Faces of Africa: Dieuveil leads Africa's food revolution

Becoming one of the world’s best-known chefs has taken Dieuveil Malonga on a long journey.

After his parents died, he went to Germany to live with his sister.

In Europe, he developed an interest in cooking and was able to train at prestigious institutions.

But when a friend asked him what people eat in Africa, it changed his life.

Embarrassed that he did not know, Dieuveil traveled across the continent for two years, learning about ingredients, spices, culinary traditions and what he calls “the grandmother school” — the authenticity of local tastes.

With those experiences in mind and a ton of phone numbers on his mobile, Dieuveil decided to start an online platform to connect African chefs with opportunities.

He soon had aspiring cooks from across the continent coming to train with him in Rwanda, where he chose to settle.

He started a restaurant in Kigali and soon had a team of young Rwandans, along with a sprinkling of other Africans, creating dishes that brought them fame.

Soon, people were traveling from all over the world to try his culinary creations.

Qatar Airways came knocking, asking him to prepare a Business Class menu.

Next, famed football club Paris Saint-Germain came looking to give its team a delicious boost.

Dieuveil decided to build his dream restaurant along a gorgeous lake in northern Rwanda, near the borders of Uganda and the DR Congo.

The stunning views, cornucopia of local ingredients and innovative spirit of his team turned it into a destination for A-list Hollywood actors, musicians, political heavyweights and young entrepreneurs.

The local community has embraced Meza Malonga in a big way.