05/07/2022
Although he was born in the Republic of Congo, Malonga moved to Germany when he was 13, where he longed for his grandmother's cooking from back home and reminisced over ingredients like cassava leaves, okra, wild mango and pineapple. From a young age, he had a distinct love for food, and it was an obvious choice to follow a culinary career. By age 15, he enrolled in culinary school at Adolph-Kolping-Berufskolleg in Munster, Germany. Although he later worked in some of Germany's Michelin-star restaurants, including Schote, Aqua and La Vie, where he quickly moved up the ranks, he dreamt of opening his own place, one that reflected the flavours and memories of his childhood.
Upon returning to Africa in his mid-20s, Malonga began exploring different regions and became inspired by the diversity and breadth of ingredients and culinary traditions. For two years, from 2015 to 2017, he travelled to 48 African countries to learn about the continent's complex and diverse web of food cultures found in the fields, the villages and the way food is celebrated.
Malonga was particularly inspired by West African nations. Cameroon was the first country he visited upon his return, which he described as being "like Africa in one country". He said, "They have such amazing food diversity and use many ingredients and spices. It is like artistry. The ecosystems they have are so diverse. In the north, it is a desert, in the middle it is rainforest, in the south is the Congo River."
