experience
Life is, in part, the culmination of our experiences and memories, both personal and collective. Food is a bridge to that, and to each other. A living, evolving archive, made to be shared; a glimpse of a place and time suspended between then and now; a confluence of culture, care, and craft. At Singita Grumeti, food tells the story of the people of Tanzania and the generations who came before them. Mia Neethling, Executive Chef and Guest Experience Lead, speaks to the philosophy that guides her teams and keeps the country’s natural and cultural heritage alive on every plate: New African Cuisine. On possibility: “Sometime in 2022, I came across Marlies Gabriel, Director of Wondergarden in Arusha – a ‘culinary conservation’ organisation that works with local farmers to grow a range of indigenous crops. On a tour of her facility, I met a group of women farmers who taught me about the culinary and medicinal uses of different local plants. It opened my eyes to the power and possibility of what she calls ‘heritage food’ – the ingredients that have been used in the region for generations – and how we can honour them by using them. For example, instead of using lemon juice to add acidity to our dishes, we now use baobab. Instead of using apricots in a salad, we use dried zambarau fruits. And instead of pistachios, we use kweme, a type of seed, which can also be ground into flour for baking,
roasted like a chestnut, or extracted into a milk alternative. Everything you eat in Grumeti, down to the snacks in your rooms, uses these ingredients, meaning you’re always tasting Tanzanian heritage.” On bringing consciousness to every dish: “Drawing from the land like this forces us to be more conscious of the ingredients we use, and how we use them. Kweme grows in the forests of the Kilimanjaro region, and farmers support themselves by harvesting it. In such small quantities, there’s no need to chop down trees, so buying from them is a way we can promote conservation and support communities. Cooking in this way also means we have to work with what we have. Our menu changes seasonally based on what local farmers produce. With this comes a level of experimentation, competition, and creativity that pushes us to be better. I always encourage our chefs to bring ideas to the table and be confident in them.” On learning & sharing: “Being South African, I didn’t know many of the ingredients our chefs have always used, or how to get the most out of them. So, I asked them to show me, starting with the dishes they grew up with. They’ve been cooking Swahili food since they were young, so we don’t follow recipes. I tell them to cook what they know, how they know. Each time you taste something, it carries that personal touch.
Previous spread The rich natural and cultural heritage of the region is reflected on every plate. Left, clockwise from top left Bread is both a staple and a story of culture. Nature offers of itself generously in the form of nourishment. Those who take from the earth tend to it in turn.
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