Former Rugby Player Dennis Ombachi Uses Cooking to Battle Mental Health

Former rugby player Dennis Ombachi has spoken out about how he used cooking to get through some of his darkest days. In an interview with CNN, the online chef talked about his journey with mental health and how he resorted to cooking to battle it.

“There is a healing feeling I get from cooking that I can’t explain,” he said.

The retired pro rugby player represented Kenya for more than a decade but suffered a lot of injuries along the way. Ombachi said he used to watch a lot of cooking videos, especially when he was injured. He referred to cooking as a sensory experience for him.

“I use my sense of smell and even sight just to know that what I am preparing is ready. It is a sensory experience for me,” he said.

He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2018 and it took him around three years to disclose his condition to his parents who were supportive.

Before the diagnosis, he said he could experience mood swings and depression or even lock himself up and drink a lot.

“I could engage in certain drugs to numb my feelings and even got to a point where I became suicidal,” he said.

Hitting rock bottom was a wake-up call for the online chef and he decided it was time to take charge. It was at this point that he decided to put into practice the cooking skills he had been watching. He started filming videos under the name The Roaming Chef when the covid 19 pandemic hit.

Ombachi quickly became an internet sensation and currently, he has more than two million followers on TikTok. His interesting cooking videos earned him the 2022 tik tok award for the top creator in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ombachi has no plans of returning to the pitch full time saying his dream is to open a restaurant.

“Ever since I started cooking my dream has been to open up a restaurant. That will be my legacy. Something I’ll leave for my kids,” the chef said.

He admires top chef Gordon Ramsey’s style of cooking saying he focuses more on the principles of cooking rather than just the recipe.

Ombachi’s story is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling with mental health. He shows us that it is possible to overcome challenges and find a new purpose in life.