For chef-owner Ahmed Obo, Jambo Cafe in Santa Fe is a culmination of a dream with his heritage directly reflected in the food he creates. He grew up watching his mother and aunties cook aromatic and flavorful food by using spice to shore up day-to-day ingredients to feed a large family with satisfaction. With a goal of having customers feel transported and immersed in the color, sounds, tastes, and liveliness of Swahili and African culture, even with Swahili spoken by many staff, Obo has added a layer of authenticity to this dining experience. Below are highlights from our conversation.
What are some of your most popular menu items that are based on recipes and ingredients from your mother’s home cooking?
Our stews are made with spectacular-tasting masalas (spice mixes) and come directly from my childhood when my mother would send me to the market before I went to school to buy a masala packet to enhance whatever she was cooking that day. I grew up on Lamu, an island off the coast of Kenya, and seafood was typically available. This is a big part of our menu. Customer favorites include our Pili Pili Shrimp, Coconut Chicken Curry, Caribbean Goat Stew, Ethiopian Berbere Stew, and the Moroccan Lamb Stew and specifically African dishes would be our ugali, fufu, and roti.
What happened after you were featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
It was incredible to be on the show twice 10 years apart. Guy Fieri featured us in 2013 and 2023 and both times brought in a measurable increase in tourists and locals alike. There is no question that being featured on two episodes has made a huge difference for us in awareness and customer growth. It was exciting and memorable to meet and cook with Guy. I’m grateful for having had both opportunities.
How important has being named continuously on “Best of” lists and receiving the James Beard Nomination for Best Chef in the Southwest been to your branding and growth?
Acknowledgment of effort reinforces our brand and goes a long way toward fortifying excellence, whether it be the food, the service, or the vibe we’re sharing with the community. The frequency and repetition of the “Best ofs” along with the very prestigious James Beard nomination have brought in new customers and have made us top-of-mind for past customers to come back and experience the vitality of Jambo Café.
Do you have a social impact mission community give-back program?
Our commitment to the community is important to us. We regularly donate restaurant gift cards as silent auction items, participate in many annual events for local group fundraisers, and are a sponsor of the Santa Fe Marathon and Santa Fe Dreamer’s Project. On an international scale, I started the Jambo Kids Foundation about 10 years ago, whose main focus is the Jambo Kids Clinic in Lamu, Kenya. The clinic provides much-needed medical care to children and families in an area that is a medical desert. I’m proud that our restaurant’s success has been a vital source of support to keep the clinic going.
What is ahead for Jambo Café?
I would like to continue participating in friendly chef and food competitions like the Burrito and Green Chile Cheeseburger smackdowns. We will continue bringing our food truck to local special events like Globalquerque, Santa Fe Reporter’s Best of Event, and the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta’s Grand Tasting. I’m also excited to be working on a new cookbook featuring soups and stews and look forward to making that announcement when it is published.
What is your advice for aspiring restaurateurs?
Be personable. Be grateful. Find great staff and cherish their efforts; staff longevity goes a long way. Smile and laugh often; the stress of a restaurant will always be there and it is important to find the humor in it all. And always remember to take care of yourself so you can be your best self every step of the way and be at peace with this very special entrepreneur path chosen.
Tenyse Williams is an award-winning Brand Strategist, an Adjunct Instructional Specialist at Columbia University and George Washington University, and Founder & Chief Communications Officer of Verified Consulting, leading a team of digital marketing professionals amplifying awareness for their clients. Follow her on LinkedIn.
