Chef Ali who Refused to represent Kenya in BBA The Chase is widely known abroad.

Chef Ali speaks out about his passion for food

 
Ali Said Mandhry popularly known as Chef Ali L’artiste, 25, found his way into the culinary and entertainment circles propped, as GEOFFREY KORIO discovered on the tripod of his cooking, music and impending engagement
“Man, it’s demanding, it’s a rather difficult time, these tours and meetings” he complains as I welcome him for the interview. “Don’t worry, it’s a matter of balancing these things” I assure him.
The soft-spoken chef explains that he grew in a family of cooks. “My mom saw that it in me while I was three years and used to see me playing with the sand, mimicking how to cook. By nine years, I was able to make the ordinary dishes very well and my granddad would teach me. When I was twelve I started cooking for money… I started baking and selling cakes to my classmates,” he narrates.
After high school, the young lad went to Mohammed Hersi then the General Manager of Sarova White Sands and explained that he was waiting to join university intake but wanted to learn how to cook. That is how he started an internship there and, through the hotel, applied for culinary lessons at Kenya Utalii College.
He had been thrust, literally, into the kitchen hot with seasoned chefs who boasted of years of experience— at 18years, the loudest in a class of chefs who gave him the exposure he could learn from.
Three years later, he graduated with three accolades; outstanding student cake and bakery awards, thanks to his 50kg cake that was in the shape of East Africa with calabashes and gourds.
At 21, he was appointed a lecturer in charge of food production department at the Mombasa campus, although he taught in other campuses.
Quickly enough, this opportunity became limited when demands rose and he got endorsements and offers from Dubai, USA and other places. Working with a parastatal limited his scope, although he still holds Utalii dearly.
After doing shows and tours in various parts of the world, he became a Kenya international brand.
“Kenyan food is healthy and balanced and I cook for them our local dishes. And they are amazed by it,” he explains.
Although he started getting local attention just recently, he is widely known in the Middle East and America.

While in Dubai, he was lucky enough to meet his major source of influence, the famous Chef Osama.
“I grew up watching him and loved his show. He came across an article where I mentioned his name as my inspiration. He went to Facebook and Twitter contacted me and suggested we meet whenever I was in Dubai. When I went to Dubai, I decided to follow it up. We did a cooking show and it was one of the most emotional shows ever,”

Through the show and other key contributions, Ali was contacted by the Kenya Chef Association and honoured as a Kenyan chef representative and ambassador of the association. “I have a passion for tourism, volu-tourism for that matter. Here I am showcasing Kenya and its foods and this is marketing Kenya to the world. My life is media, food and tourism,” he says.
His skills extend to arts and music, his sketching and drawing prowess are a hobby for instance if one of his friends has a birthday, he makes a sketch of that person, frames it and gives them as a gift.
 While recording his radio show, his producer noticed that he could give different voice tones and urged him to do some radio advertisements. He later met a friend, Sal, a singer who has worked with international artistes like Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, and owner of Salz record company.
Together they recorded a collaboration Dream So Big, an inspirational song for the youth two years ago. He later did a song and video Life is a challenge with Brother P, which is the song that got the public’s ear. Recently, he joined other artistes in yet another collaboration, We are One, after the incidents in Mombasa and Westgate.
So how is it to balance a career that involves criss-crossing the globe and a fledgling music career.
“I sleep for like three to four hours. There are many things, it’s really hard but it’s getting better and better,” he responds.  
Still, he managed to make time to meet and fall in love.
“Right now I am in a relationship. I am engaged to a very beautiful girl. We should be getting married next year. I have known her for a year and you know for us; it’s an arranged marriage. We found love after the arrangement. It’s very different from the current dating life; I dated a couple of girls, got heartbroken, and one thing that I really appreciate is that she understands my work. I am not sure she would want me to say her name,” he reveals.
Courtesy: The Pulse