If you think all chefs are temperamental, elusive, and tucked away in the back of a sweltering kitchen, then you haven’t met 36-year-old Jeff Gitonga, Director of Culinary at Sankara Nairobi Autograph Collection. He’s the exact opposite in every way. Tall (actually, very tall), friendly, and effortlessly approachable, Jeff is the kind of chef who chats with guests, cracks jokes, and makes the rounds like he knows everyone and more often than not, he really does. It’s hospitality with a heart, and it’s classic Jeff.
For him, the kitchen isn’t just about recipes — it’s about relationships. I should know. I’ve been a frequent guest at this hotel for years, and somehow, he always remembers: your name, your last order, even how you were feeling the last time you walked in. He isn’t just the man behind the menu — he’s part of the magic that keeps people coming back.
Breaking Barriers in a Starched White Coat
It’s a somewhat chilly Monday afternoon at one of the hotel’s restaurants, Sarabi Rooftop. July and August have been so cold lately, you’d swear we’re in the middle of winter or maybe Kenyans, we are just a little dramatic when the temperature dips below 20°C. Anyway, I’m here to meet Jeff for a long-overdue chit chat. The rooftop offers stunning views of the city skyline, the perfect backdrop for a relaxed chat. I’m eager to dive into his journey, from his early days in the kitchen to becoming one of Nairobi’s most talked-about chefs.
With a fresh glass of pineapple mint juice in hand, we settle in and the conversation begins.
Jeff has held the top kitchen leadership role (commonly referred to as Executive Chef) here since 2021. That alone is impressive, but the context makes it remarkable: for years, Kenya’s luxury hotel kitchens were dominated by white expatriates in similar senior chef positions, mostly in their mid-40s. Jeff broke that mold. He’s one of the first Black Kenyan chefs in recent memory to run the kitchen of a five-star hotel — a quiet revolution in a crisp white coat.
Now, bearing a global title befitting the Marriott group name, Director of Culinary, he oversees the entire food and beverage operations, leading a team of 56 across the kitchen and stewarding departments, guiding them with precision, creativity, and passion.
Where It All Began
His early years reads almost like the itinerary of a well-traveled diplomat’s child. His parents’ careers had the family moving across continents, enrolling him and his twin sister in international schools from the age of six to sixteen and often not finishing a full school year in one place.
“I never stayed in one school for a whole year… we were always on the move,” he says, chuckling. “One would think we were just touring the world.” And in a way, they were. By the time he turned 16, Jeff had lived in or passed through more than 20 countries. But it wasn’t all chaos though — those years exposed him to diverse cultures, flavors, and ways of life. “I think that’s where I picked up this global mindset,” he adds. Especially when it comes to food, his palate was shaped early on by kitchens from different countries they lived in.
When the family moved back to Kenya, his parents opened a small guest house along Waiyaki Way. Here, Jeff gravitated towards the kitchen. He started off as the curious kid watching his mum prepare meals for guests and slowly, that curiosity turned into a calling.
“She’d let me help, make a few things here and there,” he recalls fondly. “Soon, I was cooking for guests and even running the show during weekend family gatherings.” The way he lights up as he narrates this part, you can instantly tell: this was more than just a hobby. The kitchen had become his playground.
Cooking Up a Future
Soon after completing his A-levels, Jeff got accepted to a creative arts course in Malaysia. Everything was in place – the plan was set, admission accepted, and the bags were almost packed. He was ready to travel in a couple of weeks, but then, something shifted. “I just woke up one day and thought, “Nope. This isn’t what I want,” he says, laughing at the memory. “You can imagine the shock and horror on my parents’ faces — they’d already paid the fees!”
After a few tense days and some soul-searching, his family agreed to support his decision. Around that time, an aunt made a couple of calls and found him a “temporary” role at Lake Nakuru Lodge while he figured out his next move in life.
Well, fortunately for him, what sounded casual turned out to be life-changing. At just nineteen, Jeff stepped into the kitchen with no expectations except to learn. He embraced the grind — long hours, high-pressure service, and the unspoken rules of a professional brigade. Often, he stayed late not for the pay, but for the chance to sharpen his skills. “That’s where I learned to thrive under pressure. It really built my backbone,” he says.
