Rolex more than just nyanya mbisi

What the report says

The Observer reports that Ugandan writer and creative Jonathan Kabugo has published How to ROLEX, A Ugandan Cookbook, a new book that examines one of Uganda’s best-known street foods. The rolex, typically a chapati wrapped around an omelette with vegetables and other fillings, is presented in the book as more than a quick snack from a roadside stall. According to the article, Kabugo developed the project over several years and includes more than 40 recipes that use Ugandan and East African ingredients.

The book expands beyond the familiar street-corner version by experimenting with vegetables, meat, chicken, sauces, dips and different ways of folding and shaping the chapati. The Observer says Kabugo’s interest in the rolex grew while he was revising an earlier book, Food That Grew Us, where a short section on street food later became a larger concept. The cookbook is framed as a celebration of the dish’s affordability, flexibility and creativity.

The article also places the rolex in everyday Ugandan life, noting that chapati stalls often serve students, workers and boda boda riders, and can act as informal meeting points. It highlights regional preferences within the dish, including the popular nyanya mbisi style, where fresh tomato is added after the omelette is cooked. The book is described as available in selected bookshops in Uganda and online. More broadly, the piece reflects how a familiar local food can be reinterpreted through cooking and publishing.