Paul Kato, a food critic in Rwanda, knows a thing or two when it comes to understanding the food scene of Kigali.

He is becoming the go-to person in food matters.

Kato, 26, worked for telco Tigo Rwanda for six years. In that time, and during his high school days, he was conscious of what he ate. After the stint at Tigo, Kato went to work for Milles Collines Hotel in their marketing department, and that was when he had the idea to become a food critic.

“I used to lift weights back in my high school days and consequently my appetite was high. My twin brother, friends and I frequented the restaurant close to the gym,” Kato said. The restaurant is inside the tennis club in Nyarutarama.

Kato takes pictures of his food and has created Facebook and Instagram pages - @iganze and @paul123k - showing his love for food, nature and people.

When critiquing food, he starts with how the food is served, its presentation, the seasoning and whether it is undercooked or overcooked. He then goes on to judge the environment of the restaurant, the service, and recommendations from friends.

“If you ask me the best affordable place to eat in Kigali, I would say Nyamirambo because the service is quick and available all the time,” said Kato.

An avid coffee drinker and a spicy food enthusiast, of Indian food mostly, Kato says that Shokola has the best chicken quesadilla in the country. For breakfast, he recommends Canaberra’s and the newly opened Marriott hotel.

He is known to look for the best food hidden in plain sight like the baristas milkshake in Bourbon.

“I wonder why they had to put it as the third last item on their menu because many people don’t go to the last page of the booklet.”

On fine dining he says, “Some of these places are expensive, but they are worth it and it pays to know what kind of food is worth your money.”

Kato’s travels have led to him enjoying various cultural meals.

People on social media who want to know where certain foods can be found in the city often send him direct messages and he directs them. “If someone wants to be shown around, that would mean service and time so I would charge for that.”

He advises, “To get to know a lot of these places, I would recommend checking out the social media pages of Rwandans and as well as the Living in Kigali blog.”

Now Kato is learning to cook the food that he usually enjoys as a step to perfecting his culinary mastery.