By the end of his nine-month stint, Jeff wasn’t just a better cook — he was a more confident one. His supervisors saw it too, sending him off with a prediction that would stay with him for years: You’ll be an executive chef one day.
Career Takes Off
After his transformative stint at Lake Nakuru Lodge, Jeff returned to Nairobi with a clearer sense of purpose. He enrolled at Top Chefs Culinary Institute and thanks to the hands-on experience he’d already gathered, he hit the ground running. “I was literally an A student,” he says, laughing. “Everything just clicked.” He spent two solid years honing his skills before heading off to Switzerland for further studies on a scholarship at the prestigious IMI International Management Institute.
With formal training and fresh ideas eager to put them into practice, Jeff now about 22 yrs old, came back home and landed an internship at Nairobi Serena Hotel. It opened the door to a few solid years in the industry, laying a strong foundation. But it was Sankara Hotel that gave him room to truly stretch his wings. He started there as an intern too and didn’t mind one bit. “I’ve never had a problem starting from the bottom,” he tells me. “There was just something about Sankara,” he says, pausing as if replaying the moment in his mind. “They didn’t just give me an internship — they gave me a chance to find myself. For the first time, I felt truly seen. They recognized the creative in me and didn’t try to shape it — they gave it space to grow. That kind of trust… it changed everything.”
It was here that he helped spearhead one of the hotel’s most exciting transformations: converting their Thai restaurant into what is now the iconic famous Graze Steakhouse — Kenya’s first proper steakhouse, which opened its doors in 2014. By then, Jeff had already become a permanent member of the team.
His next big break came when Radisson Blu Upper Hill came calling, offering him the Sous Chef position at just 26. “That was a big deal for me,” he says, eyes lighting up. “I told myself, this is it.”
The role, however, was no walk in the park. Banquets for 600 guests? Routine. Long hours? Expected. “It stretched me but in the best way possible. That’s where I truly learned scale, leadership, and precision.”
His proudest achievement during that time was helping launch The Chop House, Radisson’s signature steakhouse. “That was another proud moment,” he says, smiling at the thought.
The Pause before the return
But just as one successful year rolled into the next, and Jeff’s upward climb seemed unstoppable, the world came to a standstill. COVID-19 landed, and literally swept through, halting travel, shuttering restaurants and hotels, and silencing the clinking of cutlery in the once-bustling dining rooms. “It was surreal,” Jeff recalls. “One week I was planning menus for hundreds of guests; the next, I was at home wondering when — or if — we’d get back to normal.” The industry was on pause, and so, in many ways, was he.
The hotel shut down indefinitely, jobs disappeared, and the world stood still. “It was heavy,” he recalls. For the first time in years, he put down his chef’s knife and allowed himself to rest.
After several months, as COVID slowly became more manageable and restrictions eased, the world began to open up again. That’s when Jeff resurfaced- he took off to the U.S. with his wife, first spending time with his sister, then retreating to Maputo for a change of scenery and space to reflect. But with talent like his, silence never lasts long. Soon, offers began pouring in from some of Nairobi’s top hotels as the familiar hum of life began to return. So, when Sankara — the place where his creative fire had first been lit — came calling with a dream role as Executive Chef, the answer was obvious.
“It was surreal. At only 31 years of age? The title I’d once only dreamed of was now real,” he says, visibly moved. That dream, once distant, has since taken full form. And so, he found himself walking through the doors of Sankara Hotel, ready to make it his culinary home.
A Day in the Life of a Chef
“I’m an early bird — my alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. every single day without fail. By 6 a.m., I’m at the hotel, greeting the night crew as they clock out and the morning team as they clock in. I make a quick round to check on our breakfast guests before heading to the office.
There, I sit down with my core team and we map out the day — our priorities, our goals, and what we want to achieve. Then comes my favorite part: stepping into the kitchen. Honestly, I’d rather be behind the stove than behind a desk. I love showing my team how it’s done, helping them understand flavour, texture, and the small but vital touches that turn a dish into an experience. Every day, my goal is to inspire, to teach, and to pass on not just recipes, but a deep passion for the craft.”
