Using his Rwandan restaurant as a laboratory of sorts, Chef Dieuveil Malonga is continually experimenting with new flavors from varied African cuisines. His resulting Afro-fusion palate delighters are getting rave reviews and earning him acclaim as potentially the most creative chef in Africa. At his restaurant, Meza Malonga, in the Rwandan capital, he uses ingredients from cassava leaves to sorghum, and draws on cultures including Bantu and Xhosa for a regularly changing Afro-fusion menu that might include plantain-stuffed ravioli or mango sorbet with potato foam. But this chef’s top priority isn’t simply putting together interesting flavours — it’s to raise the profile of African gastronomy. Since launching in 2016, the platform has grown to represent 4,000 chefs, and has earned support from the World Tourism Organisation and UNESCO, with which Malonga has run events. He’s also been recognised by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants for his efforts: in 2021 he was listed among the organisation’s ‘50 Next’ as an ‘Empowering Educator’, and in 2022 was named its Champion of Change for his efforts in nurturing African culinary talent.
SOURCE: NATIONAL GEOGRPAHIC
More Stories
Mo Ibrahim’s Index Looks at Africa’s State of Governance
France to Give Burkina Faso What It Wants
Africa Has to Work on Feeding Itself
Mali Basketballer Disappointed with Treatment after Whistleblowing
Kenya Changes the Rules of Engagement
For Many, the Pope’s Visit is the Peace they Need
Algeria Unveils Series of Policies Aimed at Eliminating its Dependence on Fossil Fuels
Lagos Seaport Garners Support from the Masses
Sierra Leone Women Given Right to Own Land
History About East Africa’s Art Scene
Uganda Launches its First Oil Drilling Programme
Looking at a Decade of Uber’s Operations in Africa