Chef Sheila Ahabwe brings global culinary lessons home to Uganda

• Ahabwe has represented Uganda at culinary events in India, Botswana, Nigeria and Togo.

• She applies international standards to vocational and hospitality training in Uganda.

• She promotes Ugandan ingredients, cooking methods and food culture abroad.

• Her professional networks could support partnerships and create opportunities for young chefs.

Ugandan chef and culinary educator Sheila Ahabwe is using lessons from international competitions, conferences and training programmes to improve hospitality education in Uganda.

Ahabwe has represented Uganda at culinary events in India, Botswana, Nigeria and Togo. The trips have exposed her to different approaches to food safety, kitchen management and vocational training.

She has also met chefs, hospitality experts and vocational educators from several countries. These connections have helped her exchange ideas on teaching methods, curriculum development and industry standards.

Ahabwe views the international engagements as learning opportunities rather than personal achievements. She studies how other countries train chefs and assess their practical skills.

She then applies some of these lessons in Uganda, where she works as a culinary educator, vocational assessor and mentor.

Her training places emphasis on hygiene, discipline, practical competence and readiness for employment. She also supports competency-based education, which assesses what a learner can do rather than relying on classroom theory.

The approach comes as Uganda’s tourism, hotel and food service industries seek more skilled workers.

Ahabwe believes Ugandan chefs can compete at the international level when they receive proper education, equipment and practical training.

She also uses her international engagements to promote Ugandan cuisine. She showcases local ingredients, traditional cooking methods and indigenous food knowledge during exchanges with other chefs.

Ahabwe argues that Ugandan food should gain recognition as part of a rich culinary tradition rather than appear as an unfamiliar attraction.

Her work mirrors efforts by African chefs to present the continent’s cuisine to global audiences while protecting its identity.

The trips have also helped her build professional networks across Africa. Such partnerships could support future exchanges between hospitality schools, trainers and industry professionals.

They may also strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training programmes that prepare young people for jobs in tourism, hospitality and food production.

Ahabwe has received international recognition, including culinary awards in India. However, she considers the knowledge gained from each journey more valuable than the awards.

She says competitions, conferences and training visits introduce her to ideas that can benefit students, educators and Uganda’s hospitality industry.

Ahabwe continues to mentor young people interested in culinary careers. Her journey shows how international exposure can improve local training without weakening cultural identity.

For her, travelling abroad does not mean leaving Uganda behind. Each journey offers lessons, contacts and skills that she can use to improve the country’s culinary industry.