Dieuveil Malonga is a Congolese entrepreneur, as well as the founder and head chef at Meza Malonga. He started his career in some of the best Michelin-starred establishments in Europe, according to CNN.
Malonga, who grew up in Germany, is on a mission to develop an Afro-fusion cuisine, and has visited 48 out of 54 African countries in a bid to gain in-depth knowledge of the diverse traditions, dishes, and ingredients across the continent.
“I would go into the villages and go to meet the grandmothers because they have amazing old techniques,” said Malonga. He fell in love with food through his grandmother, hence the reason he loves learning from grandmothers.
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He developed his own signature cuisine, combining his training in making European cuisine with African cuisine to develop his signature style; combining flavors and spices, ingredients among others from other cultures in Africa to create a single dish.
“Food doesn’t have a border,” says Malonga. “Many things are connected, and that helps me to be creative – that’s all in my cuisine.”
According to CNN, West African food from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, and traditional dishes from ethnolinguistic groups such as the Maasai, Bantu, and Zulu, feature heavily in his cooking.
Malonga’s ambition goes beyond creating Afro-fusion cuisines. He is also building a purpose-built “culinary innovation village” in Rwanda as part of his food revolution, and expects to open the $1.5 million facility in late 2024.
Although he seeks to use the facility to connect with remote and underserved communities – as part of his food revolution, it also offers him a chance to further explore and refine his culinary art.
The location of the training institution will give him access to fresh fish, as it is situated on the banks of Lake Ruhondo, Rwanda. It is close to a three-hectare farm where Malonga already sources its vegetables.
“I like organic products – it’s very important for me to follow the whole process,” said Malonga, adding, “for me, Africa is the garden of the world.”
“It makes me proud to see what is happening now with African cuisine and the exposure we are getting,” he noted. “The next food revolution is already here.”
Meanwhile, he has launched “Chef in Africa,” a digital platform to network with over 4,000 potential chefs and culinary professionals.
