By Our Reporter
On Saturday evening, the rooftop of Zara Gardens Hotel transformed into a space where flavours travelled across continents but still landed firmly on Ugandan soil. For the December edition of The Chef’s Table, curated by The Singleton, Chef Andrew Nsubuga stepped into the spotlight with a menu inspired by the elegance of Italian cuisine yet rooted in the stories and flavours that define his craft.
As head chef at Zara Gardens Hotel, Chef Andrew has long spoken about his desire to see Ugandan culinary identity celebrated with the same reverence as Italy or Spain. This edition gave him the perfect platform to prove that ambition. His approach to Italian cuisine admiring its simplicity, technique, and reliance on accessible ingredients became a canvas for showcasing how local flavour can shine through unexpected pairings.
But this was not a traditional Italian dinner. Rather than the predictable wine-led experience, diners were guided through a cocktail pairing journey by mixologist Ivan Kanyesigye, whose style leans toward experimentation with whisky and fresh fruits. The result: an evening where every course told a layered story of creativity, technique, and surprise.
For the starter, Chef Andrew served a tomato and mozzarella bruschetta, simple, bright, and refreshingly honest. Paired with a Singleton whisky sour, the familiar flavours took on a new personality. The sour, clarified using the milk punch method and filtered to a crystal-clear finish, offered intense flavour delivered through a velvety sip. It was the first hint that this dinner would meet Italian expectations but defy Italian rules.
The hero of the night, however, was his pasta with goat leg, a dish that danced between pasta and lasagna without committing to either. The tenderness of the goat, the richness of the sauce, and the comfort of the pasta came together in a way that felt both familiar and entirely new. Paired with a sweeter whisky cocktail, it provided a moment of unexpected harmony: Italy’s structure meeting Uganda’s depth.
As guests ate and drank, Kampala’s skyline formed a glittering backdrop, the soft breeze and rooftop ambience giving the evening the ease of a summer dinner somewhere between Kampala and Florence. CM Band added to the mood with soulful renditions, from Maurice Kirya’s Misuubawa to Michael Jackson’s Human Nature, and even a few K!mera favourites, ensuring the energy stayed warm, contemporary, and intimate.
Over its past editions, The Chef’s Table has earned a reputation as Uganda’s face of fine dining, a platform where chefs share their vision without compromise. For Chef Andrew, it was not simply a performance but a personal moment. “Thanks for welcoming me into your hearts by experiencing my cooking, I don’t take this lightly,” he said, his voice carrying the kind of gratitude that only comes after a night where everything on the plate has meaning.
A number of diners admitted they hadn’t expected cocktails to hold their own against an Italian-inspired menu. “For me the cocktails were a surprise of the night,” one patron said. “I had not prepared myself for an Italian cuisine with cocktails accompanying, it was an amazing surprise.”
For The Singleton, the night was a testament to the brand’s philosophy of exploration, The Singleton Brand Manager Simon Lapyem said; “Our partnership with The Chef’s Table is rooted in a shared respect for craft. Chef Andrew’s ability to weave Italian technique with Ugandan soul gave us the perfect canvas to showcase how versatile The Singleton can be especially through cocktails that surprise and deepen the dining experience.”
By the time the final course was cleared, it was clear that this edition of The Chef’s Table had achieved something rare an elegant fusion of cultures, techniques, and flavours. It wasn’t simply an Italian dinner, nor a Ugandan one. It was a celebration of creativity, of daring to pair boldly, and of how whisky can travel just as far as food.
And in that seamless dance between continents, The Chef’s Table once again reminded guests why it remains one of Uganda’s most anticipated culinary experiences.