Chef Cyprian Juma Machangoh, hailing from Migori County in Kenya, began his culinary journey in the military. He joined the Kenya Air force in 2003, where he received training as a chef and worked in various ranks until his retirement. After gaining a Diploma in Cooking and Culinary from the military School of Ordinance at Kahawa Garisson and a Diploma in Culinary Arts from Utalii College, he worked as a chef with the disciplined force for 9 years.
In 2013, he was offered the opportunity to work as a chef with Emirates Airline in Dubai. He left behind his wife and two children, who joined him in 2015 once he had settled down. After working with the airline for three years, he joined Alkebulan, an African dining hall with nine kitchens in Dubai serving different types of African dishes.
Cyprian has also worked with Celebrity Cruises under the Royal Caribbean Group, the popular TV cooking series Master Chef, and an Asian French fusion restaurant in Downtown Dubai.
During the Dubai 2020 Expo, Cyprian was in charge of nine restaurants exhibiting its delicacies and serving clients from across the world. The Alkebulan Food Hall, a brainchild of American Chef Alexander Small, employed 15 Kenyans out of the 85 African chefs working there. The restaurant was the first biggest group of African restaurants to be set up abroad, with 100% chefs from Africa.
At the Expo, Cyprian was responsible for staffing, supervising the chefs to maintain standards, taking orders, budgeting, sourcing for foodstuffs and taking special orders. He was proud to be a part of the unique concept of bringing different cuisines from the African continent under one roof.
