EU's Top Court Rejects Appeal By 'Putin's Chef' Over Wagner ⦠The group turned to Africa in 2017 below the obvious steering of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon referred to as âPutinâs chef.â Like Mr. Putin, Mr. Prigozhin hails from St. Petersburg, the place he as soon as ran a hot-dog stall earlier than organising a catering enterprise that prospered on profitable Kremlin contracts. The latest list brings to 19 the number of oligarchs and ⦠⦠Yevgeny Prigozhin Yevgeny Prigozhin: who is the man leading Russia's push ⦠How Russiaâs Wagner Group Is Expanding in Africa - The New York ⦠The man behind Russiaâs push into Africa is a former hotdog seller who went on to become a billionaire and global Kremlin action man thanks to his close relations with Vladimir Putin.