Ahmed Jama has been dubbed “the masterchef of Mogadishu” since
opening The Village chain of five restaurants in the Somali capital five
years ago.
But last week one of his restaurants was badly damaged
and at least 18 people were killed by a suicide bomber and a subsequent
car bomb that was detonated near its entrance.
Last September 14
people were killed after one of the restaurants was targeted by suicide
bombers and two more bombers died in another attack in November.
Leading
chefs from around the world, including René Redzepi, founder of the
Danish restaurant Noma, and top American food writer Daniel Patterson,
have donated thousands of pounds to a fund set up to help Mr Jama
re-open. Speaking from Mogadishu, Mr Jama said: “It is very difficult,
very hard, but I am going to carry on.
“I am determined to
continue. One of the reasons I came here was to bring hope to the
country and the people and I want to continue to give people hope. I
have helped train people and give them a way of providing for their
families. I can’t stop doing that.”
Mr Jama was born in Somalia
but fled the country in 1989 and came to Britain. He trained as a chef
in the Midlands and opened The Village Somali restaurant in Fulham which
is still run by his wife and children. But he returned to his homeland
in 2008 to set up a business and promote tourism as well as helping to
create jobs. He said: “At the time no one was doing what I was doing,
opening a business like this, but I thought it could work and it did.
Now other people are coming back from Britain and London and opening
businesses.”
But Mr Jama’s mission has angered Islamic militant
groups who are opposed to the Western-backed government in Somalia. He
believes he is being targeted because of his message of hope but says he
will not be defeated.
“I do miss London and my family but I have
to work here,” he said. “I would like my children to come here but it
is very dangerous and they feel more British than Somali. I do believe
there is hope for Somalia. I will not give up.”