UMA ULAFI, which means “greedy fork” in Swahili, is a concept that was born and opened its doors to the world of Afro Gourmet Haute Cuisine thanks to the renowned and award-winning Italian-Congolese Executive Chef Victoire Gouloubi. Driven by the desire to share and showcase the countless unknown identities of Afro-Caribbean haute cuisine through her creative genius and personal journey.
African cuisine is a culinary treasure trove yet to be discovered and appreciated. It contains an infinite variety of ingredients still unknown to the Western world, rich in properties, flavors, aromas, and colors. When we talk about “African Cuisine”, we should actually talk about “Afro-Caribbean Cuisine”.
Experimenting with this type of cuisine means immersing yourself in a sensory journey, where each dish tells a story, an origin, and a tradition. In Africa, cuisine is a cultural experience of sharing strongly associated with the female figure, who has the role and the task of transmitting this knowledge.
Through this common thread, the renowned Chef Victoire Gouloubi guides us on an adventurous culinary journey, revealing the mastery of her brilliant mind and the power of her creativity. In this magical experience, tastes become care, nourishment for the soul and for the body. It is not just about tasting delicacies, but about immersing yourself in a multisensory experience that nourishes the palate, soothes the mind, and regenerates the spirit. And so, the diners will become travelers, discovering the wonderful Afro Gourmet cuisine.
The welcome guest of Air-Dynamic for a truly special day at the Lugano-Agno airport is already looking ahead to the second edition of UMA ULAFI, scheduled for May in Milan, a culinary lounge that tells the gastronomic peculiarities of the different Afro-Caribbean cuisines of 54 countries. “It will be an opportunity to meet chefs, producers, climate activists and African artists,” emphasizes the chef, “and to give a voice to a continent that is too often poorly represented.”
There will be many moments of reflection on topics that are close to Victoire Gouloubi’s heart, such as the climate emergency and its impacts on the planet’s biodiversity, and then education on a balanced and healthy diet in opposition to the consumerist models of modern times. For the Congolese chef, it is essential to start with education: “In cooking schools, the history of peoples and ethnicities should be taught through food, the true common denominator of peace.”
“When Chef Victoire asked me to be the godmother of this special women’s edition in May, I was honored but also proud to see a common thread with my own journey, starting with my very early studies on women and their international rights. Chef Victoire embodies my love for Africa, for quality food, for being a woman in her essence: strong and sensitive at the same time.”
Raffaella Meledandri, Sales & Marketing Director of Air-Dynamic, underlines the importance of the second edition of UMA ULAFI, the lounge set up by Chef Victoire’s splendid team.
A heartfelt thank you (in order in the opening photo) to Dede Sonya Agbodan, Chef Victoire Gouloubi, Kevine Tanoh, Ronald Masala, Awa Nogobesse Traore and Nhoremie Masala.
Website: https://umaulafi.com/
