Bryan Ogesa, Lucy Falle and Vicky Ogesa are not just family; they are now the owners of Rafiki. They tell Natasha Baluchi why they were keen to bring African cuisine to the Island
THE word “Rafiki” may be one of the few Swahili words that is widely known to Islanders.
Defined as “friend” and popularised by the mandrill in The Lion King, the name has since taken on a new meaning in Jersey, with the recent launch of the Island’s first African restaurant.
Founded by Lucy Falle, her son Bryan Ogesa and his wife, Vicky Ogesa, the restaurant aims to bring a “fresh and unique African-fusion vibe” to the Island.
Lucy, originally from Kenya, worked as a chef before moving to Jersey, while Bryan and Vicky have built careers in finance.
Having seen Jersey become increasingly multicultural over the years, and drawing on their own African heritage, they realised there was one cuisine, close to their hearts, which was missing from the Island.
“Lucy has always dreamed of opening a restaurant and there were no African-inspired restaurants in Jersey,” Vicky said.
“After seeing more African people come to Jersey over the years I have been here, I noticed they need somewhere they can eat something that reminds them of home,” added Lucy.
Located at The Parade, Rafiki opened its doors at the end of March this year, serving “quick lunches, long dinners, cocktails and grab and go” treats.
The restaurant prides itself on being family-orientated, and the team say that, between them, they bring a plethora of knowledge to the business.
For Lucy, that knowledge has been amassed through decades of experience within the hospitality industry, while Bryan oversees the operational side and Vicky manages the marketing, HR and administration, an approach which Lucy and Vicky say means each person “complements each other in the workplace”.
“We all have different strengths and that’s what makes it work,” Vicky said.
The family was determined to focus on taking inspiration from several African countries, so that customers could be introduced to a range of handcrafted dishes.
As “African food is very diverse”, they carefully curated a menu that would introduce diners to flavours and fusion from the east and west of the continent as well as from southern Africa.
“We tried not to stick to a specific culture, and we wanted to introduce a couple of dishes that are Africa-fusion,” Vicky explained.
“We wanted to slowly introduce it for people who have not had African cuisine before and for them to understand the flavours.”
Some dishes, the trio said, were always destined to make the menu.
Those include ugali – “a reworked African delicacy of maize flour, milk and butter, deep fried and served with lemon kachumbari and aioli” – and samaki wa kukaanga, “a deep-fried tilapia in tomato and coconut”.
“They are both dishes that people miss when they come to Jersey,” Lucy mentioned.
However, there is one special dish that holds a lot of significance for the family: Mama Lucy’s special rice, which has quickly become one of the restaurant’s signature and favourite dishes.
“Lucy cooks for us every Sunday as a family, and her standout dish is her rice, made with tomato and a few spices from home,” Vicky said.
“She works her magic, and her rice is made,” she added with a smile.
While many African expats yearn for the comfort food of home, the founders quickly discovered another eager audience: Islanders who had travelled to Africa and missed its vibrant flavours.
Both reactions, they say, have been one of the most rewarding parts of opening the restaurant.
While many customers have never tried African cuisine before, others have found comfort in familiar flavours they never expected to experience again while living in Jersey.
The family believes the delicate balance between authenticity and taking feedback to “balance the boat” has helped the team cater to a large and diverse audience.
“Balancing the boat has worked out really well. We have put a western touch to it too, so that everyone feels welcome,” Vicky said.
“Getting people to be open-minded about new foods is our aim.”
As you enter the restaurant, you are surrounded by deep greens and African artwork on the wall, with Afrobeat and highlife [a Ghanaian music genre] playing over the speakers, which the founders say they hope creates “a fun and comfortable atmosphere”.
“We are well aware that we are not Michelin-star,” they laughed.
“We want customers to come in, listen to good music and have a good laugh with their friends.”
To that end, service, they say, is just as important as what is on the plate.
“A big thing for us is to make sure that we explain what exactly is in the dishes and what pairs with what. People don’t necessarily know what to pair different foods with, so we make sure we give our customers all the information they need,” Vicky said.
This goal, she adds, was factored into the recruitment stage and she says that the team was “handpicked”, with lots of care and thought given both during the recruitment phase and now, as they strive to maintain their foundation.
Bryan and Vicky met one key staff member while they were on holiday in Kenya. After keeping in touch, they asked whether he wanted to move to Jersey to work in the restaurant and say he jumped at the chance.
“He gives great service and cocktails; we love his energy,” Vicky commented.
“Because the name of the restaurant is Rafiki, we want to make sure our staff are friendly and accommodating, which is what he is.”
While they say that sourcing ingredients for their dishes has not been too much of a challenge, they said it had been much harder to find the right selection of drinks.
However, with many South African wines on the list, and a range of “Africanised” beers and ciders, they say they found a way of “getting around the issue”.
“We had to ask our supplier to source that for us, which hasn’t been very easy. But they did manage to source it for us, and we are very thankful to them for their help and for believing in our vision,” Vicky exclaimed.
But while they managed to source all the necessary menu items in the end, the trio admit that opening a restaurant is not an easy process.
Alongside paperwork, staffing and full-time work, the family understand the hard work and sacrifices that come with running a hospitality business.
“It’s very early stages, there is a lot that we want to perfect, and there’s a lot of work to do,” Vicky reflected.
And while they are already thinking about possible expansion, they are keen to take things one step at a time.
“Ultimately, we want to walk before we run,” Vicky said, “while continuing to introduce Islanders to the flavours and spices of Africa”.
“It would be great to be one of those businesses that has been here for 30 years and is still going.”
“We want to make this restaurant a home away from home for everyone,” Lucy said with a smile.
“It is a complete dream come true.”
