Story by Tafara Chikumira
AMAI’S traditional cookout competition, initiated by the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, is growing from strength to strength, with Midlands province adding new categories of prison inmates and churches in line with the inclusive development approach.
Gastronomy tourism which is being popularised by Amai’s traditional cookout competition is getting a huge buy, as people from across all age groups jostle to prove their cooking skills.
Government’s rallying point was for the participants to translate the skills gained into some viable and sustainable business entities.
“I want to urge you to take your culinary skills to the next level. Take advantage of the areas you are staying and open up businesses in line with the skills you have gained this far. For those who win at national level, we are giving them gas stoves and caravans as part of the startups for their businesses. If there is a funeral in your area, take the initiative to feed the people at a cost of course. When the people who come to a funeral need a place to sleep offer them so that they don’t sleep in cars,” Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbra Rwodzi said.
The gastronomy tourism has courted the eye of the United Nations and is proving to be a game changer in the tourism industry, judging by the flow of tourists ever since Zimbabwe hosted the United Nations Tourism Gastronomy Forum last year.
“The gastronomy tourism concept is indeed showing some significant changes on the tourism scene. Ever since we hosted the UN tourism forum last year, we have seen an influx of tourists visiting this country to just have a taste of our traditional foods. It is that uniqueness of our African dishes that they want to taste as they can’t stand the pizza which they eat almost on daily basis,” Honourable Rwodzi said.
Several participants walked away winners in a competition which also attracted a Chinese chef Mr Dan Zao who won the best outstanding performance category after winning the hearts of judges with his culinary skills.
“I am happy to have leant to prepare traditional dishes for Zimbabwe. This means you can now walk into a Chinese restaurant and enjoy your favorite meal. We will be taking some of the recipes to teach our friends in China so that when you guys go to China you find you best meals there. This will certainly strengthen our friendship,” he said.
“It is an amazing experience. We have leant some new recipes and I am now ready to go and start my own restaurant. We have heard the opportunity of being taught some business skills which will be useful in running the business venture,” a participant said.
“I am very happy to have participated in this competition. From here, my life will never be the same. I wish to take some of my skills back to the village so that I teach others and we form a cooperative,” a cook said.
The Midlands provincial Amai’s traditional cookout competition is the tenth and final provincial competition where winners and their first runners-up in different categories will take their skills to Matabeleland South province for the national competitions slated for the 25th of this month.
