Nairobi, Feb. 11 -- Ossobuco, once a specialty dish found only in Italian restaurants, is quickly becoming a staple on Kenyan tables. What people used to order for a night out is now being made at home, shared at family dinners, and sold in home-cooking businesses.

Chef Paul Ngone Gitao (60), has been cooking at Trattoria since 1983. When he first joined the Italian restaurant, he was still learning the ropes of the kitchen. At that time, Italian cuisine was unfamiliar to many Kenyans, who didn't fully grasp its depth and tradition.

"I came here in 1983," he recalls. "That is when I started cooking at Trattoria, alongside the mother of the owner. She was about 87 years old and full of knowledge. She cooked every day and patiently taught...