ORANGE BEACH, AL — Chef Fred Uisso backed up, got in his stance and showed off some of the moves that made him, at one time, the heavyweight boxing champion of Tanzania.

But on Thursday is was standing in the sun at The Wharf in a chef’s shirt and quickly transitioned into chopping, stirring and pan-shaking motions of his trade.

A chance meeting between his host in Alabama, Tanzania native Deogratias Ngowi, and Orange Beach City Administrator Ken Grimes led to Thursday’s impromptu meet-and-greet at The Wharf.

“Planes, trains and automobiles,” Orange Beach City Administrator Ken Grimes said.

Most likely, Chef Fred will have traveled the greatest distance of the 438 chefs in town for this week’s World Food Championships at The Wharf. Events start today and go through Tuesday.

He flew from Tanzania to Dubai, flew from there to Houston, went to New Orleans via ground transportation and took a train from there to Birmingham.

Grimes and Ngowi crossed paths in an unlikely meeting at a gas station in Bessemer. Ngowi was gassing up for a trip to Orange Beach and Grimes was visiting his mom and filling her tank for her while in town.

“This guy leans around the pump and says ‘Orange Beach, Orange Beach,’” Grimes said, pointing to his shirt. “I said, yes, that’s where I live. Then he said the World Food Championships. And I thought who in the world in Bessemer, Ala., would say that?”

Grimes and Chef Fred met for the first time on Thursday with Ngowi as his stateside emissary. Chef Fred oohhed and awed over two bags of goodies, one from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism and the City of Orange Beach.

They contained items to use on the beach, cups, tumblers and other goodies.

Both Chef Fred and Ngowi were also awed by the white sandy beaches they found upon arrival.

“I saw the beach and I screamed,” Chef Fred said. “This is wonderful. Now I am equipped.”

Ngowi said he and Chef Fred arrived at their beachfront accommodations at night and woke up to find the view that attracts 6 million visitors a year to Baldwin County.

“Classic, beautiful beaches and good people,” Chef Fred said Friday morning at a chamber breakfast event at LuLu’s. “This is paradise.”

At home nature’s beauty is pretty stunning, too, with views for miles and miles of the famous Mount Kilimanjaro.

Chef Fred has been trying for seven years to qualify for the World Food Championships and finally made it in for the first year Orange Beach will host the event.

His two categories include steak and an international competition with seven other chefs from around the world.

Several public events are available starting with a low-country boil on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. for $20.

The tasting village will be open Friday through Sunday where $5 will get you samples of the competitors’ work.

On Friday there is a Bourbonque fundraiser at Heron Point at The Wharf with the proceeds benefiting several local charities. A ticket to feast on the barbeque is $75 for general admission or $100 for VIP access.

Saturday’s big event is Around the World in 20 Bites from 4-6 p.m. at The Sands in The Wharf. Chef David Skinner of Eculent Restaurant in Kemah, Texas, will prepare four iconic dishes from five countries – the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy and the Philippines. Tickets are $49.

If you want to see what it takes to be a judge, you chance comes Monday from 6-8 p.m. at The Palms. The class costs $60 and will include all the inside information used by the judges for the World Food Championships.

There will be 438 chefs on hand including 48 international competitors from 14 different countries. They will be competing in 10 categories:

•World Barbecue Championship.

•World Open Chili Championship.

•World Burger Championship.

•World Dessert Championship.

•World Sandwich Championship.

•Bacon World Championship.

•World Recipe Championship.

•World Invitational Steak Championship.

•World Seafood Championship.

•World Chef Challenge.