Everything you need to know about Ghana’s most influential food creator – her real name, age, education, TikTok journey, and humanitarian work
Table of Contents
Who is Chef Abby?
Chef Abby’s Real Name: Abena Amoakoa Sintim-Aboagye
Chef Abby, born Abena Amoakoa Sintim-Aboagye, is a Ghanaian culinary content creator, philanthropist, and cultural ambassador who has taken the world by storm with her authentic African food content. Known affectionately as the “African Food Tourist,” she has transformed how the world sees Ghanaian and African cuisine through her engaging social media presence and humanitarian initiatives.
Chef Abby’s Age and biography
While Chef Abby maintains privacy about her exact age and birthdate, she is a young Ghanaian creator who began her cooking journey at age 16, working to support herself through school. Born and raised in Ghana, she grew up in what she describes as “a cooking family” where food was central to their cultural identity and daily life.
Her early exposure to traditional Ghanaian cooking methods and recipes laid the foundation for what would become her life’s passion and mission.
Chef Abby’s Education and Background
Professional Training: Construction Management (Engineering degree)
Here’s where Chef Abby’s story gets fascinating. Unlike many culinary influencers, Chef Abby didn’t start in a professional kitchen. She trained as an engineer, earning a degree in Construction Management. This technical background demonstrates her versatility and proves that passion can triumph over conventional career paths.
“I have a degree in construction management, that is my profession, but I do cooking as my passion, and now it is taking me places,” Chef Abby revealed in a recent interview.
During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, while many people struggled with uncertainty, Chef Abby made a life-changing decision. She turned away from boredom and chose to pursue her culinary passion, transforming her engineering career into a global food storytelling platform.
Chef Abby’s School of Food (CASOF)
Beyond her content creation, Chef Abby founded Chef Abby’s School of Food (CASOF), a culinary and food tourism school in Ghana focused on teaching African cuisine. CASOF offers:
- Food Tourism Programs – Special group tours exploring African food culture across Ghana and the continent
- Content Creator Training – Teaching aspiring food creators and online content developers
- Culinary Classes – Both live and online cooking sessions, available in group and personal formats
- Cultural Immersion – “Taste Ghana with Chef Abbys” experiences
This educational initiative demonstrates her commitment to preserving and sharing African culinary traditions with future generations.
Chef Abby’s TikTok Success Story
Chef Abby’s TikTok: @chefabbys
Followers: 1.8 million+ (and growing)
Total Likes: 42.6 million+
Chef Abby’s TikTok journey is nothing short of remarkable. Starting with just 500 viewers on her first viral post, she has built one of the most influential African food platforms on the internet. Her content stands out for several distinctive features:
Her Signature Style
- Authentic Traditional Tools: She prominently features local metal cooking pots (traditional Ghanaian cookware) in almost all her videos, creating a signature visual identity
- Cultural Storytelling: Each recipe becomes a narrative about Ghanaian heritage, values, and community
- Visual Excellence: Her videos transform everyday dishes like waakye, kenkey, jollof, and banku into visually stunning experiences
- Pan-African Focus: While rooted in Ghanaian cuisine, she showcases dishes from across Africa, including babenda from Burkina Faso and amiwo from Benin
What Makes Her Content Unique
Chef Abby doesn’t just teach recipes; she creates cultural experiences. As she beautifully explains: “Every ingredient has meaning. Every method carries memory. When you cook a country’s traditional food, you learn its values, its struggles, and its soul.”
Her approach combines educational value with entertainment, making traditional African cooking accessible and exciting for global audiences. She’s mastered the art of showing that African cuisine deserves the same level of recognition and celebration as any other world cuisine.
Chef Abby’s Major Achievements in 2025
TIME’s 100 Most Influential Creators
In July 2025, Chef Abby received one of the highest honors in digital media when TIME magazine named her to its 100 Most Influential Creators list. She joined global icons like Kai Cenat, Khaby Lame, and MrBeast, becoming one of the few African creators to receive this recognition.
Cannes Lions International Festival
In June 2025, Chef Abby represented Ghana at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France, participating in global panels and cultural exchanges that positioned Ghanaian cuisine at the center of international conversations about food and creativity.
TikTok’s 2025 Global Discover List
TikTok recognized Chef Abby’s exceptional content and global impact by featuring her on the 2025 Global Discover List. During this period, she also met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, discussing the future of food content on the platform.
YEN Entertainment Awards 2025
Chef Abby won the Social Media Star (TikTok) award at the 2025 YEN Entertainment Awards, defeating notable competitors including Ama Yeboah, Quesy Official, Presidoo, and Juliana.
Culinary Partner for King Charles III
In a remarkable diplomatic achievement, Chef Abby worked closely with the British High Commissioner’s Residence in Accra to co-develop a Ghana-British fusion menu for King Charles III’s 2025 Birthday Celebration, blending authentic Ghanaian flavors with classic British cuisine.
BRIDGE Summit 2025
Most recently, in December 2025, Chef Abby made history at the BRIDGE Summit in Abu Dhabi, where she moderated a fireside chat with celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern. This moment represented the convergence of traditional and new media, with Chef Abby representing the new generation of food creators on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.
Chef Abby’s Free Food Initiative: The Big Street Feast
What is The Big Street Feast?
“Wherever you are, free food will find you.”
On World Food Day, October 16, 2025, Chef Abby led one of the largest privately organized feeding initiatives in Ghana’s history. The Big Street Feast served over 20,000 people across Accra in a single day, making it a landmark humanitarian project.
How The Big Street Feast Worked
The initiative operated with military precision across multiple locations:
Primary Distribution Points:
- Efua Sutherland Park
- Fadama Astroturf
- Madina Astroturf
- Kwabenya Market
Mobile Delivery:
- Seven Yango trucks delivered meals to 10 distant communities including Dome, Pokuase, Ablekuma, Dansoman, Westhills, Jamestown, Bukom, Spintex, Teshie, and Ashaley Botwe
- Mobile trucks toured the city, reaching people unable to access distribution points
The Mission Behind Free Food
For Chef Abby, The Big Street Feast wasn’t charity it was about dignity, love, and respect.
“Our goal was simple: to make everyone feel happy and loved. So in every plate we served, we added a smile. We made sure no one was left out and that every person felt seen, cared for, and appreciated. That was the true foundation of The Big Street Feast,” Chef Abby explained.
The initiative aligned with the global World Food Day theme: “Food is our future: Partnerships that Feed the Future,” emphasizing collaboration to build resilient, food-secure, and sustainable food systems.
Partners and Sponsors
The Big Street Feast’s success was made possible through partnerships with major brands including:
- Kivo (Brand Ambassador partner)
- Yango (Official Logistics Partner)
- Everpack, Rafimex Company Ltd, Fairway Care
- Lucozade, Perla, Ahmad Tea
- Volta Catch, The GC Brand
- Diaspora Affairs Office
- Plus dozens of local restaurants and food businesses
Impact and Legacy
Feeding over 20,000 people in one day sent a powerful message about the role of food in building community and addressing hunger. Chef Abby’s approach transformed food distribution from a transactional charity event into a celebration of dignity, culture, and human connection.
“This is not charity. It’s about dignity,” she emphasized. “I want people on the streets to feel seen and respected.”
At the heart of Chef Abby’s work is a profound belief in food’s power to unite people and preserve culture. Her philosophy can be summarized in her own words:
“Food is my language. Through it, I tell stories, honor my roots, and invite the world to taste Ghana.”
She sees every recipe as a piece of living history, every cooking method as a cultural artifact, and every meal as an opportunity for connection. This philosophy drives everything from her TikTok content to her humanitarian work.
Chef Abby’s Global Recognition
Beyond social media metrics, Chef Abby has achieved recognition from major institutions:
- TIME Magazine: 100 Most Influential Creators (2025)
- TikTok: Global Discover List (2025)
- Cannes Lions: Ghana’s Representative (2025)
- British High Commission: Culinary Partner for Royal Events
- YEN Entertainment Awards: Social Media Star Winner (2025)
- BRIDGE Summit: Featured Speaker (2025)
Following Chef Abby’s Journey
Want to follow Chef Abby’s culinary adventures?
Social Media:
- TikTok: @chefabbys (1.8M+ followers)
- Instagram: @chefabbys (600K+ followers)
- Website: chefabbys.com
- Business Email: chefabbys.gh@gmail.com
Chef Abby’s School of Food:
- Instagram: @CASOFgh
- Learn African cuisine, food tourism, and content creation
Frequently Asked Questions About Chef Abby
What is Chef Abby’s real name?
Abena Amoakoa Sintim-Aboagye (also spelled Abena Sintim Aboagye)
How old is Chef Abby?
Chef Abby keeps her age private, but she’s a young Ghanaian creator who started cooking professionally at age 16.
What school did Chef Abby attend?
She earned a degree in Construction Management (Engineering), though the specific university hasn’t been publicly disclosed. She later founded her own culinary school, CASOF (Chef Abby’s School of Food).
What is Chef Abby’s TikTok account?
@chefabbys with 1.8 million+ followers and 42.6 million+ likes
Why does Chef Abby give free food?
Through her initiative “The Big Street Feast,” Chef Abby feeds thousands to promote dignity, combat hunger, and build community. She believes food distribution should be about respect and love, not just charity.
Is Chef Abby a trained chef?
No, Chef Abby is actually a trained engineer with a degree in Construction Management. She learned cooking from her family and pursued it as her passion during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Conclusion
Chef Abby represents the best of what the creator economy can achieve. She’s not just entertaining millionsshe’s preserving culture, feeding communities, educating future generations, and putting Ghanaian cuisine on the global map.
From her signature metal cooking pots to her humanitarian “Big Street Feast,” from her TIME recognition to her fireside chat with Andrew Zimmern, every aspect of her journey tells a story about the power of authentic cultural storytelling in the digital age.
As she continues to grow her platform, expand CASOF, and launch new initiatives, one thing remains clear: Chef Abby is not just cooking food—she’s cooking up a revolution in how the world sees African cuisine and African creators.
Follow Chef Abby’s journey on TikTok @chefabbys and join the movement celebrating African food, culture, and community.
