Dennis Ombachi, commonly known as the roaming chef, is famous for cooking mouthwatering meals at his balcony, punctuating the videos he shares on social media with the word ‘done!’
The Roaming chef was not always a cook, having been more famous in his younger days for his athletics abilities in the rugby field.
During his stint as a rugby player for the Kenyan national rugby team, Ombachi scored against Zimbabwe qualifying Kenya for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
In a turn of events, the Kenya Rugby Union terminated his contract, leading him to the rabbit hole of mental health challenges after losing his means of income.
His former captain and mentor Humphrey Kayange later gifted him a DSLR camera, which he set on his balcony and started documenting his meal preparations and cooking.
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Dennis Ombachi Culinary Champion
This earned him millions of followers on social media and recognitions including a Tik Tok Award.
He was crowned as the overall winner at TikTok’s inaugural Top Creator Awards for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2023.
In an interview with CNN Sport, Ombachi revealed that his passion for cooking blossomed after the cancellation of the rugby sevens circuit and the termination of his contract by the Kenya Rugby Union.
Facing this setback, he turned to cooking as a means to maintain his mental well-being, finding solace in the diverse flavors and culinary creations.
Dennis Ombachi cites renowned TV chef Gordon Ramsay as one of his primary inspirations in the culinary world.
“My cooking journey started way back when I used to play rugby for Kenya and travelling all the time in different countries and seeing different cuisines and different recipes,” he stated.
“I started following new YouTube videos from British chef Gordon Ramsey. He unknowingly mentored me to cooking,” Ombachi noted.
Ombachi, who cooks daily for his family, began sharing his recipes online in 2021.
His creations gained rapid popularity, spreading across various social media platforms, with his signature catchphrase ‘Done’ evolving into a meme of its own.
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Dennis Cooks for Davido
To express the extent of his fame, Nigerian music star David Adedeji alias Davido was treated to a meal of ugali and omena by Ombachi during his music tour to Nairobi over the Easter weekend.
In a video shared online, Ombachi can be observed imparting instructions to Davido on the preparation of ugali-omena.
Ombachi could be heard explaining to Davido what the meal was, saying “this is small fish fresh from Lake Victoria”.
Davido was later seen taking a few bites of the Omena with brown ugali, before he said ‘done’, in reference to Ombachi’s slogan whenever he makes his meals.
Ombachi Having Bipolar Disorder
Reflecting on his journey, Dennis Ombachi disclosed that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder following a suicide attempt in 2018.
“I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after I attempted suicide, but my friends got me in time. I remember it was Hike Otieno. He called another friend of mine, Kevin Okeyo and G-Money,” Dennis Ombachi revealed at a past interview.
He recounted how his friends escorted him to a psychiatrist, leading to a two-week admission.
Following comprehensive testing during his stay, he received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Subsequently, he commenced medication alongside therapy sessions.
“I was a bit hesitant. The whole of the first year I was not consistent with my medication. I kept slipping back to depression back and forth,” Ombachi said.
