This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
Meet Chef Sarah Kelz Akello ¶
Published on August 16, 2019, at 13:03
Chef Sarah Kelz Akello is a consultant chef who has recently published her cookbook Always Extra For Love. In an interview with BDLife, she shares her passion for culinary art and her journey as a chef.
After training at the International Centre for Culinary Arts in Dubai, Chef Sarah worked in various restaurants in the UAE and Indonesia for seven years. She then decided to return to Kenya to build her culinary career and impact the industry.
Currently, Chef Sarah works as a consultant chef, helping lodges, restaurants, and kitchens develop menus, staff training, inventory control, and basic kitchen finance and management.
Her cookbook, Always Extra For Love, features simple dishes that can be prepared for Sunday lunch or brunch with family and friends. Chef Sarah wanted to create a cookbook with ingredients easily found in local markets, making it accessible to everyone.
The best part of the book, according to Chef Sarah, is the kitchen hacks, which provide insights into the workings of a kitchen and the simple things chefs do in high-end restaurants to prepare great food.
When asked about her inspiration for writing a cookbook, Chef Sarah replied, 'Love for food; love for cooking; love for my job; love for how far I have come; love for eating; love for sharing …'
She also shared her favorite cuisine, which is African, but she loves cooking Italian and eating Japanese food. Chef Sarah's favorite Italian dish to cook is homemade pasta, and her favorite Japanese dish to eat is sukiyaki.
When asked about her favorite recipe in the book, Chef Sarah mentioned the crispy ginger pork belly. She also shared that she always has to have ginger in her kitchen and that her top 10 favorite cookbooks include her own book, Always Extra For Love.
Finally, Chef Sarah shared her thoughts on owning a restaurant, which she would like to be an Asian fusion restaurant with a semi-fine dining atmosphere and a casual bistro to finance it.
