Magriza Made Me Cook heads to Luju Festival

Celebrated culinary and cultural platform Magriza Made Me Cook continues to gain international recognition after being selected to participate in the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival, which will be held in Eswatini from August 1 to 2.

Widely regarded as one of Southern Africa’s premier lifestyle festivals, Luju has built a reputation for blending gastronomy, fashion, music and culture into a vibrant Afrocentric celebration that attracts visitors from across the continent and beyond.

This year’s edition will once again bring together acclaimed chefs, fashion designers, musicians and cultural practitioners, creating a platform that celebrates African creativity, innovation and heritage.

Representing Zimbabwe in the culinary showcase will be Prince Sivalo, the founder and host of Magriza Made Me Cook, a documentary platform that has earned widespread acclaim for spotlighting traditional Zimbabwean cuisine, indigenous food systems and cultural storytelling.

Sivalo has been invited to join a distinguished line-up of culinary experts that includes renowned chefs Mmabatho Molefe and Sive Bhembe, who will lead a series of demonstrations and discussions exploring the richness and diversity of African cuisine.

For Sivalo, the invitation marks another significant milestone in his mission to elevate Zimbabwean food traditions onto the global stage.

“It’s an incredibly profound feeling to be included in the line-up for one of Africa’s premier food and lifestyle events. For me, this selection is a powerful validation of the work I’ve dedicated myself to – putting Zimbabwe’s rich culinary traditions and indigenous foodways firmly on the global map,” said Sivalo.

“When I received the news, I was thrilled by the prospect of showcasing the depth and diversity of our country’s gastronomy on such an influential stage.”

He said it is an absolute honour to share this platform with fellow visionary culinary voices like Chef Mmabatho Molefe and Chef Sive Bhembe, who are doing phenomenal work across the region.

At the festival, Sivalo will present a showcase themed Nguni Foodways: A Return to the African Future, an exploration of traditional Ndebele cuisine and the enduring relevance of indigenous food knowledge.

He said his presentation will go beyond simply preparing meals, offering audiences a deeper understanding of the cultural practices and philosophies that have shaped African food systems for generations.

“My showcase is centred around the theme, Nguni Foodways: A Return to the African Future. Festival-goers can expect an immersive journey into traditional Ndebele dishes, which form an essential backbone of Nguni gastronomy,” he said.

“Rather than just presenting food on a plate, my sessions will dive deep into ancestral foraging practices and age-old fermentation techniques. I want to demonstrate how these traditional methods are not relics of the past, but living practices that continue to shape and inspire modern African cuisine. It is about honouring our roots while looking forward.”

The invitation is another endorsement of the growing influence of Magriza Made Me Cook, which has become a leading voice in documenting and preserving Zimbabwe’s culinary heritage through film, storytelling and food experiences.

Sivalo believes the recognition highlights the importance of safeguarding indigenous food traditions at a time when many cultural practices face the risk of being forgotten.

“This recognition underscores just how vital the preservation and promotion of our heritage foods are to our identity and culture in a rapidly evolving world. It reinforces the importance of using storytelling, whether through film or food, to document and celebrate who we are,” he said.

“Being able to combine my passions for gastronomy and filmmaking in an effort to safeguard our culinary legacy is demanding work, but seeing it resonate on this scale makes every bit of effort incredibly rewarding.”

Beyond the culinary showcases, festival-goers will also be treated to a star-studded entertainment programme featuring leading African musicians and fashion creatives. Artists such as Nasty C, Liquideep, Shwi Mantombazane, Emagugu and Bholoja are among the performers expected to take to the stage during the two-day festival.