Zimbabwe brought back the Amai's Traditional Cookout Competition for 2025. This year, they added something new—a special group just for people with disabilities. This helps the country promote food tourism and local neighborhoods and strengthens communities. Hundreds of people showed up at Belvedere Teachers' College in Harare yesterday to watch the action.
The contest split everyone into four groups. Regular folks from around town made up twenty spots. Ten professional cooks joined the fun. Another ten students tried their luck. Five people with disabilities joined the brand-new category. Every person cooked up "highfiridzi" - that famous mix of beef with leafy greens like rape, covo, or tsunga cooked until perfect.
Participants from Harare District fired up their stoves to make this tasty dish. People usually eat "highfiridzi" with sadza. The name comes from Highfield, an old Harare neighborhood where many homes grow the green vegetables that give this meal its real natural taste. Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi came as the special guest, along with her deputy Tongai Mnangagwa.
Many important government people attended from different departments, including the Women's Affairs, Community Development, Higher Education, and Science departments and local leaders. Minister Rwodzi thanked the First Lady for starting this program. She mentioned that UN Tourism even gave Zimbabwe its stamp of approval because of these food events.
Since the first UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy for Africa happened last year in Victoria Falls, tourism numbers have jumped significantly. International travelers have been visiting Zimbabwe more and more since July 2024. First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa created this cooking contest back in 2019. The Tourism Ministry runs the program with help from provinces and other government offices.
Minister Rwodzi pointed out how inclusive the competition became by welcoming disabled participants. She said the First Lady brought a fresh approach this year. The contest includes disabled people and men who cook for their families. This matches what the President wants—nobody left behind. After all provinces finished their contests, judges picked the top three winners from each group to move forward to the national competition.
Winners shared how happy they felt during separate talks. Naomi Ngarandi from Kuwadzana lives with a disability. She entered for the first time and won first place. She never expected to win since she rushed to prepare her dishes. She thanked the First Lady for including disabled people. The contest proved they can compete with anyone and take their skills far.
Martha Charenga from Chitungwiza placed third in the disability category. She felt thrilled because they competed against tough opponents and still came out as winners. Chef Nelson Shonhiwa grabbed the top spot among professional cooks. He praised the Ministry for promoting food tourism. He encouraged other men to join and improve their cooking abilities. He said men often feel shy but should show their talents regardless of which category they enter.
The contest split everyone into four groups. Regular folks from around town made up twenty spots. Ten professional cooks joined the fun. Another ten students tried their luck. Five people with disabilities joined the brand-new category. Every person cooked up "highfiridzi" - that famous mix of beef with leafy greens like rape, covo, or tsunga cooked until perfect.
Participants from Harare District fired up their stoves to make this tasty dish. People usually eat "highfiridzi" with sadza. The name comes from Highfield, an old Harare neighborhood where many homes grow the green vegetables that give this meal its real natural taste. Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi came as the special guest, along with her deputy Tongai Mnangagwa.
Many important government people attended from different departments, including the Women's Affairs, Community Development, Higher Education, and Science departments and local leaders. Minister Rwodzi thanked the First Lady for starting this program. She mentioned that UN Tourism even gave Zimbabwe its stamp of approval because of these food events.
Since the first UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy for Africa happened last year in Victoria Falls, tourism numbers have jumped significantly. International travelers have been visiting Zimbabwe more and more since July 2024. First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa created this cooking contest back in 2019. The Tourism Ministry runs the program with help from provinces and other government offices.
Minister Rwodzi pointed out how inclusive the competition became by welcoming disabled participants. She said the First Lady brought a fresh approach this year. The contest includes disabled people and men who cook for their families. This matches what the President wants—nobody left behind. After all provinces finished their contests, judges picked the top three winners from each group to move forward to the national competition.
Winners shared how happy they felt during separate talks. Naomi Ngarandi from Kuwadzana lives with a disability. She entered for the first time and won first place. She never expected to win since she rushed to prepare her dishes. She thanked the First Lady for including disabled people. The contest proved they can compete with anyone and take their skills far.
Martha Charenga from Chitungwiza placed third in the disability category. She felt thrilled because they competed against tough opponents and still came out as winners. Chef Nelson Shonhiwa grabbed the top spot among professional cooks. He praised the Ministry for promoting food tourism. He encouraged other men to join and improve their cooking abilities. He said men often feel shy but should show their talents regardless of which category they enter.
