Ghanaian chef and content creator Abena Amoakoaa Sintim-Aboagye, known as Chef Abbys, will become the first African creator to deliver live food demonstrations of African cuisine at Trafalgar Square this Saturday as part of the Mayor of London’s Black on the Square festival.
The free, family-friendly event returns for its fourth year on 5 September, running from noon to 6pm. Organised by the Greater London Authority, it celebrates the contribution of Black communities to the capital under the theme “This is our London.”
In a post on X on Wednesday, Chef Abbys announced the invitation from Mayor Sadiq Khan. “The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has invited me to be the very first African Creator to do a live food demo of African Food at Trafalgar Square as part of this year’s Black on the Square celebrations. This is HUGE to me,” she wrote. “London! See you again! This Saturday at Trafalgar Square. Free For All!”
Official details released by City Hall confirm she will run food demonstrations from her stall throughout the day. Kojo Marfo, chair of the event’s Community Advisory Group, highlighted her role.
“Amongst the outstanding talent and creativity on this year’s programme, we’re delighted to have Chef Abbys join us at Trafalgar Square for an exceptional celebration of iconic African dishes and culinary traditions that are now an important part of London’s diverse food culture”
Kojo Marfo, Chair of the event’s Community Advisory Group
Black on the Square has become a fixture in London’s cultural calendar since its launch in 2023. This year’s edition marks several milestones: 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival, 35 years of Tomorrow’s Warriors jazz education programme, 30 years of the MOBO Awards (with a tribute to founder Kanya King CBE), and 20 years of LatinoLife.
The main stage, hosted by Capital XTRA’s Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie with DJ Manny Norte, will feature Trinidadian soca artist Triniboi Joocie, Dutch-Nigerian-British singer-songwriter FIBI, a nine-piece band from Tomorrow’s Warriors, Nu Establishment performing ska and reggae classics, and a closing set from LatinoLife’s Jose Luis with Viva Sound System delivering reggaetón and baile funk.
Black British theatre from Mandala Productions, fitness sessions led by JustGeen, workshops, face painting, a K-BOTS family zone, and stalls from Black-owned traders offering food, crafts and wellbeing services will fill the square.
Food has long been central to the festival. Black-owned vendors will serve dishes drawing on African, Caribbean and diaspora traditions, with live cooking demos adding an interactive element. Chef Abbys’s appearance places authentic Ghanaian and broader African flavours at the heart of one of London’s most visible public spaces.
About Chef Abbys
Born in Kumasi in 1999, Chef Abbys studied construction technology and management at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology before building a large online following through cooking videos that began on Snapchat and expanded across platforms. She now reaches millions, including more than 2.5 million TikTok followers, and was named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential Creators list in 2025.
Her recent work includes serving as culinary partner for a King Charles III birthday event at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Accra, a private dining experience with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at Cannes Lions, and hosting Mayor Khan during his visit to Ghana. Earlier this year she completed a UK food tour that took in Snapchat’s London headquarters, where she cooked for more than 300 staff, collaborations with local creators, and a screening of her Ghana Heritage Month documentary at Cineworld Leicester Square.
She is also founder of the Chefabbys School of Food and the Big Street Feast initiative. On World Food Day in October 2025 the feast provided three meals to more than 20,000 people in Accra as part of her Zero Hunger advocacy.
The invitation closes a circle for the chef, who has repeatedly used food to connect Ghanaian and British audiences. Her earlier private meal for the mayor and this high-profile public platform at Trafalgar Square underline the growing visibility of African culinary storytelling in the UK.
Mayor Khan described the festival as bigger and bolder than previous years. “This year’s theme; This is our London celebrates the festivals, events and Black Londoners who have shaped the sound and spirit of our capital, and the new generation bringing fresh ideas for the future,” he said.
“Everyone is welcome at Trafalgar Square for a day of fantastic, family-friendly entertainment that brings us together”
Sadiq Khan, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom
Entry is free with no tickets required. Flags are not permitted inside the square. The event forms part of the mayor’s wider Trafalgar Square programme that also includes celebrations for Diwali, Eid, Lunar New Year and other cultural dates.
For Chef Abbys the demonstration represents more than a personal milestone. It places African home cooking techniques and ingredients in front of thousands of visitors in one of the capital’s most iconic locations, continuing her stated mission to preserve culinary heritage while introducing it to new audiences.
Black on the Square 2026 takes place on Saturday 5 September from 12pm to 6pm at Trafalgar Square.
READ ALSO:We Must Invest in Infrastructure and Resources to Fight Prostate Cancer – Dr Yakubu
