Antony Chawagarira
MASVINGO — Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to transform its rich culinary heritage into a viable tourism industry, with around 100 chefs from across the country gathering in Masvingo for a gastronomy masterclass.
The masterclass, held on the sidelines of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo, brought together chefs, hospitality practitioners, farmers, food entrepreneurs, academics, and students to explore ways to develop food into a distinctive tourism product.
Tarirai Musonza, Chief Director in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, said the initiative aimed to equip chefs with skills to enhance the presentation and marketability of Zimbabwean cuisine.
She said the program builds on the momentum created by Zimbabwe’s hosting of the inaugural UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa in Victoria Falls in 2024.
“We have about 100 chefs from across the country. They are here to share experiences and to learn how to present their food so that it is marketable, not just the usual food we put on our tables,” said Musonza.
She said gastronomy has evolved beyond food preparation and is increasingly becoming an important component of the tourism experience and a source of business opportunities.
Zimbabwe’s culinary heritage, she said, is anchored on indigenous grains, traditional vegetables, locally produced livestock, wild fruits, herbs, and diverse traditional cooking methods.
“These resources can be transformed into distinctive tourism products, restaurants, culinary experiences, packaged foods, events, and other enterprises that create markets and livelihoods,” she said.
Musonza said the government has developed a Gastronomy Strategy aimed at strengthening the entire value chain, from farmers and food producers to chefs, hospitality establishments, communities, and entrepreneurs.
The strategy seeks to create an enabling environment for investment, innovation, skills development, market access, and enterprise growth.
“Our approach is therefore to move food from being a cultural asset to becoming a commercial tourism product,” she said.
Musonza said the sector presents opportunities for young people, women, farmers, chefs, and entrepreneurs to establish businesses around traditional cuisine, culinary tourism, food festivals, farm-to-table experiences, indigenous food products, catering, and restaurants.
Musonza said such initiatives could help retain more value within local communities while increasing gastronomy’s contribution to the tourism economy.
She also credited First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa for championing Zimbabwean cuisine through the National Traditional Cook-Out Competitions and other initiatives that promote traditional foods.
Musonza said Zimbabwe’s hosting of the 2024 UN Tourism Regional Forum has positioned the country prominently in Africa’s gastronomy tourism agenda.
She said the focus should now shift from appreciating indigenous cuisine to taking practical steps: documenting and preserving culinary knowledge, strengthening farm-to-table linkages, improving food safety and quality, modernising food presentation while retaining authenticity, and developing commercially viable Zimbabwean gastronomy products.
The Masvingo masterclass is therefore expected to contribute to efforts to diversify Zimbabwe’s tourism offerings while creating new opportunities for communities and businesses along the food value chain.
