Ghanaian chef and former Guinness World Record contender Chef Faila has opened up about the experiences and opportunities that laid the foundation for her rise in the culinary world.

She shared how her journey from a hotel kitchen led to representing Ghana on international stages.

In a Facebook post on May 11, 2026, Chef Faila, born Abdul-Razak Failatu, recalled her days as a young chef at a hotel where she developed a reputation for resourcefulness and maintaining the quality of the food she prepared.

“I was a young girl who knew how to manage whatever ingredients were left in the kitchen just to support my bosses with cost management while still impressing guests with quality meals. That lifestyle and mindset deeply impressed my boss,” she wrote.

Chef Faila shared how her dedication earned her remarkable recognition, including a brand-new Mapouka Savvy motorbike, which was considered a significant status symbol at the time, awarded to her for being hardworking, punctual, and consistent.

However, it was a phone call she received while sitting in a university lecture hall that she described as a defining moment in her career.

“I was seated in a lecture hall one day when I received a call from my former boss, who was a friend of Bugri Naabu. He told me Chairman was contesting for the Northern Regional Chairmanship position of the NPP and needed a chef to handle meals for 500 delegates. He asked me, ‘Can you do it?’ With absolutely no certainty about how I was going to finance such a huge catering order, I boldly said yes,” she wrote.

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She immediately arranged for a classmate to cover for her in case of any tests, boarded a bus to Tamale, and executed the job.

The earnings from that single opportunity, she revealed, became the financial foundation that fuelled a string of subsequent ventures, from student birthday parties on campus to bulk cooking orders and larger events at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.

Chef Faila used the post to reflect on the values she believes have driven her growth, cautioning fellow professionals against letting pride block mentorship and discipline.

“If ego and pride prevent you from receiving certain training, exposure, and mentorship, you may struggle greatly when it becomes your turn to lead others,” she wrote.

She also expressed a wish to one day reconnect with Bugri Naabu to thank him personally for the role he unknowingly played in her story.

“I do not know the whereabouts of Chairman Bugri Naabu today, but someday, I would love to book an appointment just to greet him and thank him once again for giving me an opportunity at a time when opportunities were rare,” she said.

Read the post below:



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