Cooking competition seeks to revive Kenya’s food traditions through culinary art

The scent of coconut rice and the sizzle of chicken simmering in spices waft through the air, reminiscent of the culinary traditions deeply rooted in Kenya's coastal regions.

For generations, these flavours have been passed down, each dish telling a story of heritage and culture. Yet, in a world where fast food and convenience have taken precedence, these authentic tastes are slowly fading, replaced by shortcuts and instant solutions.

However, the National Duo Cooking Competition (NDCC) seeks to reverse this trend, bringing Kenya's rich food culture back into the spotlight.

The NDCC is not just a competition, it is a celebration of teamwork, creativity, and the preservation of traditional cooking methods. This event invites teams of two to collaborate in a culinary showdown that traverses the five counties of Mombasa, Lamu, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nairobi.

Each county will see participants audition, compete, and ultimately crown a winning duo who will represent their region in the grand finale scheduled for October 19.

The competition started on August 10 in Mombasa where Chef Maliha Mohamed, the person behind the NDCC, witnessed the first set of auditions and competitions.

The event, hosted at the Mombasa Dishes Restaurant, attracted 20 teams, out of which a mother-daughter duo of Suhaila Abdulrahman and Manthura Ali emerged victorious.

This duo will now carry Mombasa’s hopes and culinary pride into the grand finale.

Maliha’s voice was filled with emotion as she spoke about her inspiration for launching the NDCC.

“It has been 10 years since I entered a reality cooking competition and emerged third in Kenya during the Royco Fuata Flava Season 1 in 2014,” she said.

Passion

Her passion for traditional Swahili cuisine and her desire to preserve its authenticity are at the heart of the NDCC.

“Swahili cuisine is fading slowly, and no one seems to realise it. We are losing the techniques and skills passed down through generations. The unique taste is being replaced by ingredients and methods that don’t belong to it. That’s why I’m challenging Kenyan cooks and amateur chefs with limited ingredients. This competition tests their skills, teamwork, creativity, taste, and presentation while ensuring they respect our culinary roots,” she said.

Participants during the Mombasa edition of National Duo Competition 2024. (Photo: NDCC)

The next NDCC competition will be on August 24 and 25 in Lamu where another duo will be selected to represent the county. The venue of the competition, Sailor's Joint Restaurant, is known for its authentic dishes, making it the perfect setting to search for the best culinary talents in the region.

The grand finale in October offers not only the coveted title of “Kenya’s No.1 Duo Cooking Champs” but also a grand prize of Sh100,000, sponsored by Pember Flour Mills LTD.

The structure of the NDCC is designed to test more than just cooking skills. During the auditions, participants prepare dishes at home and present them to a panel of judges. In Mombasa, judges like Chef Sanchez, Chef Yusuf, Chef Feisal, and Sonia Seif evaluated the dishes on taste, presentation, and creativity.

The top five teams were then selected to compete in the county’s showdown.

On the competition day, the remaining teams were given a mystery basket containing ingredients such as chicken breast, flour, spices, and vegetables. They had just five minutes to plan their dish before diving into 30 minutes of intense cooking. The challenge was not just about the final product but also about how well the teams worked together.

“Having a duo can be a challenge because we have two people with different mindsets. I’m looking for teams that demonstrate good communication, creativity, resilience, passion, and teamwork,” Maliha said.

The Mombasa competition revealed both the strengths and challenges of the participants. One team was disqualified for serving raw chicken, highlighting the importance of attention to detail and food safety.

“It was dangerous to serve raw chicken, especially knowing it could lead to food poisoning,” said Maliha.

She said the NDCC is not just a regional competition but also a platform for celebrating Kenya’s diverse culinary heritage.

Participants and judges during the Mombasa edition of National Duo Competition 2024. (Photo: NDCC)

Her long-term vision includes expanding the competition to more counties in 2025 and eventually inviting participants from other countries.

“I hope to reach a wide audience, to get this cooking show aired on TV and to create job opportunities for cooks, amateur chefs, foodies, and foodpreneurs. Ultimately, I dream of Chef Gordon Ramsay coming to judge the participants at the grand finale. The diversity of these regions will influence Kenyans to work together as one, beyond tribalism, as we all know food is a universal language that brings togetherness,” she said.

Suhaila Abdulrahman, one of the winners from Mombasa, expressed her excitement about representing her county. She participated alongside her mother Manthura Ali.

“NDCC has given us a platform to compete regardless of our background, which in my opinion is a great opportunity for those who didn’t take cooking as a course but as a hobby,” said Manthura.

Traditions' preservation

As the competition moves forward, the importance of preserving Kenya’s culinary traditions becomes ever more apparent.

“We had to come up with a solution to uplift again the rich coastal food culture. You will realise that soon GMOs will take over and our recipes will be lost,” said Chef Salim Swaleh Abdallah one of the judges.

According to him, people have to accept that times have changed.

“But it does not mean we lose who we are. We have to combine modern technology with our culture. If you go out for a meal in Mombasa you will see that our cuisine is fading away,” he said.

As Maliha puts it, the NDCC is not just a competition, it is a movement to preserve, celebrate, and elevate Kenya’s rich culinary heritage.

“Success is not only an achievement but also how much you are involved in your work, how you complete it with integrity, passion, teamwork, creativity, uniqueness, and faith. As always, be phenomenal or be forgotten,” she said.

Chef Maliha is renowned for her attempt to get into the Guinness World Record

after breaking the record for the longest home kitchen cooking marathon. She cooked for 150 hours nonstop last year.

She was disqualified for going for an extra minute during her break.