Chef Abbys: Taking African Food, Culture and Storytelling to the World

Nominee: Chef Abbys (Abena Amoakoaa Sintim-Aboagye)
Category: Content Creator of the Year
Country: Ghana
Edition: West African Citizens Awards 2026

A simple cooking video can become much more than a recipe demonstration when it carries a story about culture, identity and the people behind the food. For Ghanaian digital creator Chef Abbys, food has become a language through which she introduces audiences to African culinary heritage, shares knowledge and creates conversations that extend beyond the kitchen.

Known professionally as Chef Abbys, Abena Amoakoaa Sintim-Aboagye is a Ghanaian chef, food content creator and African food advocate. Her work combines culinary education, digital storytelling and cultural exploration, with a particular interest in documenting traditional dishes and presenting African cuisine to audiences around the world.

What began as sharing cooking videos on Snapchat gradually developed into a recognisable digital brand, international collaborations and initiatives designed to create opportunities through food.

From Sharing Cooking Videos to Building a Digital Brand

Chef Abbys’ content-creation journey began with a simple decision to document what she enjoyed doing: cooking.

In September 2026, she discussed this journey on the B.You podcast with Berla Mundi. She recalled that her first TikTok cooking video attracted approximately 500 views. Although the number was modest, she was encouraged by the response and continued creating.

Her transition into full-time food content creation was also shaped by a change in how she wanted to use her culinary knowledge. In the interview, she explained that she had become less interested in simply selling food and more interested in teaching people how to prepare it.

That distinction helped define her content. Rather than limiting her videos to finished meals or food promotion, she began sharing cooking processes, ingredients, techniques and the cultural context behind different dishes.

Her digital platforms became a space where audiences could learn, discover unfamiliar meals and reconnect with familiar Ghanaian recipes.

A Culinary Storyteller Representing Ghana and Africa

One of the defining characteristics of Chef Abbys’ work is her commitment to showcasing African food beyond the boundaries of a single country.

Her videos feature traditional Ghanaian dishes such as jollof rice, waakye, kenkey and banku, while also introducing audiences to meals from other African countries.

Her exploration has included babenda from Burkina Faso and amiwo from Benin, among other regional dishes. This approach reflects her interest in presenting Africa’s culinary diversity rather than treating African food as one uniform tradition.

In her July 2025 profile for TIME, she described cooking traditional food as a way of learning about a country’s values, struggles and identity. Her perspective captures the central idea behind her work: ingredients and cooking methods carry histories that deserve to be understood and preserved.

This cultural dimension distinguishes her content from conventional recipe demonstrations. Through her videos, food becomes a starting point for conversations about heritage, geography, identity and the connections between African communities.

Her self-description as an African Food Tourist reflects this broader ambition. She is interested not only in preparing food but also in exploring the traditions and stories associated with it.

TIME100 Creators 2025: International Recognition

A significant milestone in Chef Abbys’ digital career came in July 2025, when she was included in the inaugural TIME100 Creators 2025 list.

The recognition placed her among a group of creators identified by TIME for their influence in shaping digital culture. Her inclusion also highlighted the growing international visibility of African food creators.

In its profile, TIME specifically referenced her culinary videos featuring Ghanaian jollof rice, Burkina Faso’s babenda and Benin’s amiwo. At the time, her TikTok audience had grown to more than 1.4 million followers.

The recognition was significant not only for her personal career but also for the visibility it brought to Ghanaian and African culinary storytelling.

She was also featured on TikTok’s Global Discover List in 2025, becoming one of the food creators receiving international attention for her work.

These milestones demonstrate how a creator can use a specialised subject to reach a global audience while maintaining a strong connection to local culture.

Taking Ghanaian Food to International Platforms

Chef Abbys’ influence has increasingly extended beyond social media.

In 2025, she represented Ghana at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France, participating in TikTok-related creative engagements and showcasing African food artistry.

The appearance connected her culinary storytelling with a wider international creative community, demonstrating that food content can participate in conversations about culture, creativity and digital influence.

Another notable international engagement took place in May 2026, when she led a Ghanaian food menu takeover at Snapchat’s United Kingdom headquarters.