In the kitchen, he prefers complete silence. No music. “My mind works best in silence,” he says.
So, what does it take to be a chef? I ask him. “Passion — that’s the heartbeat of being a chef,” he says without hesitation. “It’s what gets you out of bed at 4:45 a.m., even on the days you haven’t slept. It’s the drive to keep experimenting, to taste and tweak until a dish feels just right. Passion means you’re not just cooking for the sake of feeding people — you’re creating moments, memories, and emotions on a plate. Without it, you’ll burn out. With it, every service feels like the first.”
Listening to him, it’s clear this is more than just a profession — it’s a calling.
His eyes light up when he talks about his team, and his words slow down when he describes the perfect plate. That passion runs through every part of his routine, and naturally, it begs the question: what makes it all worth it?
“For me, it’s when a guest takes that first bite and you see their face change — that little pause, that smile and then later, they call for you in person just to say thank you. Those moments remind me why I do this. It’s also when I see repeat guests, or when a team member finally masters a technique we’ve been working on for weeks. Food is more than flavour; it’s connection.”
What makes Jeff’s approach truly stand out is his unwavering commitment to going above and beyond — a philosophy shaped not just by experience, but by inspiration. One of his favourite books, Unreasonable Hospitality by renowned New York chef and restaurateur Will Guidara, has profoundly influenced him. The book champions the idea of exceeding guest expectations and delivering extraordinary experiences, not just the basics.
“I don’t do basic,” Jeff says with a grin. “I want to over-deliver every time.” That mindset permeates everything he does in the kitchen, driving him to create not just meals, but memorable moments for every guest.
Life Beyond the Kitchen
Away from the clatter of pans and the aroma of simmering sauces, he has a softer side one that revolves around family and Netflix. “When I go home, my wife loves to cook for me,” he says with a smile. “I just want to eat basic food — spinach, ugali, matoke, beef stew, fish, salad… something simple and different. All day, I’m surrounded by fine dining, so when I get home, I want to taste something else.”
For his downtime, you’ll often find him on the couch, Netflix on, lost in food shows or real-life documentaries. He’s also a sports enthusiast, with split football loyalties between Manchester United and FC Barcelona. But truth be told, football takes a back seat to his real sporting passion — Formula One. A die-hard Lewis Hamilton supporter, he follows every twist, turn, and podium finish with unwavering devotion.
That balance between artistry and ease runs deep, even when he imagines life outside the kitchen. When asked what he might be doing if he weren’t a chef, he pauses for a moment before laughing. He admits he can’t really picture himself in any other career, “this is all I’ve ever wanted to do,” he says but if pressed, he imagines he’d be in the creative design industry, a space that, like cooking, allows him to imagine, create, and bring ideas to life.
It’s no surprise, then, that the chefs he most admires are visionaries in their own right. If given the chance to collaborate, he names two without hesitation: René Redzepi, the Danish chef celebrated for his boundary-pushing approach at Noma, and Massimo Bottura, the Italian maestro whose work turns food into art.
A Taste of Rome: His Next Adventure
In just a few weeks, he’s heading to Rome, Italy for a month–an exhilarating new chapter that promises to reshape his craft and inspire his creativity. “Italy has such a rich culture and tradition in food,” he says, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
But this trip is more than a personal journey — it’s the foundation for something bigger. Sankara Hotel will soon unveil a new addition to its dining scene: an Italian restaurant located on the first floor, promising an authentic taste experience.
“You can have Italy in Kenya,” he says with a confident smile, “the real Italy.”
This next adventure isn’t just about flavors and techniques — it’s about capturing the soul of Italian cuisine and sharing it with a city ready to experience something extraordinary.
As we wrap up our conversation, Jeff Gitonga’s story stands out as one of passion, perseverance, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. From a globetrotting childhood to the bustling kitchens of Nairobi’s finest hotels, his journey is more than a love affair with food — it’s a heartfelt commitment to forging connections through every plate he creates. Now, as he prepares to infuse Sankara with authentic Italian flavors and continue redefining culinary boundaries, one thing is certain: for Jeff, cooking isn’t just a career — it’s a calling, and his best is yet to come.
