Watch: “We lost the property, not the vision: Fairy Café will be back!” – Chef Kay

Though the flames have long died down, hope burns brighter for restaurateur Kathy Mwanza, affectionately known as Chef Kay.

The proprietor of Fairy Café watched her dream go up in flames on February 17 when a fire gutted the popular eatery and bar in Bulawayo, leaving 55 employees without jobs and destroying property estimated at US$1 million.

According to the Fire Brigade, they responded swiftly, but the blaze, which started on the roof from the kitchen area, spread rapidly through the building. Nothing was salvaged from the main structure, although two fully stocked storerooms at the back were saved.

For Chef Kay, famed for operating the Cake Fairy and Fairy Café brands that have branches in Harare as well, the loss of the Bulawayo branch, where her business started, is deeply personal.

In an emotional video shared on her TikTok, she walked through the charred remains of the restaurant for the first time since the disaster, her voice heavy with memory and resolve.
“It’s been exactly one week since this disaster and I took time to just go through the restaurant for the first time after the fire.”

She recalled the year and two months spent renovating the space before opening its doors, every detail carefully chosen, every corner crafted with love.
“I built Fairy Café from a small dream and last week, it was burnt to the ground. As I walked through, I could remember every little detail. I renovated this place for almost one year two months before I opened it. It was so beautiful.
“We lost a lot, but I guess we didn’t lose the vision. Fairy Café will be back.”

Her message has resonated widely, drawing an outpouring of support from the community and beyond.
“Thank you to everyone who has been checking on us. Your love means everything. Though we have fallen, we will rise. Thank you for holding Fairy Café in your hearts,” she said.

While the property may be reduced to rubble, Chef Kay’s determination remains intact, and so does the dream that built Fairy Café.