According to MyJoyOnline, more than 300 Snapchat employees had the opportunity to experience Ghanaian dishes prepared using Chef Abbys’ recipes alongside the company’s in-house culinary team.

The occasion carried a special significance because Snapchat was one of the platforms on which her content-creation journey began. It represented a journey from sharing food videos online to introducing Ghanaian cuisine at the headquarters of a global technology platform.

Her international engagements have also included food tours and cooking masterclasses in the United Kingdom, helping audiences encounter Ghanaian flavours and culinary traditions through direct participation.

Chefabbys School of Food: Turning Knowledge into Learning

Chef Abbys’ work is not limited to creating content for entertainment. She has also developed initiatives that make culinary knowledge more accessible.

One of these is the Chefabbys School of Food (CASOF), which reflects her interest in teaching, culinary development and inspiring the next generation of food entrepreneurs.

The initiative is part of her broader vision to preserve African culinary heritage while equipping people with knowledge and skills that can create opportunities in the food industry.

Her transition from selling food to teaching people how to cook is particularly relevant here. It shows how her original interest in food has developed into a wider educational and entrepreneurial direction.

Through digital tutorials, cooking experiences and educational initiatives, she is working towards a model in which culinary knowledge can be shared, developed and translated into professional opportunities.

Food as a Tool for Social Impact

Another important dimension of Chef Abbys’ work is her interest in using food to address social challenges.

She is the driving force behind The Big Street Feast, an initiative that brings food to people who may not otherwise have reliable access to meals.

In October 2025, she led a major street-feeding effort on World Food Day, with MyJoyOnline reporting that the initiative served more than 20,000 people across major streets in Accra.

Her subsequent ambitions have been even more expansive. In an October 2026 interview with Pulse Ghana, she discussed her goal of reaching 50,000 people across Accra and Kumasi through the initiative.

The distinction between the reported 2025 achievement and the later target is important: the first demonstrates an accomplished outreach effort, while the second reflects the scale of the ambition she continues to pursue.

The initiative connects her public profile as a food creator with a practical concern for hunger and food access. It also illustrates her belief that the reach and resources generated through digital influence can be directed towards community needs.

Inspiring a New Generation of African Food Creators

Chef Abbys’ journey offers an example of how creators can build professional opportunities around knowledge, passion and cultural identity.

Her experience demonstrates that content creation does not have to be separated from education, entrepreneurship or social responsibility. A creator can entertain an audience while teaching practical skills, documenting cultural heritage and introducing new perspectives.

For aspiring African food creators, her journey also highlights the possibilities of starting with available resources, developing a recognisable creative identity and remaining consistent enough for a personal interest to grow into a wider platform.

Her work encourages audiences to appreciate African cuisine not simply as something to consume, but as an expression of history, community and identity.

A Nomination Celebrating the Power of Creative Storytelling

Chef Abbys has built a digital presence around a subject that connects people across cultures: food. Through her cooking videos, culinary journeys, international collaborations and social-impact initiatives, she has expanded the role of food content beyond recipes and entertainment.

Her inclusion in TIME100 Creators 2025, representation at international creative platforms and work through Chefabbys School of Food and The Big Street Feast demonstrate the different ways she continues to apply her creativity and influence.

Her nomination for Content Creator of the Year at the West African Citizens Awards 2026, representing Ghana, recognises her contribution to digital storytelling and the visibility she brings to African culinary heritage.

From a cooking video shared on Snapchat to international audiences discovering Ghanaian dishes, Chef Abbys’ journey shows how a creator’s passion can become a platform for education, cultural representation and meaningful impact.

Recognizing the Unseen. Celebrating the Exceptional.

Support Chef Abbys

Chef Abbys is nominated for Content Creator of the Year, representing Ghana, at the West African Citizens Awards 2026.

🗳️ Cast your vote: Visit the official WAFRIC Awards public voting page and locate the Content Creator of the Year category.

📋 Read the voting procedures and criteria: WAFRIC Awards 2026 Voting Procedures.

Voting closes on November 15, 2026. Public voting forms part of the process but is not the sole determinant of the final winners; the published criteria and final assessment also apply.