Mandhry from Kenya is an award winning celebrity chef. He is also fondly known as “Chef L’artiste”. He was inspired by his grandfather, who got him into the kitchen at age nine. At the age of twelve, he started selling cakes in school to fellow students and teachers.

Mandhry worked as an intern at the Sarova White Sands Beach Resort and Spa, before enrolling in a food production apprenticeship course at Kenya Utalii College, where he graduated with an honours degree. Mandhry later became a culinary instructor at Kenya Utalii College’s Mombasa campus, in charge of the food production department in January 2011.

Mandhry currently hosts a cooking show tagged Food Time that broadcasts on Pwani TV and Celebrity Kitchen Raid on Zuku Entertainment Channel 100 that broadcasts internationally. He co-hosts Power Breakfast every Thursday on Citizen TV, Kenya. As an author, he writes the ‘Eats’ recipe column every Saturday on eve woman magazine.

He is not only a renowned chef but he also enjoys writing and teaching others. Mandhry has been named among the top 5 reigning chefs of African cuisine by Africa Style Daily. He has also been mentioned among top male chefs in Africa by DSTV.

Chef Kiran Jethwa, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur, was born 22 August, 1976. He stayed in Kenya most of his life. He got his education in Manchester, United Kingdom in the field of hospitality management. 

Afterwards, he travelled globally in Europe, the USA, Africa, Southeast Asia, South & Central America, and Australia for more experience. He is a magnificent chef and owner of the “Seven Experience” restaurant chain that has taken Nairobi by storm. 

Jethwa’s cooking is influenced by the African, European, and Indian culture. And his cooking has been described as Afro-Mediterranean fusion with an Indian influence.His restaurants offer an up market dining experience. 

He is the host and presenter of the TV show, Tales From The Bush Larder which showcases the culinary culture of Africa. Jethwa is one of the judges on The Great Kenyan Bake Off, the Kenyan version of The Great British Bake Off on KTN Home. 

Jethwa has co-presented Food Unwrapped on Channel 4 since 2016.

Chef Selassie Atadika is from Ghana is a co-founder. Right from childhood, she was always in the kitchen watching her mother cook Ghanaian dishes. This inspired her to start learning how to cook more Ghanaian dishes as she grew up.  

Chef Atadika is the co-founder of Trio Toque which is based in Senegal, where they offer a nomadic dining experience. She is also the founder of the Midunu restaurant in Ghana, where she offers innovative African cuisine.  

Atadika believes in ‘showcasing traditional African culinary practices in ways that allow us to appreciate them in the modern context.’  

Chef Anto Cocagne originates from Gabon. During his childhood, he was inspired by both her grandmother and her mother who were very passionate about the kitchen.  Chef Anto Cocagne has become renowned star of gastronomy and television in France. 

Chef Anto came up with four recipes, inspired by African, European and Indian cuisines, as part of the Smart Food campaign in 2018. And these recipes were promoted at the festival ‘We eat Africa’ (the African cuisines festival), where she is the President of the organizing committee, and in the magazine ‘Afro cooking’, where she functions as a consultant. 

As part of the Smart Food campaign, Chef Anto promoted the recipes during a highly popular radio program of Radio France International. The recipes include sorghum crackers, sorghum flour cupcake, African Buddha bowl, creamy millet and speculoos cake. Chef Anto has won several awards including the prestigious African Women’s Revelation of the year award.

Chef Pierre Thiam was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. And he has risen to culinary heights over the years. Thiam is widely known for bringing West African cuisine to the global culinary world.  He is the Executive Chef of Nok by Alara, an award-winning restaurant in Lagos, Nigeria as well as being the Signature Chef of the five-star Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. He is also the executive chef and co-owns Teranga, a New York City based food chain. 

Thiam’s company, Yolélé Foods advocates for smallholder farmers in the Sahel by opening new markets for crops grown in Africa; its signature product, Yolélé Fonio, can be found in Whole Foods, Amazon, and other top retailers across America. He also has written two cookbooks, “Yolélé! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal and Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl.” These cookbooks were finalists for several awards including the Julia Child Cookbook Award, the Gourmand Award in Paris, and the James Beard Award for Best International Cookbook. 

Thiam has prepared food for the King of Morocco, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. With his advocacy and online presence, he was able to earn the spot of a culinary ambassador, dedicated to promoting West African cooking throughout the world. Thiam currently sits on the board of directors of Culinary Institute of America’s African Cuisines Advisory Board, CorpsAfrica and IDEO.org.

Siba Mtongana, a South African celebrity chef, was born 10 December, 1984. Mtongana was raised in the township of Mdantsane near East London, South Africa. She gained popularity from her food network show, “Siba’s Table”.  

Here, she showcased her talents and shared her exquisite recipes of African cuisine. Mtongana is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She is currently a judge on Chopped South Africa, alongside Jenny Morris and David van Staden.

Whether you enjoy seafood, meat or even vegan style cooking, you can find all that as you travel across Africa. So come over and take your taste buds on an adventure.