Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa-Senior Reporter
THE rich aroma of Zimbabwe’s traditional cuisine filled the crisp mountain air of Nyanga as the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry took its gastronomy drive to First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s week-long Boys and Girls Mentorship Camp, with girls from all the 10 provinces showcasing their culinary skills in a National Gastronomy Cookout Competition.
The contest was one of the highlights of the camp, celebrating Zimbabwe’s diverse culinary heritage while teaching learners the importance of preserving indigenous food traditions and passing them on to future generations.
Representing their respective provinces, the girls prepared an array of traditional dishes, including sadza rezviyo, road-runner chicken, Haifiridzi and nhopi, demonstrating both culinary skills and knowledge of Zimbabwe’s rich gastronomic heritage.
The camp also promoted mutual respect, teamwork and cooperation among the learners.
During breakfast, the girls served meals to the boys. At lunchtime, the boys reciprocated by serving the girls, reinforcing values of respect and appreciation for one another.
The competition complemented Dr Mnangagwa’s longstanding efforts as Tourism and Hospitality Patron to promote gastronomy tourism, preserve indigenous knowledge systems and encourage the consumption of traditional, nutritious foods.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi led Dr Mnangagwa on a tour of the culinary exhibits, where participants from all the 10 provinces showcased their traditional dishes.
The learners explained how each region uniquely prepares and presents these heritage foods.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa is served traditional cuisine prepared by schoolgirls and served by a boy, Trinity Gondwa, during Amai’s Junior Cookout Competition at the Boys and Girls Mentorship Camp in Nyanga.
Dr Mnangagwa, who has been recognised by UN Tourism as Africa’s Queen of Gastronomy, took keen interest in the different preparation methods and the cultural significance attached to the traditional dishes.
Mashonaland East province emerged as the overall winner, with Matabeleland North taking second place and host province Manicaland finishing third.
Earlier, Dr Mnangagwa’s arrival transformed the venue into a vibrant celebration as learners erupted into song, dance, ululation and cheers to welcome “Mother Zimbabwe”.
Dr Mnangagwa introduced Amai’s Traditional Cookout Competition in 2019 with the involvement of chiefs’ wives to promote the diversity of Zimbabwe’s traditional foods, many of which are valued for their nutritional and medicinal properties.
The programme has since been implemented under the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and has expanded beyond its original women-centred focus to include learners, churches, professional chefs, persons with disabilities and inmates, among others.
In recognition of their outstanding involvement, winners and other participants received various prizes, including school stationery, cash and other items, ensuring that every learner received something.
In keeping with her enduring spirit of Ubuntu, Dr Mnangagwa also donated food hampers to learners, resource persons and the local leadership.
Minister Rwodzi said gastronomy was an important part of Zimbabwe’s tourism offering, urging young people to embrace traditional foods and cooking methods.
She said Dr Mnangagwa was playing a key role in promoting gastronomy tourism through the revival and promotion of traditional cuisine.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi chats with learners who participated in Amai’s Junior Cookout Competition as they showcase their dishes at the Boys and Girls Mentorship Camp.
“She has led us into gastronomy tourism through foods such as zviyo, mufushwa, rice with dovi and traditional chicken. Every Zimbabwean child should know how to prepare our traditional foods,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi said Dr Mnangagwa was recognised internationally for her work in promoting Zimbabwean gastronomy and culture.
“In 2023, she was honoured as the Queen of Gastronomy in Africa. She has also taken the lead in restoring our traditional practices through programmes such as Nhanga and Gota,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi urged learners not to be ashamed of their traditions.
“Do not be ashamed of kneeling or participating in our traditional practices. These are our roots and our identity,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi also commended Dr Mnangagwa for using the mentorship camp to promote domestic tourism by exposing children from all the 10 provinces to Zimbabwe’s tourist attractions while instilling pride in the country’s cultural and culinary heritage.
The overall winner from Mashonaland East, Mutsawashe Muchetu, said the competition gave them an opportunity to showcase their culinary skills while learning how the same traditional foods could be prepared and presented differently.
“We are very happy to have won. What stood out for us was seeing how learners from different provinces prepared the same traditional foods in their own unique ways. We learnt that our traditional cuisine can be prepared differently while still preserving its identity,” she said.
Her teammate, Audrey Muchinota, said the experience deepened their appreciation of Zimbabwe’s culinary heritage.
Primary schoolgirls serve breakfast to boys while engaging with them in conversations and sharing valuable life lessons as part of the mentorship activities.
“We are grateful for this opportunity because we learnt that even when we use the same traditional ingredients and dishes, there are different ways of preparing and presenting them.
“We gained new ideas from the other provinces and will share what we learnt when we return home,” she said.
Third-placed Manicaland contestant Karen Nyadute said the competition gave them an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity while celebrating Zimbabwe’s traditional cuisine.
“We are proud to have represented Manicaland and finished third. The competition showed us that traditional food can be prepared in different ways, with each province adding its own unique touch. We learnt a lot from the other teams,” she said.
Her teammate, Charmaine Nyangani, said the experience strengthened their appreciation of food as an important part of Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage.
“We enjoyed seeing the different ways the teams prepared the same traditional dishes. It taught us to be creative while respecting our traditional methods.
“We are leaving the camp with more knowledge, confidence and a deeper appreciation of our culture,” she said.
Appetising traditional dishes prepared by primary schoolgirls are showcased at the Boys and Girls Mentorship Camp in Nyanga, highlighting the learners’ culinary skills and appreciation of Zimbabwean cuisine.
Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza and host traditional leader Chief Mutasa also applauded Dr Mnangagwa for the mentorship initiative, describing it as a transformative programme that is moulding disciplined, culturally grounded and responsible future leaders.
Chief Mutasa hailed the First Lady for introducing the gastronomy programme, saying it was helping preserve Zimbabwe’s culinary heritage and impart traditional knowledge to young people.
He said he would continue promoting Zimbabwean cuisine, adding that traditional foods could be creatively developed into modern products.
“I tasted the mauyu dessert, and I believe we can develop it into ice cream. We only need to control the amount of sugar and mauyu used,” he said.
Chief Mutasa said Zimbabweans should preserve the natural qualities of traditional foods while passing on recipes and cooking knowledge to future generations.
“I will teach people back home about the recipes. I want to thank you for the level of knowledge imparted to these children.
Primary schoolboys serve lunch to girls, promoting the spirit of responsibility, respect and cooperation as part of the mentorship activities.
“You could see that some of them already have the knowledge we are looking for,” he said.
Chief Mutasa said the gastronomy cookout had demonstrated that Zimbabwe’s traditional cuisine had potential for further development.
“Let us make this camp an annual event here in Nyanga,” he said.
Primary schoolchildren wash plates after their meals, demonstrating responsibility, discipline and the importance of contributing to household duties as part of the mentorship activities. — Pictures: Justin Mutenda.
Zimbabwe’s tourism sector continues to gain international recognition, with the country last year named by Forbes magazine as the best destination to visit.
Tourism stakeholders have credited Dr Mnangagwa’s advocacy as Tourism and Hospitality Patron for raising the country’s profile through initiatives promoting culture, heritage and gastronomy.
The week-long mentorship camp ended on a celebratory note as learners bade farewell to one another, leaving Nyanga with renewed confidence, lasting friendships and a deeper appreciation of Zimbabwe’s cultural identity.
