Rwanda will from March 23-24 host the inaugural ‘Taste of Kigali festival,’ bringing together some 120 local and international restaurants to showcase the nation’s rich gastronomic nature.
Organized by SACEL ltd and Rwandans Chefs, the two-day food and drinks festival, which will take place at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Center (KCEV), aims to spotlight culinary landscape of the region and cultural experience.
From tantalizing food to delectable desserts, attendees will have the opportunity to experience a journey of gastronomic delight with various chefs showcasing their unique culinary traditions.
At its hub, the festival will feature a cooking competition, providing a platform for chefs to present their culinary skills and vie for top honors. The goal is to create a platform that utilize local ingredients while adhering to international culinary standards soon.
The festival will be packed with a range of engaging activities such as live cooking demonstrations by famous chefs, interactive games, food tasting sessions, attend food pairing activities, and even explore options for their own culinary adventures. There will be something for everyone to cater to a wide audience.
The family friendly activity will also be accompanied by live music performances, art exhibitions, and a vibrant marketplace where attendees can discover local produce, artisanal crafts, and culinary products.
A similar fest widely known as ‘Teste Addis’, has been taking place in Ethiopia and is among the big events in the ‘Land of 13 Sunshine’.
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According to Teklu Sara Yesehak, the brains behind Kigali Taste Fest, the initiative aims to highlight Kigali as a city that embraces global harmony and celebrates culinary diversity.
"We believe in providing a platform for showcasing various culinary cultures of the global restaurants operating in Kigali. This event also offers an opportunity for residents, and visitors alike, to indulge in and savor various cuisines the world has to offer,” Yesehak said.
"When we see the vibrancy of Kigali with its multicultural makeup and recurring unanswered questions from netizens asking "where can we find East African food? Where can we find Arabic and others? This became our concern and decided to bring it here.”
"We want to position the city as a hub of culinary excellence,” she added.
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According to Innocent Rutayisire, the President of Rwanda Chefs Alliance (RCA), several foods on the menu will be available on exhibition. Visitors can expect to taste ‘Isombe’ (Pounded cassava leaves), banana, cassava mixed with beans, ‘Igisafuriya’, a mixture of different dishes cooked together, ‘ugali’, sweet potatoes and more.
When it comes to a mixture of recipes, he said, there will be ‘Impengeri’, ‘Inzuzi’ (pumpkin seeds), banana leaves mixed with beans, sorghum, cassava, millets, and cake made in sweet potatoes and used as desserts. People should also expect ‘Ituri’ made of small, pounded beans.
"We want to reduce the scarcity of alternatives since most foreigner’s flock on a daily basis and most of the time want to taste less-oiled food, in particular Rwanda’s and their own country cuisines.
"We look forward to initiating recipes for traditional crops that represent Rwandan culture and distribute to every restaurant for a variety of tastes. In addition, we will provide safety and hygiene to avoid any unhygienic consumption,” Rutayisire noted.