Chef Safari Brings a Taste of Africa to Durango
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DURANGO, Colo. — The smell of sizzling spices and grilled meats wafts through the air as Chef Arnold Safari Ngumbao starts his day inside a red food truck. This isn’t just any food truck — it’s Chef Safari’s African Fusion, the only place in town where locals can savor the bold, flavorful tastes of African cuisine.
At 10:30 a.m., Ngumbao — who goes by chef Safari — had just pulled steaming rice from the oven when a customer knocked on the window. Despite being 30 minutes before opening, Safari never turns away a hungry customer. He serves about 120 customers each day from his food truck.
As lunchtime approached, the pace quickened and online orders began to pour in. Safari, who works alone — save for occasional help from his daughter — moved swiftly inside the food truck, frying kebabs and plating dishes.
“I sometimes get a challenge because I always want to connect with the customers at the same time I serve them. But there's no time,” Safari said.
Like Safari, many people from around the world have moved to Durango, bringing their hometown flavors with them. The town now boasts international cuisine, including Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan.
What it lacks in population compared to larger cities, Durango makes up for in restaurant density. According to a 2018 report by The Durango Herald, the town has about one restaurant for every 99 residents. San Francisco, by comparison, has one for every 187.
Known for its picturesque scenery and thriving outdoor industry, Durango was ranked Colorado’s most loved destination by the Tourism Sentiment Index. In 2022, 2.2 million people visited La Plata County, contributing 48% of the annual revenue for local restaurants and bars.
“As a chef, I can see Durango is expanding, especially in the culinary world. Last year, a really nice Italian restaurant opened here, too,” Safari said.
Safari’s culinary journey began at age 9. His father, a chef in Kenya, inspired him. Working alongside his father prepared him for success in his own career.
After graduating from Kenya Utalii College’s culinary school in Nairobi, he joined the Kenyan team in the 2004 Culinary Olympics, where he connected with top chefs and earned opportunities to train in Sweden.
Safari’s culinary career has taken him across the globe to kitchens in Stockholm, Milan, Barcelona, Zanzibar, and later as the first African chef on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
In 2008, he was invited as a guest chef at the Strater Hotel in Durango, where he crafted a menu featuring Spanish, Italian, Thai and African cuisine. He realized the African-themed dinner was the most popular, sparking the idea that there was a market for African food in a town 9,000 miles from home.
While it was Safari’s dream to build his own business, he also dreamed of reuniting with his family and being there for his daughters. He spent several years getting to know Durango, its community and its traditions before bringing his wife and children to join him.
Safari volunteered with Cooking Matters, traveling across La Plata County to educate people on how to cook and eat healthily on a low budget. Along the way, he learned about local tribal traditions that made him feel at home.
“When I came here, I found something very similar, which they call the Bear Dance. They do the same kind of patterns—men on one side, women on the other. Then, one woman starts dancing and singing, and a man joins her. They meet in the center and dance together,” Safari said.
“Another thing is what they call the sweat. It's like cleansing. There’s a bonfire, and they sweat all over. They take some remedies to make sure they cleanse...I grew up seeing similar traditions and never thought I’d find them in Durango.”
“That’s one of the reasons I brought my family here—because of the similarities.”
In 2023, Safari opened his first food truck. With years of experience as an international chef, he knew how to adapt dishes to appeal to his customers. The menu includes chicken tikka curry, Moroccan lamb and African curry mac ‘n’ cheese.
Safari has built a loyal customer base over the past year and can easily recall a customer’s favorite dish as soon as he sees them.
Recently, Safari moved his food truck to Ska Brewing, one of the most popular craft breweries in town, where he collaborates with the business owner to serve even more customers.
“I am the only African chef here,” Safari said. “I’ve brought African culture to Durango. Customers have even asked for cookbooks so they can immerse themselves in the culture and pass this kind of cooking down through generations.”
Safari looks forward to expanding his business. “Maybe a restaurant, maybe a chain of restaurants, maybe chain of food trailers,” he said. “I would like to leave a legacy here.”