From Apprentice to Culinary Star: Chef Tkay’s 10-Y...

From Apprentice to Culinary Star: Chef Tkay’s 10-Year Journey of Fire and Flavour

Audrey Galawu- Assistant Editor

In the soft morning light of Cork, Ireland, the scent of freshly baked bread mingles with simmering sauces in a hotel kitchen where Tawanda Kuzanga popularly known as Chef Tkay moves with quiet confidence.

Ten years ago, he was just a teenager with a dream in Zimbabwe’s Caribbea Bay kitchen. Today, he’s a Sous Chef at The Montenotte Hotel, miles from home but right where he belongs—at the heart of the kitchen.

Born with a love for food and storytelling through taste, Chef Takudzwa—affectionately known as Tkay—has spent the past decade rising through the culinary ranks with equal parts grit, grace, and genius.

“The kitchen was my first stage, my sanctuary. I walked in as an apprentice. I’m walking into the next ten years as a leader,” he says with a smile that carries both pride and humility.

His journey started in 2015, fresh from Bulawayo’s School of Hospitality and Tourism. Armed with a Professional Cookery certificate and youthful enthusiasm, Tkay found himself cleaning stations, labeling ingredients, and measuring portions with near-obsessive precision.

“People think the magic starts with the food. But it starts with discipline,” he reflects. “The grind—the prep work, the sanitation, the routines—was my boot camp.”

But he didn’t stay in the background for long.

By 2018, Tkay had moved on to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and The Boma, two of Zimbabwe’s most iconic culinary institutions. There, he began to flex his creative muscles. Menus became his playground.

He infused global flair into local dishes and turned dietary constraints into artistic challenges. Whether designing allergy-conscious meals or updating recipe books with costed details, he developed a signature style: precise, bold, and deeply rooted in hospitality.

Then came a pivotal leap—an offer from Norwegian Cruise Line. On the open seas, his culinary skills were stress-tested daily under strict FDA and USPH regulations. Tkay not only survived the pressure-cooker environment but thrived in it.

“It was intense. But I learned to cook for thousands, fast, and still make it beautiful.”

The sea prepared him for the next level: leadership. In 2021, he returned to land as Head Chef at Hippo Pools Wilderness. There, he didn't just run a kitchen—he built a team. Planning menus, training staff, managing costs—Tkay embraced it all. He was no longer just cooking; he was creating an ecosystem where others could grow.

Since 2022, Ireland has been his new culinary home. At The Montenotte Hotel, he works as a Sous Chef, where precision and passion meet. He now mentors upcoming chefs, balances inventories, and ensures every plate that leaves his kitchen is both a meal and a memory.

“Food tells a story. It tells you where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, and how I see the world,” he says.

His story is more than just a résumé of kitchens and accolades. It’s a message to anyone holding onto a dream, especially young Zimbabweans who wonder if their passion can take them far.

“I want my story to be proof that with courage, discipline, and love for what you do, your roots can grow anywhere.”

Tkay is not just celebrating ten years in the kitchen. He’s raising a toast to every burn, every breakthrough, and every moment he chose to keep going.

And as he looks to the future—maybe a cookbook, maybe his own restaurant—one thing is certain: the fire that started in Zimbabwe is still burning strong.