Botswana Chef to Showcase National Flavours at AFCON 2025

Botswana Chef to Showcase National Flavours at AFCON 2025. Botswana’s culinary talent will take centre stage at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) as Chef Mmata Ontumetse, based in London, prepares to represent the country on the continental food platform CAN Kitchen in Morocco.

CAN Kitchen is a 13-minute weekly travel-and-food series that celebrates African cuisine. Each episode features a Moroccan host chef alongside a guest chef from an AFCON-participating nation, where they prepare one Moroccan dish and one from the guest chef’s home country. The show combines cooking with storytelling, cultural exploration, and insights into culinary techniques, all set in dynamic locations across the host city.

Chef Mmata, currently a Chef de Partie at Mauro Colagreco, Raffles OWO, London, brings extensive experience from some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, including Pied à Terre, The Ritz Carlton Vienna, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, and Jean-Georges at The Connaught, London. His expertise spans multiple kitchen sections such as garde manger, meat, fish, sauce, pastry, and amuse-bouche, ensuring Michelin-level precision and consistency in every dish.

Over the years, Chef Mmata has refined his skills in fine dining, à la carte, and tasting menu environments, mastering flavour balance, presentation, and overall guest experience. His participation in CAN Kitchen provides an opportunity to introduce Botswana’s rich culinary heritage to a broader African and international audience.

Beyond personal recognition, Chef Mmata’s appearance highlights Botswana’s growing influence in the global gastronomy scene. Audiences at AFCON 2025 will experience our traditional flavours and innovative approaches, positioning Botswana as a country with a vibrant culinary identity and creative potential.

This platform also presents opportunities for Botswana-based businesses and entrepreneurs in the food and hospitality sectors to explore collaborations and gain exposure on a continental stage.