Through the partnership, Malonga – who has worked in six Michelin-starred restaurants – has created exclusive signature dishes for Qatar Airways customers travelling on selected routes, bringing African ingredients, culinary traditions, and hospitality to an international audience.

The partnership is part of its ‘Flavours to Fly For’ programme, which sees the multi-award-winning airline partner with world-class chefs to deliver a passenger experience that serves as the gold standard for premium travel and takes Qatar Airways’ already-outstanding in-flight menu to new heights.

Malonga, hailing from Congo Brazzaville, utilises his journeys across 48 African countries to develop an Afrofusion approach to regional cuisines and combine traditional influences with contemporary techniques.

His commitment to developing Africa’s culinary sector extends beyond the kitchen. In 2016, he founded ‘Chefs in Africa’, a social enterprise supporting emerging culinary talent, followed by the ‘Culinary Innovation Village’ scholarship programme, which has grown to a community of about 4,000 chefs and received support from the World Tourism Organisation and UNESCO.

More recently, he established ‘Meza Malonga’, an integrated farm, culinary centre and restaurant focused on African gastronomy and locally sourced, sustainable products.

His culinary talent and efforts in representing the diversity of African cuisines have been continually recognised by leading institutions over the years, including Forbes, Travel + Leisure, World Tourism Organisation, and more.

Qatar Airways has been named the world’s best airline by Skytrax nine times and maintains its 5-Star Airline Rating. It has also won awards for its business class, airport lounge and onboard Wi-Fi, following the rollout of Starlink connectivity across more than 150 aircraft.

This winter, the airline plans to serve over 170 destinations worldwide through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport.