Maurice was born in the DRC but grew up in Zambia. In his early years, he dreamt of becoming an agricultural officer, though he started his career as a drilling assistant (on a temporary contract).

In 2019, Maurice shifted professions and took on the role as a cleaner for Kamoa’s external facilities service provider, IFS. After joining IFS, he soon grew interested in becoming a chef. With the help of Chef Bashford, he obtained three years of culinary training in Lubumbashi. Now, as the Head Chef at Kamoa Village and Kukula, Chef Maurice leads a team of between nine and 18 in the kitchen.

His day starts at 4am, as breakfast needs to be prepared early. Chef Maurice also prepares lunches and dinners each day. He takes delight in cooking nutritious meals for both employees and those attending functions at the site. His favourite dishes to prepare include oxtail, ossobuco and curry. His bakery team prepares delicious desserts every day, such as swan-shaped chocolate éclairs or delicious cakes, as well as mouth-watering freshly baked bread and rolls. When employees have special dietary needs, such as Halaal, Chef Maurice ensures that their meals are cooked individually.

Kamoa Village sources its food from Lubumbashi and the surrounding communities. The communities supply a variety of vegetables such as cabbage, okra, lengalenga, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, kasava leaves and onions. Eggs are sourced from the local female co-operative established by Kamoa’s sustainable livelihoods initiative.

Chef Maurice’s passion for hospitality and good food make him an invaluable asset to the Kamoa Village, and he has big dreams – with support from IFS, he is currently training to become the catering manager.

“We have many functions for guests such as ministers or investors and I like to cook for them”, he says.