FAO, Rwanda Arts Initiative honoured at Gourmand Awards for showcasing Rwanda’s culinary heritage

June 25, 2025, Kigali - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Rwanda Arts Initiative (RAI) have been honoured by the Gourmand Awards with a Special Award for the joint publication Uruhimbi: Rwanda’s gastronomy and culinary arts, during the Cascais World Food Summit in Portugal. The publication highlights the richness of Rwanda’s culinary heritage and the potential of local and often underutilised ingredients to support better nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Featuring recipes and personal reflections from four Rwandan chefs, Angelique Iraguha, Eric Kanyemera, Phiona Ninsiima, and Ramadhan Sindayigaya, the book blends traditional knowledge with modern culinary approaches. It includes a foreword by the First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda, Jeannette Kagame, and invites readers to rediscover the value of indigenous foods such as sorghum, taro, spider plant, impombo (finger roots), and purple yam. The award was announced on stage at the Estoril Congress Centre by Edouard Cointreau, President and Founder of the Gourmand Awards, who praised the publication for its depth and cultural significance. “Thank you to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Rwanda Arts Initiative for this exemplary publication, with a remarkable foreword by Jeannette Kagame. It provides an invaluable and insightful exploration of Rwanda’s rich heritage and traditions. Through the voices of four great chefs, each recipe unveils the deep-rooted stories and wisdom that share Rwanda’s food culture with the world,” he said. In welcoming the news, Nomathemba Mhlanga, FAO Representative in Rwanda ad interim, said: “Thank you to the Gourmand Awards for recognising our publication. Many thanks as well to the Government of Rwanda for this opportunity and all the collaborators, particularly our partners, the Rwanda Arts Initiative, and our talented chefs. I dedicate this recognition to all of Rwanda’s farmers, chefs, and food lovers. Our book celebrates local and often underutilized ingredients in Rwanda’s culinary tradition. It is a reminder to all of us that the path to better nutrition and sustainable agrifood systems starts with what we grow, what we cook, and what we value.” “Receiving this award is an immense honor, wholeheartedly shared with our incredible partners at FAO. This book, born from the Kigali Triennial's Gastronomy Gala Diner event in presence of the First Lady of Rwanda, a champion of the arts who graciously wrote its remarkable foreword and brought to life by Moyo Publishing (Rwanda Arts Initiative plateform), is a testament to the power of collaboration and the extraordinary artistic contributions of the chefs, photographers, graphic designers, and writers who poured their talent into its pages. It captures the essence of the Rwandan culinary heritage and serves as a reminder of art's vital role in driving sustainable development, said Sophie Kabano, the Vice President at Rwanda Arts Initiative, co-author along with Coumba Sow, the immediate former FAO country representative in Rwanda. With participation from over 200 countries, the annual Gourmand Awards are dedicated to publications on food and drink cultures.

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FAO, Rwanda Arts Initiative honoured at Gourmand Awards for showcasing Rwanda’s culinary heritage