"I'm Going to Kill Hunger"

So I sat down with our in house chef, Sammy, also referred to as Papa, Sam-whalie, or Shocolocobangoshea, to ask him a couple questions about himself. Sammy has been with the QHO/YESS team for the past three years now, and every night will "kill hunger" by serving us the best Kenyan cuisine I’ve ever tasted. Yes, it’s also the only Kenyan cuisine I’ve ever tasted but that’s beside the point…

Courtney: So, how old are you Sammy and how many children do you have?

Sammy: I’m 50 years now. Five children, ahhh hmmm Wilson, Joseph, I have Naomi (long pause, Sammy is thinking of the others) oh, Jenny, Phyllis.

Courtney: Where did you learn to cook?

Sammy: I went to college first. (Sammy mumbles to himself for a bit) Employed first for some five months, then I was gradually given a position as a cook and became a chef in 1997, that was the time when I was given a change to put when I learned in college and I learned kitchen technique, manors, planning menus and kitchen maintenance. I actually worked for one restaurant for a long time, a company named Sheri.

Courtney: What is your favorite thing to cook and why?

Sammy: My favorite things to cook….ah mostly I like cooking everything. The stews and fries and vegetables. Reason why is you can come across a group of people let’s say you have a group of people some are vegetarians, some aren’t so its swell to satisfy everybody. For vegetarian people it’s fine, for people that likes meat its fine.

Courtney: What challenges have you faced while cooking for the Canadians on the QHO team?

Sammy: No. I have not found. I’m always very keen when I’m cooking for Canadians or any white man or a muzungo. I’m very keen. First of all I know you cannot use too much fat for a foreigner. Mostly when you make food that has good food you have make with a lot of fat, not good for foreigners.

Courtney: What do you think of the QHO project?

I wish it well and to continue and make more projects in Kenya.

Courtney: Are you going to be our chef next year?

Sammy: Yes for many years to come.

Courtney: If you could wrestle anyone of the QHO members, who would you choose to take down?

Sammy: Senait, I can put Senait down. (He laughs evilly.) Senait is here. You! (Points to Senait) Bryan has just become strong, he has eaten a lot of uglai so I cannot wrestle him.

Courtney: What is the most interesting animal mating ritual that you know of?

The most interesting animal? Tortoise can take an hour and a half. Baboon takes five seconds. It’s random.

So as you can see, Sammy is just awesome. The trip wouldn't be what it is without him. He's really indescribable, and if I could put him in my pocket and set him loose in Canada, he's take the country by storm... probably making Canada's national food ugali.

Sammy is such an important member of the QHO/YESS team and we are so lucky to have him with us!

-Courtney