Ghana’s food industry is looking beyond the kitchen as chefs, hospitality professionals and food entrepreneurs turn to culinary innovation as a way to create new business opportunities and strengthen the country’s tourism offering.
The shift will take centre stage at the third DCS Culinary Expo on August 29, where industry players will explore how traditional Ghanaian ingredients can be transformed into modern dishes capable of competing on international culinary platforms.
Organised by Dainess Chef School (DCS), the expo will be held at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in Accra on the theme “Culinary Innovations: A Ghanaian Perspective.”
The event has received the endorsement of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), which sees culinary tourism as an opportunity to showcase Ghana’s cultural heritage, strengthen the tourism value chain and create employment.
From local food to a marketable product
For DCS Principal, Pamela Sarkodee, the opportunity lies in changing how Ghanaian food is presented rather than abandoning what makes it Ghanaian.
“We are not teaching recipes. We are teaching skills,” she said, explaining that the expo is moving away from fixed recipes towards techniques that chefs and food businesses can apply across different dishes.
Participants will be introduced to techniques such as spherification, gelification, edible glass-making and oil extraction.
Local ingredients including kontomire, plantain and beans will feature prominently, showing how familiar Ghanaian foods can be presented differently while retaining their identity.
One demonstration, for instance, will use plantain starch to create gel sheets for a refined presentation of gobɛ, the popular combination of beans and plantain.
For the food business, the idea is straightforward: Ghanaian dishes do not have to remain confined to traditional presentation if chefs have the technical skills to give them a modern appeal.
Creating opportunities beyond the restaurant
The economic potential extends beyond chefs and restaurants.
A stronger culinary sector can create opportunities for food suppliers, farmers, caterers, hotels, content creators, culinary schools and tourism operators.
The Ghana Tourism Authority has also identified culinary tourism as a way to strengthen the tourism value chain and position Ghana as a more attractive destination for visitors.
The expo will therefore include discussions on food tourism and sustainable food systems, alongside a keynote presentation on promoting sustainable food systems in Ghana.
Celebrity chef and content creator Chef Abby will also speak about her journey from content creation to food tourism, highlighting the growing connection between food, media and tourism.
Can Ghanaian food compete globally?
Sarkodee believes Ghana has an opportunity to take its cuisine beyond the familiar jollof debate.
“We are looking at the food industry internationally, where technicality, advancement in skill and molecular gastronomy are important. Can we play at that table? By all means, we can,” she said.
That ambition is important for Ghana’s hospitality industry, particularly as the country seeks to attract more tourists and increase spending within the domestic tourism value chain.
The expo brings together the Chefs Association of Ghana, Food and Drugs Authority, Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Ghana Tourism Authority and Ghana Food Movement, alongside hospitality businesses including Marriott Hotel, Café Bar Noir and White Restaurant.
The event is free to enter, while participation in demonstrations costs GH¢50 per session or GH¢150 for all seven demonstrations. Participants will also receive certificates.
For Ghana’s food industry, the bigger opportunity is to turn what is already abundant and familiar into something with greater commercial value.
If local ingredients can be paired with stronger technical skills, better presentation and tourism marketing, Ghanaian cuisine could become not only something people eat, but a product that attracts visitors, creates businesses and generates jobs.
