Uganda has the best food – Chef James Busingye

What the report says

The Observer profiles Ugandan chef James Busingye, a professional chef with more than 24 years in the industry. In a Quick Talk interview, he reflects on his career path, starting in 2001 as an outsourced helper at Hotel Equatorial before studying hotel management and later working at Hotel International in Muyenga, Fairway Boutique Hotel and Sheraton Kampala. He says those roles, including work around CHOGM in 2007, helped him build experience in cuisines such as Indian, Chinese, French and Italian.

Busingye also discusses his work as a restaurant consultant and his role shaping brunch concepts such as Silo Day-cation in Kampala. He explains that menu design, training, recruitment and oversight are part of his consulting work, and that successful food and drink pairings depend on understanding the cuisine and the audience. He describes pairing events such as wine-downs, whisky nights and tastings as part of the evolution of his approach.

The interview also highlights his view that Ugandan food is especially strong because of the country’s variety of ingredients and eating habits. He says the best menus balance familiar local dishes with more international items, and he argues that restaurant owners should not focus on décor alone. In his view, the chef’s role is central to whether a restaurant succeeds. The piece offers broader context on Uganda’s hospitality scene, where chefs often combine creative cooking with menu planning and staff training.