Meet Chef Dieuveil Malonga, a young gourmet chef specializing in Afro-Fusion cuisine.
Chef Malonga was ranked 6th by Forbes magazine 2018 in their 30 Under 30; Finalist of the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize in 2018; Listed in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants; in 2021 he was listed among the organization’s ‘50 Next’ as an ‘Empowering Educator’; and in 2022 was named its Champion of Change for his efforts in nurturing African culinary talent.
Chef Dieuveil Malonga grew up in Germany, spent time in France, travelled forty- eight countries across Africa over two years, before settling in Kigali to open Meza Malonga. One of Africa’s youngest and most celebrated chefs, the Congo, Brazzaville native explained why dining at Meza Malonga is a 3-hour culinary experience.
You see, all the foods prepared at the restaurant are intricately connected to a 7-hectare farm planted by Chef Malonga. The farm supplies the restaurant with over 500 spices and ingredients from different countries. Chef Malonga brings seeds from everywhere he travels in and out of Africa, including Jamaica, Brazil and other countries that use incredible spices in their cooking. “My restaurant is like a school to train young chefs on innovation and we give a modern touch. It’s like a laboratory,” he says.
The dining experience is delivered in twelve to fourteen courses at Meza Malonga where there is no menu, but rather a different country represented each day. As Chef Malonga explains the various dishes one feels his passion, he remembers the different foods and cultures, comparing his memory to someone who remembers the songs of their childhood because they loved them.
“The dining experience is more about education. For example, you could be from Nigeria, but might not know the ingredients and spices of your country. We show you what the ingredients and spices look like and how we transform them.” Much like a curator at a museum, he explains the spices and have visitors feel and touch them. “It’s more like an experience and sharing.”
Possibly the first African that could gain a Michelin Star Rating, his passion for culture and food began with his grandmother and a family that celebrates food. “My grandmother owned a restaurant, so when I came to Germany, I think I knew what I would do.” In college, he got the opportunity to learn cooking and studied culinary science.
Chef Malonga’s decision to incorporate travel and culture into his cuisine came from growing up in the village where everything was connected … culture and food. He traveled to learn more about African food, stating that the continent is big and has amazing food, and that his mission was to understand what people eat in the
