Kigali, Rwanda — Qatar Airways has selected Chef Dieuveil Malonga as the first African chef to join its programme of collaborations with internationally acclaimed culinary talents, bringing African ingredients, traditions and hospitality to passengers on selected routes.
The partnership offers an opportunity to showcase the continent’s culinary diversity, including the food traditions of countries such as Uganda, where ingredients such as matooke, groundnuts, sesame and fresh tropical produce form the foundation of distinctive regional cuisines.
Through its Flavours to Fly For programme, the award-winning airline has partnered with Malonga to create exclusive signature dishes for passengers. The initiative brings together chefs associated with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Michelin-starred establishments to elevate the airline’s onboard dining experience.
Malonga, who has worked in six Michelin-starred restaurants, is known for his Afrofusion approach to cuisine, drawing on culinary traditions across the continent and combining them with contemporary techniques. His inspiration comes from journeys across 48 African countries, where he has explored local ingredients, food cultures and cooking traditions.
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Beyond the kitchen, Malonga has championed the development of Africa’s culinary industry. In 2016, he founded Chefs in Africa, a social enterprise supporting emerging culinary talent. He later established the Culinary Innovation Village scholarship programme, which has grown into a community of approximately 4,000 chefs and received support from the World Tourism Organization and UNESCO.
His work also includes Meza Malonga, an integrated farm, culinary centre and restaurant focused on African gastronomy, locally sourced ingredients and sustainable food practices.
Malonga’s work promoting the diversity of African cuisines has attracted recognition from international institutions and publications, including Forbes, Travel + Leisure and the World Tourism Organization.
Through the partnership, Qatar Airways is bringing Malonga’s culinary vision to an international audience, highlighting the richness of African food cultures and the potential to give the continent’s culinary traditions greater visibility on the global stage.
