Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE’S top Nando’s grillers, Victor Godoh and Decent Chiramba, will represent the country at the International Grillers Challenge in Perth, Australia, this October after emerging as the top two at a national competition held in Avondale on Tuesday.
Godoh clinched first place ahead of Chiramba, while Emmanuel Vakayi finished third in a field of 15 contestants drawn from Nando’s outlets across the country.
The competition is part of a global Nando’s programme that brings together top grillers from different countries.
In an interview, Godoh said the competition has been tough, and his win came as a surprise.
“I did not expect to win because it was a tough competition. Last year, I wanted to be part of the Challenge, but I did not make it. I soldiered on until I made it this year,” he said.
Godoh said the opportunity to travel to Australia marked a major milestone in his life.
“I am so excited because I have never boarded an aeroplane and this is my first time travelling out of the country. I expect to bring something home, the trophy, of course, and lift our country’s flag high,” he said.
Nando’s Zimbabwe general manager, Mr Thabani Banda, said the event is held annually across several countries.
“We are celebrating our Grillers Challenge, which is an international event that we hold every year in various countries,” he said.
Mr Banda said the competition starts at the outlet level, with winners progressing to the national stage.
“From the 15 guys that were here today, only two were selected to represent Zimbabwe in Perth, where they will compete against other Nandos from across the world,” he said.
He said the initiative reflected the company’s values centred on people.
“Our brand is not about chicken, it is about the people who make the chicken,” he said.
Nando’s partners division executive for Africa and the Middle East markets, Mr Magnus Potgieter, said Zimbabwe hosted the first national competition on this year’s international calendar.
“The quality that we saw today out of all the 15 competitors — it was a very close call,” he said.
“The food quality in Zimbabwe has always been next level, so there is no surprise there. The International Grillers Challenge in Perth is a way to celebrate our master grillers; it is about the art of grilling and the people behind it.”
Mr Potgieter said Zimbabwe has consistently performed well at the global level.
“Zimbabwe has always placed very high. The competition is improving every year, the quality is improving every year, so we are very pleased,” he said.
The Perth competition will see Zimbabwe’s representatives competing against top grillers from more than 20 countries.
