Participants from all walks of life convened last weekend to taste diverse gastronomies from the region and beyond. The debut event dubbed ‘Taste of Kigali festival’ took place at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Center (KCEV)from March 23-24. The food and drinks festival saw more than 30 restaurants both local and internationals participating to showcase their national rich gastronomic nature. Organized by SACEL ltd and Rwandans Chefs, the festival was also an opportunity for aspiring chefs and all participating hotels and restaurants to prepare all kinds of food so that participants can enjoy all kinds of foods and tastes while the audience enjoy dance, games, music and performances in each booth. Dishes from Rwanda included ‘Igisafuriya’, ‘Isombe’, ‘roasted meat and more. Italian dishes included Gnocchi al pesto, Fettuccine alla carbonara, Spaghetti bolognese, Penne all' arrabiata), while French had Crêpes, Bouillabaisse, Tarte Tatin, French onion soup, Chocolate soufflé). Chinese, Indian spiced food, and French, Arabic, East African- especially Nyama Choma, Ethiopian’ Injera, South African, West African (Cameroonian Fufu), and North Africa (Moroccan couscous) and more were also present. The festival had a cooking competition, providing a platform for junior chefs from teaching schools such as Rwanda Polytechnic, IPRC Musanze, East African University Rwanda (EAUR), University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies (UTB) where these budding chefs showcased their culinary skills and competed for top honors. The goal was to create a platform that utilized local ingredients while adhering to international culinary standards. UTB students scooped best in presentation, RP won in local cuisines while EAUR grabbed best in international cuisines. ALSO READ: culinary shadows: How Rwandan chefs can step into the spotlight Khushi Upadhyay, an Indian lives Rwanda said the fest was an educational experience and much of social interactions. She said: “I am a daughter to the owner of the restaurant. I was helping with the counter and cooking. I got to meet a bunch of people from Somalia, Sudan, France, Belgium, Italy, Creek and many more and I learned a lot from them, mostly a bunch of different cuisines.” Basically, the most important thing about this Fest was different nationalities learning from each other and getting to know things about this. I’ve learned a lot about how to interact with people generally and it’s been a very educational experience.” Pacifique Ishimwe, a culinary arts student at RP, IPRC Musanze, expressed his amazement at the collective passion for cooking and various food and drink preparations among his peers. He specializes in both African and European dishes. “Learning from colleagues, particularly those dedicated to promoting local cuisine, has broadened my culinary knowledge and fuelled my passion for future growth and a bit of international dishes’ preparations. According to Innocent Rutayisire, President of Rwanda Chefs Alliance, junior chefs from various parts of the country had the opportunity to visit major hotels and restaurants like Marriot, Grand Legacy, and others. “They made contacts for internships and skill enhancement. It was such a big platform and valuable experience and we have gained some members of RCA.” “As chefs, we’ve learned a great deal and we aim to organize similar local events while also considering participation in international events,” he said. Teklu Sara Yesehak, CEO of SACEL commended the participants’ participation and said that the festival will increase the number of restaurants, hotels, and other stakeholders to boost Kigali’s status as a hub of cultural tourism. “We aim to bring people together, considering organizing it either bi-annually or annually. However, thorough evaluation of our events is necessary before planning the next big one, requiring additional staff to assist in design and logistics,” she said. Regarding her expectations, Sara remarked, “Although it’s new here, it was successful. We encountered some challenges on the first day, but this event is like a newborn baby. We don’t expect it to crawl, walk, and run immediately.” The idea of the ‘Taste of Kigali’ originated from Ethiopia as the ‘Taste of Ethiopia’ and the ‘Taste of Addis’.
